A charity that supports Romani Gypsies and Irish Traveller communities have called for an inquiry after children on their way to the Christmas markets were treated like ‘football hooligans on a rampage’
A charity representing Travellers has lodged an official complaint against cops after children attending Manchester’s Christmas markets were allegedly “manhandled” and “forced onto trains.”
Greater Manchester Police has been blasted for its “controversial” use of a dispersal order, which was used to turn youths away from the city centre last month.
Families claim children as young as 10 were “forced onto trains heading to unknown destinations, separated from family members, and subjected to physical aggression, including shoving, hair-pulling, and handcuffing.”
Some say they reported officers making disparaging remarks about their ethnicity, such as referring to them as “pikeys.” Witnesses also claimed officers removed their badge numbers.
Video footage circulated online after the incident on November 23, which showed distressed children being forced through Manchester Victoria train station after being met by a large number of GMP officers.
One youngster can even be heard saying: “Look at this. You’d think we’d killed someone.”
However, GMP defended its decision to impose a dispersal order at the time, saying it received intelligence that groups were causing trouble on trains on their way into Manchester.
The incident sparked protests in Manchester, led by My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star, Paddy Doherty who described scenes reminiscent of “Nazi Germany.”
One mum claimed her sons aged 10 and 13 were left “traumatised” after being “manhandled” during a search “just because of their heritage.”
Now the Traveller Movement charity has lodged an official complaint against Greater Manchester Police’s Professional Standards Directorate by Leigh Day Solicitors, acting on their behalf.
It claims that Romani Gypsies and Irish Travellers were unlawfully targeted, marginalised and racially profiled.
It also accuses the force of a “breach of various duties” in relation to their statutory powers, including “excessive force, false imprisonment, negligence and safeguarding.”
It further alleges “potential contraventions” of the Equality Act 2010, the European Convention on Human Rights and Human Rights Act 1998.
Ryan Bradshaw, lead lawyer at Leigh Day, said in a letter that the charity wants the consideration of a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and the retention of all CCTV and body-worn camera footage.
He said young Travellers came from across the north west, Yorkshire and North Wales.
They ranged in age from young children under 10 to young adults under 20, he added. The majority of young adults were acting as “chaperones.”
He said: “At no point did the officers make enquiries as to where the children were from, or seek to ensure they were placed on trains that would get them home.
“There was no effort to enlist responsible adults to manage the situation nor did officers remain on trains with the children to ensure their safety after they had been placed in a particularly vulnerable situation.
“The sole concern here appears to have been moving the Traveller children out of Manchester city centre with urgency. Where they ended up and whether they were safe was of no apparent concern to GMP.”
The charity has also requested a full copy of the dispersal order.
Mr Bradshaw added: “The alleged actions taken by Greater Manchester Police are deeply troubling. Young children on their way to the Christmas markets appear to have been treated like football hooligans on a rampage.”
In a statement issued by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities Kate Green said there are “lessons to be learned” from what happened.
A spokesperson for GMP said: “We understand the concerns expressed by The Traveller Movement charity…Our Professional Standards Directorate is committed to reviewing all complaints made to us.
“Just under two weeks ago, we met with representatives from the Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller community, including The Traveller Movement, to begin addressing their concerns relating to events on November, 23 2024.”
They added: “This forum was open and constructive, and we expressed our regret at the distress and upset these events had caused.
“We look forward to working more closely with community representatives going forwards.”
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