News / Interviews

Victimization of Roma community in UK, nothing new: Pundit

Monday, 24 October 2016 2:21 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 24 October 2016 2:23 PM ]

This undated file photo shows British law enforcement officers escorting a Roma woman in London.

According to a report by a leading British think tank, the UK’s vote to leave the European Union (EU), known as Brexit, has left the country’s Roma migrants in a state of deep insecurity.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) noted the group faces uncertainty over its right to remain in the post-Brexit UK.

Reacting to the news, an academic told Press TV that the “victimization” of the Roma community in Britain is nothing new.

“My thoughts really in terms of this issue is that the report is welcome. Unfortunately it is nothing new. The issue and the victimization of the Roma community has not been going on for past year or even since Brexit. Romas have been in Britain since the 15th century, so I do not think we can look at this as a new issue,” said Ken Fero, a lecturer at Coventry University.

He also stated the problem in Britain is that since the Brexit vote, there has been an “escalation” in violence against many Eastern Europeans.

He also noted that Britain has to respect the Roma community’s culture and the way of living, adding that it should not “problematize” them.

The academic further argued Brexit and other situations in Europe have unleashed a “far-right monster” which all people have to deal with.

“I think there has to be unity across different communities not just people in the UK who want to support refugees or migrants but people that share certain value of what Europe could be and the value of what Europe could be is one based on humanity,” he said.

The influx of Roma refugees has increased since the EU’s enlargement in 2004 and 2007, with the group’s estimated population ranging from 80,000 to 300,000 across the UK.

An estimated £1.1 billion in European structural funds which has been made available to facilitate Roma integration between 2014 and 2020 is at stake and is likely to be stopped after the Brexit process is completed.

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