This video captures the civilian population caught in the middle of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which started with the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. The conflict has been fueled by a hybrid war, involving not only military operations, but also propaganda, cyber attacks, and the support of separatist movements. Despite several ceasefires, the fighting has continued, and the conflict has caused the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. In 2022, the situation in Ukraine...
The prospect of a wall — a ‘big, beautiful wall’ or a long, costly monument to fear — has entered American political discourse over the past year. But in the world traveled by the Slovakian artist and filmmaker Tomas Rafa, walls have been realities for a long time: some physical, made of reinforced concrete, and others metaphorical, maintained by increasingly virulent nationalist policies. — New York Times
Since 2009, Rafa has employed the methods of cinéma vérité to document what he refers to as “new nationalisms” across Central Europe, creating vivid, stirring portraits of the resurgence of extreme right-wing, xenophobic, and neofascist groups in the region. — MoMA, New York
19.10.2015, Trnovec, Slovenia/CroatiaAs the migration crisis in Europe continues, tensions rise between Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia over dealing with thousands of refugees stranded in the Balkans. The countries accuse each other of allowing migrants to cross their borders without taking responsibility. Slovenia has limited the number of refugees allowed to cross from Croatia, claiming Germany and Austria are also reducing the numbers they accept. Slovenia’s interior minister, Vesna...
On June 2nd, 2012, Warsaw was the site of the annual Queer Parade, also known as the Equality Parade, for the rights of the LGBTQ community. The event attracted thousands of participants, including members of the LGBTQ community, allies, and supporters. The Queer Parade is an important event in Poland, where LGBTQ individuals often face discrimination and hostility. The organizers of the parade believe that every individual has the right to express their sexuality and gender identity without...
Far-right protests in Ceske Budejovice against the Roma community turned violent on Saturday, 29 June 2013, resulting in eight people being injured, including two police officers. More than 100 people were detained during the clashes, and police found baseball bats, brass knuckles, gas pistols and other weapons in possession of the demonstrators. Protestors had attempted to reach neighborhoods where the Roma population was prominent, leading to confrontations with the police. Officers used tear...
On May 1st, Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood became the scene of traditional leftist May Day demonstrations, with thousands of people taking to the streets to protest against social inequality, low wages, and further social cuts. Despite the peaceful nature of the earlier rallies, the situation escalated later in the day, with clashes between protesters and police officers. The police responded with pepper spray, water cannons, and arrests, and more than 7,000 police officers were deployed...
On August 20th, 2018, far-right groups in the Czech Republic organized a protest in Dubí, a small town near the border with Germany. The protest was in response to a recent incident at a local swimming pool between two women. The far-right groups, including the far-right political party DSSS, used the incident as a rallying cry against what they saw as an increase in crime and violence perpetrated by immigrants and minorities. They claimed that the incident at the swimming pool was evidence of...
01.05.2017 Brno residents are not planning to block the 1 May march by the ultra-right convened by the Workers’ Youth this year. Instead, they are calling on people through Facebook to organize creative, entertaining, non-violent activities in the city center on 1 May under the slogan “You can’t salute the Nazis if you’re having a good time” (“Kdo si hraje, nehajluje”). In recent years, 1 May in Brno has repeatedly become a scene of neo-Nazi provocation...
Zürich (Switzerland), 15.9.2011.Nach den Ausschreitungen in der Nacht kam es am Samstagnachmittag wieder zu Ausschreitungen in Zürich. Linksautonome versuchten eine Kundgebung von Abtreibungsgegnern zu verhindern. Die Polizei setzte Tränengas ein. Linksautonome hatten dazu aufgerufen, eine Kundgebung christlicher und rechtskonservativer Abtreibungsgegnerinnen und – gegner vom Samstagnachmittag in der Zürcher Innenstadt zu stören.Verletzt wurde niemand, wie ein Polizeisprecher auf Anfrage...
The Röszke Horgos refugee camp, located on the Hungarian-Serbian border, has become a stark representation of the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. As the influx of refugees and migrants continues, camps like Röszke Horgos have become a focal point for the humanitarian issues faced by those fleeing war, persecution, and poverty. Established in 2015, the Röszke Horgos camp quickly gained notoriety for its appalling living conditions and the harsh treatment of its inhabitants. With limited access...
On June 9, 2012, Bratislava celebrated its third annual Dúhový (Rainbow) Pride parade. Members of the international community expressed their moral and practical support for the parade organizers and participants. The event aimed to raise awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the Slovak Republic and promote their human rights. As citizens of the European Union, the LGBT community in Slovakia enjoys legal guarantees under the Charter of Fundamental Rights...
Mühleberg (Switzerland), 4.9.2011. Sie führte 12 Männer und 14 Frauen weg, die beim Wasserkraftwerk die Strasse Richtung AKW versperrt hatten. Die Teilnehmenden leisteten beim Polizei-Einsatz nach übereinstimmenden Berichten von Aktivisten und Polizei keinen Widerstand. Die Aktivisten wurden nach einer Befragung wieder auf freien Fuss gesetzt. Sie werden verzeigt wegen Störung des öffentlichen Verkehrs, Ungehorsams gegen eine amtliche Verfügung und wegen Störung von Betrieben, die der...
On October 12, 2023, a commemorative gathering was held on Zámocká Street in Bratislava to mark the first anniversary of the terrorist attack outside the LGBTQ+ bar Tepláreň, where Juraj Vankulič and Matúš Horváth tragically lost their lives. The event, titled “Matúš and Juraj, We Will Not Forget,” drew hundreds of attendees who came to honor the victims and show support for the LGBTQ+ community. Prime Minister Ľudovít Ódor delivered a speech at the gathering, emphasizing the importance of...