Surrounded by baskets of oranges and tangerines, a bright green ceramic frog stands at the entrance of Helena Conceicao’s grocery shop.
“Everybody has frogs here,” she said. “It’s to scare away Gypsies because they are afraid of frogs.” Similar ornaments have been placed at the entrance of shops, cafes and restaurants all over Portugal. “No one likes to have Gypsies around,” said Conceicao.
She explained that she is aware that the Portuguese law forbids discrimination, “but I’m not forced to put up with people who steal and cause trouble”.
Ten shopkeepers in Porto admitted to using ceramic frogs to dissuade Roma from entering their shops. Only Conceicao agreed to go on record. Others secretly recorded by Al Jazeera explained that the frogs were meant to show Roma people that “Gypsies are not welcome”, using language with deeply ingrained prejudice and racial slurs. Roma communities arrived in Portugal in the 15th century but were only recognised as citizens in 1822.
Persecuted for centuries and subjected to repressive laws, they remain one of the most discriminated-against minorities in the country. A survey conducted by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in 2016 found that 71 percent of Portuguese Roma had suffered an episode of discrimination within the previous five years.
According to the study, Roma continue to face “intolerable levels of discrimination” and unequal access to services.
Also in 2016, Gil was one of 18 Roma from different parts of the country who participated in a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the discriminatory frogs.
