Liberty Lobby

Does Your Organisation Need Some Money?

Squall 4, April/May 1993, pg. 21.

A thousand travellers and traveller action workers put on a good tour de force outside the Houses of Parliament on March 10th.

A large meeting, organised by the human rights charity LIBERTY, in the grand committee room, was full to the brim, as was the MP lobbying hall.

All the previously ghettoed traveller groups were in attendance, with speakers for Romanies, Gypsys, Irish and New Age Travellers. The most significant symbol from the afternoon’s event was that all these groups were united in their statement.

It is unusual for the various groups of travellers to come together for any reason. On the whole, Romanies and Gypsys do not associate with Irish Travellers and these groups in turn blame New Age Travellers for the recent stirring up of anti-traveller prejudice. It was therefore an encouraging sign that these groups joined amicably as one voice, speaking out against the impending criminalisation of the nomadic way of life, and pro the freedom to travel.