Traveller charity angry at police dispersal order

Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller children were treated like "football hooligans on a rampage" by police in a "shocking" dispersal order, a charity has said.

The Traveller Movement has instructed lawyers to file a formal complaint against Greater Manchester Police after a groups of young people were blocked from the city's Christmas markets on 23 November.

Chief executive officer Yvonne MacNamara said affected children had been "humiliated, manhandled and denied basic respect and safeguarding" by officers.

A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said the force "understands the concerns" express by the charity had expressed "regret at the distress and upset these events had caused".

The force had met with representatives from the Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller community, including The Traveller Movement, to address these concerns.

"This forum was open and constructive," she said, adding GMP "looks forward to working more closely with community representatives going forwards".

A dispersal order was issued on a busy day in the city centre after the force said "intelligence" had been received about anti-social behaviour on trains.

Videos emerged appearing to show children being moved back on to trains at Manchester Victoria.

In its letter to police, the Traveller Movement said many young people from across the north-west of England had independently travelled to the city for the Christmas markets.

The group was not there to cause trouble and included adults there to accompany the children and ensure their good behaviour, they added.

Greater Manchester deputy mayor Kate Green found the order raised concerns about discrimination and could have been avoided.

The charity, which represents Romani Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller communities, has sent a letter of complaint to GMP via law firm Leigh Day.

It alleges the force's actions breached police duties regarding excessive force/battery, false imprisonment, negligence and safeguarding.

The group also argues the force may have contravened equalities and human rights laws.

The Traveller Movement said children as young as 10 were "unlawfully targeted, marginalised and racially profiled".

The group alleges the young people were called derogatory names, "subjected to physical aggression", separated from families and put onto trains heading to unknown destinations.

In a review of the incident, the deputy mayor found the force could have engaged with these communities in advance to avoid the order being enforced.

Ryan Bradshaw, lawyer at Leigh Day said the alleged actions of GMP were "deeply troubling".

"Young children on their way to the Christmas markets appear to have been treated like football hooligans on a rampage," he said.

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