Racist attacks in Belfast

[Russ]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8104287.stm

Shocking that 115 had to be moved.

Sounds about right for Belfast.

[BBKing]

Evidence again that racism happens more in ethnically 'purer' communities. Round here 115 Romanians wouldn't get noticed, we've got greasy spoons in majority Asian areas of Hounslow that sell Polish pig knuckle soup and nobody seems particularly bothered.

Originally Posted by Nidge

Sounds about right for Belfast.

Sweeping generalisations for the loss Nidge....

If you has said *Sounds about right for The Village* I'd have agreed 100%, but like most cities, Belfast has area's that deserve urban renewal with nuclear weapons (with a large proportion of the locals still in their houses).

The Village is a toilet, and a number of the locals would be convincing as the backwoods, inbread, weirdos from the movie Deliverance. But waht can you expect from people still fighting The Battle of the Boyne 319 years on. Just happens to be Rumanians instead of Irish Cathoilcs this time....

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by Earl of Bronze

Sweeping generalisations for the loss Nidge....

If you has said *Sounds about right for The Village* I'd have agreed 100%, but like most cities, Belfast has area's that deserve urban renewal with nuclear weapons (with a large proportion of the locals still in their houses).

The Village is a toilet, and a number of the locals would be convincing as the backwoods, inbread, weirdos from the movie Deliverance. But waht can you expect from people still fighting The Battle of the Boyne 319 years on. Just happens to be Rumanians instead of Irish Cathoilcs this time....

You've hit the nail on the head Earl of Bronze, it still seems some people, on both sides, don't want the current "peace deal" in Northern Ireland, what on earth will make these "loyalists" happy.
Its a miracle that NI has come as far as it has with people like this trying to hold it back, surely they wouldn't rather go back to the bad old days where every shop, restaurant or pub checked your bags for bombs, and people were constantly looking over their shoulders.
Its a crying shame we can't put the crazies left over on both sides on an island, preferebly Rockall, and let them re-enact a modern battle of the Boyne, and whichever side "wins" gets what its always wanted, an island all to themselves.

[Osem]

This doesn't suirprise me at all. In E. Europe Roma gypsies are often subject to open racism and widely despised. The official statements being released by Romanian authorities about how unacceptable what's going on in NI are may be sincere but in my experience, some governments in that region have been rather more open about the reality and only too happy to 'encourage' these people to migrate as far away as possible...

Some examples:
http://www.radstats.org.uk/no069/article4.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7098864.stm
http://www.faithineurope.org.uk/roma.pdf

[Taf]

I smell a rat... Roma often use racial harrassment as a tool to get what they want. I know as I have seen them do it here and in France.

A large group of Czech Roma got private housing contracts torn up after claiming racial attacks were forcing them to move, then declared themselves homeless... and so the council was obliged to rehouse them... in cheap council rented property.

No evidence of racial attacks were ever found, but the Human Rights bods jumped up-and-down nonetheless.

Plus

All Romanians and Bulgarians are allowed to come to the UK for up to 3 months.

Romanians and Bulgarians can in the UK longer than 3 months without a work permit if you are a) a student b) self employed c) self sufficient d) have completed 12 months continuous employment in the UK e) are married to a UK national f) are a family members of a EU citizen.

If you cannot show that you are in one of these categories, you may be breaking the law by staying here more than 3 months. You will not be entitled to any benefits.

Romanians & Bulgarians require a work permit; either under the highly skilled migrant programme or Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme.

http://www.migrantworkersnorthwest.o...emid,99999999/

[Osem]

Yes, my wife's friends and family will tell you the very same thing. It's a complicated question - are the Roma discriminated against because they're perceived as 'trouble' and, if so, are they 'trouble' because they're discriminated against?

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Russ B

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8104287.stm

Shocking that 115 had to be moved.

Shame they weren't moved back to Romania, perhaps it's just the ones I have encountered, perhaps there's whole communities in the country doing really great stuff, it's just that here in East London my experience of them is either selling the Big Issue or trying to steal a wallet

[altis]

Spot on Osem!

We've spent many summer holidays cycletouring around eastern Europe. (There's no better way to discover the feel of a place.) We often noticed how the Romas were treated with suspicion and often despised. We visited Romania itself 3 times (beautiful country and friendly people) but even the friends we made there - who were particularly outward looking - told us to be very careful of them.

Not that we ever had any trouble. I particularly remember, while stopped at the roadside to fill up our water bottles, a Roma woman coming over to talk to us. We knew a bit of Romanian by then and managed some sort of conversation. She wore a huge red and black skirt and woven into her thick, long black hair were coins that she claimed were solid gold.

Possibly because they live at the margins of our society, they are forced to quickly take any chance that comes their way and often appear to be on the make. I guess this behaviour is so ingrained that, wherever they travel, it quickly wrankles with others. Especially with those who are already struggling to make a life at the edge.

Now, doesn't this sound like the way the Jews were treated? I keep saying we're brewing for another war.

[Fingy]

I am not excusing what happened but what has not been put on the news from what I have seen is the other side of the story. For my sins the Village is only a few miles away from my house (the inbred etc comments had me almost spitting my lunch out with laughter, cheers EOB.)

They were not totally innocent themselves. They have previously been asked to quieten down as they were outside their houses in the streets at all hours of the day and night constantly drinking and causing havoc. Their kids ran riot in the streets and they were hoking through peoples bins and generally not being very nice people.

[Dai]

I'm amused by the efforts of the BBC and almost all the media folks to avoid mentioning the "G" word.

Almost without exception the reports have simply stated Romanian and never said anything about Roma or Gypsy.

Now I wonder why that might be?

[gazzae]

I lived on Belgravia avenue for 2 years. Moved 5 years ago. Don't remember many romainians then, mostly Indians and students.

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

I'm amused by the efforts of the BBC and almost all the media folks to avoid mentioning the "G" word.

Almost without exception the reports have simply stated Romanian and never said anything about Roma or Gypsy.

Now I wonder why that might be?

The only reference that I saw was on BBC1 lunchtime bulletin on Tuesday, when after the clip the male newsreader said, "we've had a few calls from viewers asking if these Romanians are Roma, apparently they are".
Since then it seems that every new agency is tip-toeing around the word.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Northern Ireland Police Carry Out Raids In Belfast After Attacks On Romanian Families - Two Held

Originally Posted by Sky News

NI Romanian Attacks: Second Teenager Held

Police investigating racist attacks on Romanian families in south Belfast have made a second arrest.

Up to three properties were searched after 114 terrified migrants were forced to flee their homes following the violence.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed an "ongoing investigation" was taking place in the Donegall Avenue area.

The two males being held are a 15-year-old and 16-year-old.

Donegall Avenue is a loyalist working-class area near where two properties were vandalised last weekend.

(snip)