Has Europe Systemised Racism?
An observation from the Schengen border
I live in southern Slovenia, 10 minutes from the Schengen border. During summer, tens of thousands of German, Austrian, Czech, Slovak, and other Central-European tourists clog our roads on the way to the beautiful Croatian riviera.
But they are not the only ones crossing the border. Migrants from “brown” countries like Syria, Pakistan, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and even Morroco try to make the same path, only in reverse.
It’s mostly young men escaping to find work in the EU. Slovenia is not their destination; they want to reach Germany with its more flexible immigration laws.
I encounter them many times on my morning runs through the woods. Sometimes you would see them even in the city. Fast forward half an hour, and they are already on their knees before the police. Usually in small groups of two or three individuals, but sometimes even up to 15 or more.
One time in July 2020, I ran into such a group — already captured — but at the time, I was even more shocked that the police officers didn’t wear any protective masks or gloves. Nevermind.
Just two days ago, I again saw the police and military vehicles patrolling our trails, which got me thinking about it again (the migrant crisis was a hot topic before…
