Gypsy, Traveller and Roma families rally outside Parliament to challenge new planning policy

Campaigners arriving for Dosta Grinta

Gypsy, Traveller and Roma families from all over the UK gathered in Parliament Square on Saturday 21st May to challenge new housing and planning laws that threaten their legal ethnic identity and lifestyle.

Many brought their horses, carts and caravan to the rally, which was called 'Dosta, Grinta, Enough!' (the Romany and Gammon words for 'enough'). Musicians and singers took part in the event in front of the Houses of Parliament. At the end of the rally, four organisers handed in a 5000 signatures into Downing Street.

In a statement, the organisers said, the petition, "protests against new planning laws that are being introduced that redefine 'gypsy status' to only classify those of us who 'travel' for work purposes, removing any cultural or ethnic dimension. the rally.

A spokesperson for the march organizers said: "These new laws will will limit the development of new Gypsy and Traveller sites and potentially threaten those of us living on existing public or private legal Traveller sites. Many of us will be forced back into the road either because we will be made homeless, or in order to 'prove' our ethnic identity and heritage to retain our homes."

A Church group representing all denominations has expressed grave concern over the new policy in the following statement:

The Churches Network for Gypsies, Travellers and Roma notes with concern the distress caused to Gypsy and Traveller communities by the new Planning Policy for Traveller sites issued in August 2015.

As Churches we have a responsibility to affirm, welcome and celebrate the many diverse ethnicities and cultures and challenge all forms of social exclusion and marginalisation, and we share the concern of Gypsies and Travellers about the impact this policy will have on their lives.

Of all the guidance in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, the part that has caused greatest anxiety is the definition of Gypsies and Travellers which effectively removes Gypsy or Traveller status for people who have settled permanently. This denies to people in "bricks and mortar" (houses) the aspiration to live within the customs of their culture.

To people on private or council-run Traveller sites it raises fears about the security of their tenure. In particular, people with temporary planning permission for a Traveller site are fearful that their home will cease to attract planning permission when the period of the temporary permission has expired, and that they will then face eviction.

Travellers have seen this measure in the context of other guidance and legislation which has impacted on their way of life, and have expressed deep concern that there appears to be a political agenda of forced assimilation which would result in the loss of their culture and identity. That is why the demonstrators In Parliament Square on Saturday will meet under the theme of "Dosta Grinta" - "Enough is Enough".

Yours truly,

Revd Martin Burrell, Chair, Churches Network for Gypsies, Travellers and Roma
Yogi Sutton, Chair, Catholic Association for Racial Justice
Dr Elizabeth Henry, National Adviser, Council for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns
Revd. Wale Hudson-Roberts, Racial Justice Advisor, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Revd Dr Michael Jagessar, Racial Justice and Intercultural Ministry, United Reformed Church
Lt-Col Melvin Fincham, Secretary for Communications, Salvation Army