Traveller Activist Laura Angela Collins Criticises GMP’s Apology for Treatment of Romany Gypsy and Traveller Children

Laura Angela Collins, CEO of Collins Cultural Consultancy, has criticised Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) recent apology for their treatment of Romany Gypsy and Traveller children in Manchester city centre, saying it fails to fully acknowledge the seriousness of the incident.

“Their apology refers to the harm caused as ‘distress and humiliation,’ but this language downplays the reality of what we all witnessed on video: the targeting of Romany Gypsy and Traveller children based on ethnicity, the assault of a child, and a wrongful arrest with no justification. This isn’t just about ‘distress’; it’s about systemic discrimination, harm, and an abuse of power that has rightly sparked outrage in our communities,” said Collins.

Collins, who organised a protest outside Parliament in response to the treatment of children at the Manchester Christmas Markets and the embedded prejudices within the wider systems, argues that the GMP apology minimises the impact of the incident and fails to address systemic discrimination and prejudices.

“An apology needs to go beyond words,” she continued. “It should recognise the full gravity of the harm caused, and it must be followed by transparency, accountability, and meaningful action to ensure this never happens again.”

Collins is calling on GMP to take real steps to address the failings highlighted by this incident, hold those who abused their power accountable, and tackle the systemic issues that continue to harm Romany Gypsy and Traveller communities.

*The apology from GMP first came in a meeting between Manchester Police and Gypsy and Traveller representatives and charities on the 6th December. The Travellers' Times approached the GMP for a public statement to confirm the wording of the apology.

The GMP replied with this statement: 

A GMP Spokesperson said: “We welcomed the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller community last Friday (6 December) to begin to address their concerns in what was a respectful, open, and constructive forum.

“During the meeting, we expressed our regret at the distress and upset the events of 23 November caused and pledged to our commitment to the ongoing review of complaints by our professional standards unit.

“We look forward to working more closely with community representatives going forwards.”

CCC Press release/TT News

(Photo: Laura Angela Collins at a Traveller rights rally outside Parliament 30/11/2024. By Eszter Halasi for the Travellers' Times)