French Gypsies: Sarkozy’s Political Final Solution……….
“French police moved in Friday to clear an illegal Gypsy encampment for the first time since President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a crackdown on the minority group. Officers sealed off the area around a camp in the central city of Saint-Etienne, preventing journalists and rights groups from seeing the evictions, which began before dawn and continued for several hours. Only around half of the 135 people who regularly lived in the make-shift squatter camp where the local authorities had installed water standpipes and chemical toilets were there when police arrived, having anticipated the raid. But police said 44 of the camp's residents were ordered to leave France, with 10 adults and eight minors voluntarily agreeing to leave…… The government has said that Roma and Gypsies from outside France -- many, including those kicked out of the Saint Etienne camp Friday, are from Romania -- that commit crimes will be expelled back to their countries of origin. However the top French official for the region said that all Roma without proper papers were being ordered to leave France…....”
“Nicholas Sarkozy seems to be indulging in the time-honored European tradition of cracking down on Gypsies for political gain…… Sarkozy's popularity ratings have been in the low 30s thanks to a sluggish economy and an ongoing campaign finance scandal. The strategy seems to be working. 79 percent of French voters support dismantling the camps and Sarkozy's ratings are up 2 points this month. And so the cycle continues. …..”
Is it deja vue all over again in France?
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