Romani Family with Infant Attacked by a Mob in Coordinated Arson in Tavnik, Serbia

09 May 2025

By Judit Ignácz

A violent mob of around twenty individuals brutally attacked a Romani family in the Serbian village of Tavnik on 3rd May 2025. In a coordinated attack, the perpetrators surrounded the home of the Gaši family and set fire to bales of hay outside the house while the family, including a ten-month-old baby, sheltered inside. 

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the incident was reported to police on 3rd May at around 9:00 PM and the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office was informed. Romski glas za pravdu (Romani Voice for Justice), a network of pro bono Romani lawyers, reported that a ten-month-old baby from the Gaši family was physically attacked, and other family members were subjected to physical violence.  During the incident, the perpetrators shouted ethnic slurs, cursed their “Gypsy mothers” and told them to “go back to Turkey”. According to the Romani lawyers’ statements, these actions meet the legal criteria of a hate crime with aggravating circumstances.

The following day, the Gaši family expressed their fear to the local police station and asked whether it was safe to return home. Despite the clear danger, the police instructed the family to go home. While the family’s representatives from Romski glas za pravdu were filing a report at the police station, they state the officer on duty made a racist remark that “Roma need to learn how to socialise.” Additionally, the man leading the group of people who attacked the family is already known in the local community for previous racist incidents, none of which resulted in consequences.

In response to the attack, Srđan Šajn, President of the Roma Party, called upon all parliamentary parties to condemn the incident and the ineffective police response.

The Romski glas za pravdu network and the ERRC demand: 

• A full criminal investigation and prosecution, considering hate crimes with aggravating circumstances. 
• Immediate protection and support for the Gaši family, including physical security, psychosocial assistance, and temporary alternative housing. 

The ERRC is closely monitoring this case and exploring all legal avenues aailable to hold the perpetrators and the responsible institutions accountable.