The celebration of Saint Nicholas' Day (6 December) in Poprad, Slovakia involved an unpleasant incident this year. Rudolf Kubus, an amateur actor and former local council member, dressed up as the character and was captured on video shouting coarse abuse at the Romani children whom he encountered.
Police are already investigating the incident. An audiovisual recording of it is spreading on social media and the Slovak daily Korzár has reported on it.
On this day, people dressed as Saint Nicholas, an Angel and a Devil go around to people’s houses and distribute either a desirable present (candy, toys) or the “devil’s reward” to children in exchange for their reciting a poem or singing a song. Sometimes such distributions are public gatherings, as was organized this year in Poprad.
This year’s Saint Nicholas shouted the following from the stage at a group of celebrating children of Romani origin: “All those in the first row get absolutely nothing from Nicholas. Absolutely nothing. That’s because Nicholas brings presents and gives candy only to those who are nice and who obey, not to those who scream and don’t know how to behave!”
