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In Baden-Württemberg, the Baden-Württemberg State Association of Sinti and Roma has made serious allegations against the police.

Two officials are said to have discriminated against a member of the Sinti, so the boy was only eleven years old.

The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" reported on it first.

The Constance Police Headquarters is examining the case.

The officials are said to have checked the eleven-year-old Tiziano L. last Saturday afternoon in the town of Singen (Hohentwiel), who had just played with several children in front of the grandmother's house.

According to the association's statement, it was an "unreasonable identity check".

The police asked the boy for his personal details and searched.

Previously, two other officers had already carried out a check.

According to the association, Tiziano L. also stated his age.

"Shut up," said the officer

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During the inspection they apparently found a small jackknife in the boy's pocket.

He explained to the officers that he had it with him for work in the garden.

The police then handcuffed him and took him to the police station for an hour. 

According to the association, they are said to have "physically brought the child to the back seat of the emergency vehicle", although the boy said he had three broken ribs due to an accident.

He also pointed out in the car that he suffered from asthma and that the handcuffs behind his back were causing him breathing problems.

One of the police officers replied: "Shut up."

He was denied all contact with his family at the police station.

Eleven-year-olds are not of criminal age in Germany; children under 14 years of age have the right to have their parents or a guardian present during interviews by the police.

In addition, it is not forbidden to carry a small knife.

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According to the association, the boy's family filed a criminal complaint.

In a press release they stated: “That was a police attack on a child, on an eleven-year-old Sinto!

As a family, we are psychologically troubled. ”The boy had handcuff prints on his hands.

Spokeswoman Chana Dischereit from the regional association of Sinti and Roma told WELT that the family was psychologically badly affected by the incident.

The police are investigating the incident

The association sees confirmation that the incident was not a coincidence but rather discrimination that one of the two police officers allegedly addressed Tiziano in broken Romani.

"This fact alone makes it clear that the officials assigned the child to the Sinti and Roma minority," the statement said.

Among other things, the officer is said to have said: “One of the gypsies, we know them.” The police officer announced: “You will be behind bars for one night.” He also threatened the boy with the words: “Death will come to you to fetch."

A spokesman for the Constance Police Headquarters was not yet able to give WELT any details about the allegations: "We do not currently know what happened, but of course we take the allegation very seriously."

The spokesman said that he did not mean to downplay the matter.

"We have to first check what exactly happened."