UK Residents Burn Gypsy/Traveller Effigies in Fire

07 February 2004

A caravan with women and children painted on the side bearing the license plate "P1KEY" was burnt at a bonfire in the East Sussex village Firle, southern England, according to the BBC of October 28, 2003. "Pikey" is an extremely derogatory term for Travellers in Britain. Mr Richard Gravett, Chairman of the Firle Bonfire Society, which organised the event, was quoted by the BBC as having stated, "There was no racist slant towards anyone from the Travelling community. If anything, it's actually completely the other way." The image was reportedly chosen after the eviction of a group of Travellers from a nearby field. However, Mr Trevor Phillips, Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), stated, "This is clearly an example of incitement to racial hatred. You couldn't get more provocative than this [...] The idea that you can carry out an act like this, and then apologise and get away with it, is exactly what produces a culture that says racism and discrimination and victimisation of people, because of what they are, is OK," and called for the organisers of the bonfire to be prosecuted. Since then, the Firle Bonfire Society issued a public apology, stating, "Firle Bonfire Society wish to apologise unreservedly to anyone who has been caused any distress by what has happened", and cancelled its events for the rest of the year, according to the BBC of November 3 and 4, 2003. According to The Guardian of November 12, 2003, Sussex police had arrested six people on the charge of incitement to racial hatred.

(BBC)

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