Councillor runs scared and deletes Romany replies after writing racist post on Facebook
On Thursday 9th of June 2023, I received several complaints from members of the Romany-Gypsy Guild Face Book Group complaining that Councillor (Cllr) Phil North, Conservative party, Division: Andover South, had been actively deleting all comments made by Romany Gypsies and Travellers from his official Facebook account, using his Councillor status.
Cllr North’s Facebook post about Travellers camping in the area read, “Frustratingly, I have been made aware of another traveller incursion, it looks like a different, but unfortunately bigger group than were in the area over the weekend”, (note the use of lower-case t for Traveller which in itself-shows a lack of respect for legitimate ethnicities).
Cllr North went on to spout the usual stereotypes when he wrote, “I am aware of the anti-social behaviour and reported criminality that these types of incursions cause which is why I have called this in ASAP and will do what I can to expediate matters. If the perpetrators are ‘persons known’ then we can potentially use our injunction to move them on much more quickly. Whichever way I will do my best to get them removed ASAP”.
It clearly was not known, by Cllr Norths own comment, if they were ‘persons known’, and yet he had already alluded that the Travellers were guilty of crimes and anti-social behaviour before they had time to get the jacks down on their trailers.
A member of public had asked: “where are they legally entitled to stay?”
To which Cllr North replied: “We have a negotiated stopping policy. If travellers want to pass through Test Valley and they are prepared to play by the rules. i.e. not cause fly-tipping, leave human waste or cause criminal or anti-social behaviour then we are prepared to allow sensibly sized encampments on appropriate council owned land (not near residential areas) but that must be agreed with us beforehand. This was a key element of us getting our injunction.”
Clearly, if we take Cllr North’s comment at face value, then his local authorities provision of a temporary stopping place for Gypsies and Travellers wasn’t done to adhere to their duty to provide transit sites. Instead, their negotiated stopping policy, which is questionable, was accomplished ‘beforehand’ as a “key” element in order to get their injunction in place. A ‘Negotiated Stopping’ policy can be implemented with compassion, and in a non-punitive manner, after visitors arrive.
Another member of the public wrote, “Personally to me it isn’t a problem as long as they clean up when they move on”.
Cllr North replied, “Sadly, that very rarely/never happens. Otherwise, I’d have a different opinion. Our past experience almost always involves ASB, criminality and the dumping of humans and other waste. The last interaction I had with travellers they drove at me in a car after they invaded the athletics track. Cllr North went onto say “its not us that ‘can’t be civil or uncaring’. It’s the other way around”.
A member of the Guild wrote:
“Dear Phil, I have been following the comments on your post yesterday and I am astounded by your behaviour, as a Cllr. To silence and not engage with a single Gypsy or Traveller shows a prejudice that has caused me, as a young Romany-Gypsy woman, a law abiding, tax paying member of British society, alarm and distress. People like you who stand in an influential position, should not be using military/war terminology, such as ‘incursion’ when reporting on unauthorised encampments. This word only helps to insight fear into wider society. Granted, there are indeed a small minority from within the Travelling communities who behave anti-socially, litter and fly tip, however, they are no more or less than those to be found in every other ethnic group. To use your personal experience to tar all with the one dirty brush is not fair and to hold all accountable is to discriminate. I am sorry you have had bad experiences and I am sorry that you had a car drive straight at you. Did you report this incident to the police and were there any witnesses, and what was the outcome? It is important that the police do their job”.
The above post was deleted, and the Guild member was blocked, not just from being able to comment further but blocked completely from viewing Cllr North’s account entirely.
Chris Smith, a 61-year-old Romany-Gypsy who has been employed in the learning disability care sector for over 30 years, including managing a number of different services, and is currently the Service Development Officer for the Ross-on-Wye based charity EnviroAbility. He has been a Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Awareness trainer and Independent Advice Group member, for West Mercia Police Services for over ten years. He was recently part of the team that put together the first Social Worker mandatory GRT Awareness training online in the UK, for Worcestershire County Council.
Chris Smith wrote on Cllr Norths Facebook account to challenge his attitude towards Romany-Gypsies and other Travellers. His comment and all other comments, made by Romany Gypsies and other Travellers, were promptly deleted. Cllr North has continued this behaviour over a three-day period. His Facebook post shows that there have been 78 comments yet, only 23 congratulatory posts remain. Over 35 of the Guild members had their comments deleted and were also blocked.
The fact that Cllr North removed any comments that challenged or disagreed with him, I believe, shows him in a damning light. Especially when taking into consideration the comments deleted and the people who were blocked are from legitimate Ethnicities. Also, by stating that any encampments via their negotiated stopping policy cannot be near residential areas; he is effectively arguing for segregation. His use of language when calling encampments ‘traveller incursions’ encourages non-Travellers from the wider society to be afraid of us. After all, the definition of incursion is: ‘An invasion or Attack into enemy territory’ – its war terminology!
Cllr North updated his account on the 11th of June 2023 informing residents that the unauthorised Traveller encampment had been moved on. He went onto say, “Sadly, in the last 48hrs this intimidation has also been apparent on my Facebook page. With my original post spreading around national traveller Facebook groups who have inundated it with accusations of racism, bad language, and implied threats. Consequently, I have had to block authors and remove a large amount of comments on that post. Not least to protect my own personal and family’s safety. Please be assured though that despite this, I will always stand up for local residents and continue to do all I can to ensure these incursions are kept to a minimum.’’
I made a post, responding to Cllr Norths accusations and wrote, “That really is not the case whatsoever! I have screenshots of many of those deleted messages. None were threatening or abusive. I have certainly challenged your use of terminology and tone, such as continually writing traveller incursion and how you have expressed your own personal views as a Test Valley Council representative who should be standing for all. I am a Romany-Gypsy and I stand with you against any threats made to your person or your family that you say you have received. I am sorry but I have not managed, over the past three days of monitoring your deleting activities to screenshot a single threat – simply because I did not see any”.
After I posted the above reply, it was immediately deleted, and I was blocked. At the Guild, our members shared with us that their comments were being deleted. This prompted me and other members of the Guild to screenshot our comments, immediately after they were posted, on Cllr Norths account. This resulted in the Guild acquiring evidence of 22 comments that certainly did not intimidate, threaten or use any profanities or abusive language whatsoever. Yet, each of these comments were deleted without any engagement from Cllr North and the Guild members being blocked from being able to make any further comments on Cllr Norths social media platform.
However, a comment made by John Penfold said, “Hope they’ve got tarmac to fix the potholes! Thanks for the quick response. Lock your garages.’’ This post remains visible on Cllr Norths account and has done so for over a week.
Chris Smith, our newest member of the Guild, has written our formal complaint which has been co-signed by another of our Guild members, Allison Hulmes Senior Lecturer (Social Work)/Uwch-ddarlithydd (Gwaith Cymdeithasol) School of Health and Social Care/Ysgol lechyd ac Gofal Cymdeithasol.
The complaint can be downloaded and viewed HERE.
Genty Lee, Founder of the Romany-Gypsy Guild.