‘It started with groups of people throwing things at or into our home. They would throw stones and also letters wrapped around these stones. The letters said that we should leave, and that Gypsies should go to the gas chambers etc. They wanted us to leave Poland for the sake of racial purity.’

‘Often the Romany children just sat drawing pictures whilst the other children were taught proper lessons. The teachers were of the view that Romany children could not learn and were not as bright as the Polish children.’ Asylum statements of Polish Roma, c. 2000

To Samanta racism is constantly being pushed to the back of the queue.

Do you understand these?Imagine not speaking English and dealing with this for a decade

‘I dont have the time to come because I am taking care of my daughter who is handicapped… You know my daughter can’t walk because I’ve been explaining to you for two years… I can’t carry her there every month because she barely goes to the toilet. I don’t know why you don’t want to understand me.’

‘I am writing to advise you that you have failed to comply with our Temporary Admission Restrictions, in that you have failed to report to the Croydon Reporting Centre on the date set out on your latest IS96. Can you please advise us why you did not report on the specified dates…’

‘On the 25th —26th I found out my son was detained and on the evening of 27th of February 2003 my son let me know that the police will take him to the immigration office. They wanted to speak to him. Since then I had no sign from my son. I don’t know whether he is dead or alive. I don’t know what happened to him. Please, let me know if you have any information about him. Thank you very much!’

Romanian Roma Woman, 17 March 2003

‘…If it was due to illness, we require evidence of this in the way of a letter from your GP or Hospital…May I remind you that failure to comply without reasonable excuse is an offence contrary to section 24(1)(e) of the Immigration Act 1971, and you could be detained under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 of the same Act.’

Casework Officer, Croydon Enforcement Unit, Home Office, 13 March 2003

‘If you are living in accommodation provided by your local authority, you will need to vacate it by 1 May as you will no longer have authority to remain there… you can make arrangements to return to your country of nationality…’ Home Øffice letter 13 April 2004

‘Dear Sir/Madam… The European Union will on the 1st of May 2004 accept into its fold 8 new Countries… Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta… You will no longer receive any support from the Asylum Team’ Enfield Council letter 14 April 2004

‘We are not demanding that people work. Working is just one of the three options available to them. Some may want to return home and assistance is available for those wishing to take this option. Local authorities have a power…to arrange travel to their country of origin and short term accommodation and support for families pending return…IND is also putting arrangements in place to facilitate return for those who wish to leave.’ May 2004, an extract from a letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

5tH — 14tH APrilThe Home Øffice informed 2,614 families, most of whom were Roma asylum seekers, that their subsistence support will end and they must leave their accommodation on the 30th April or be evicted because they were due to become EU nationals on the 1st May. Three ‘choices’ were offered: 1) destitution; 2) finding employment; 3) voluntary return to their home countries. The second ‘choice’ was impossible to undertake due to the lack of necessary IDs and paperwork.

25TH MAyThe RSG was told to vacate the premises, where advice sessions were based, but thanks to the help of Aston-Mansfield a new office was soon open to the roma community in East london.

22nd APril rSG sends letters to all MPs in london asking for support.

13tH APril Until tHE End Øf MAyRoma Support Group (RSG) supported over 500 Roma families to submit individual appeals to the Asylum Support Adjudicators and numerous local Authorities across london. the capacity of the organisation was at breaking point as it tried to manage the crisis.

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26tH APrilSue Willman of Pierce Glynn Solicitors applied for Judicial Review in the High Court on behalf of a Slovak Roma family.

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4tH MAyMr Justice Collins grants permission to challenge the Home Øffice’s decision, but before the final hearing on the 20th May, the Home Øffice decided to reinstate support to destitute families until they find employment and readjust to new situation.

founding members of the Roma Support Group and their signatures

‘I commend the work that the Roma Support Group is achieving and hope that working together we can achieve a key step forward to make sure that all children from these communities are offered the chance to feel safe and secure in our schools and achieve their full potential.’

lord Adonis, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, 30 November 2007

Images courtesy of Roma Support Group