Paddy Doherty to steer Manchester march as Travellers ‘blocked from Xmas market like Nazi Germany’
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty will lead a march in protest against the way children from the Travelling community were allegedly treated at Manchester’s Christmas markets.
The reality TV personality claimed the scenes were remiscent of “Nazi Germany” after large groups of children and teenagers were stopped from attending the event and “forced” back onto trains last weekend. Greater Manchester Police officers were accused of being “heavy-handed” after videos circulated online appearing to show screaming youths being ushered through Manchester Victoria.
Clips seen by the Daily Star show a huge police presence at the train station with officers stood in a big line as one youngster can be heard saying: “Look at this. You’d think we’d killed someone.”
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Another filmed in the city centre appears to show a teenager tackled to the ground by officers after asking: “What have I done wrong?”
Equality group, The Traveller Movement told the BBC the “shocking” incident involved children from the Traveller community and branded it “completely unacceptable.”
They said: “This heavy-handed and discriminatory action has left children upset and distressed, with parents deeply concerned about the treatment that their children have faced.
“These children were simply trying to enjoy the festivities like everyone else, but instead have been unfairly targeted and marginalised.”
Greater Manchester Police said the force’s priority was “always to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder.”
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They put a 48-hour dispersal order in place at around 12.15pm on Saturday, November 23 after reports of anti-social behaviour on trains and in the city. But the situation has sparked outrage among the Traveller community with Irish Traveller, Paddy Doherty vowing to make a stand.
He told the Daily Star: “We are human beings, we are not dog sh*t. Can you imagine the uproar if they’d tried to put black kids back on the train?
“It is absolutely appalling and sickening.
“Those kids have as much right to be there as anyone else, they must’ve been terrified being forced onto trains not knowing where they were going.
“It was like Nazi Germany when all the Jews were put on trains, all that was missing was the Swastikas.”
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He added: “We need to make a stand and show our children and grandchildren that we won’t tolerate being treated this way.”
Paddy said he and many members of the Travelling community and beyond are set to come together to descend on Manchester on December 6.
“We are expecting hundreds to join our peaceful protest next week,” he said. “We are inviting everyone to join, no matter what race they are – we are all the same colour inside.
“We don’t want any trouble, we just want to be heard and respected like everyone else.”
Meanwhile, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, Mary Kelly Foy raised a point of order in the House of Commons earlier this week, and called for a Home Office investigation into the incident.
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She said: “On Saturday, there were several incidents of Greater Manchester police violently restricting young Romany Gypsy and Irish Traveller children who had come into Manchester city centre to do Christmas shopping.
“Video footage depicted a group of Romany Gypsy and Irish Traveller children being dangerously forced on to a train out of the city to stations unknown, with one child being pushed to the point of nearly falling on to the track.
“Footage also shows a young man being forcibly restrained on the ground and arrested.
“The actions of GMP raise serious questions about its operational approach and decision-making processes. This has caused huge distress for the many young people involved, for their families and for those across the Romany Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities.”
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Greater Manchester’s deputy mayor Kate Green has also called for an investigation into the footage.
She told the BBC: “While we will not tolerate lawlessness and anti-social behaviour in Greater Manchester, I want to reassure the community that I expect the police to treat everyone fairly and with respect and I will be inviting community leaders to meet me to discuss what has happened.”
After the incident, Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said the force had been given “intelligence” about anti-social behaviour by groups on trains on the way into Manchester and similar reports around the city centre so a dispersal order was issued.
“This included plans for officers to re-route arriving groups back home,” he said.
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“Our priority is always to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder.”
Shortly after, officers responded to several disturbances in the city centre and intervened in altercations between groups, he said.
“We understand there are feelings of mistreatment and confusion amongst groups of people for being turned away,” Mr Jackson said.
“We are determined to address these concerns by working closely with the mayor’s office to engage these communities in Manchester and further afield.”
Greater Manchester Police has been asked for further comment ahead of the march.
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