Israelis kill five Feuds are ‘toxic’ for in raids Traveller community
TOP CAMPAIGNER’S DISGUST AFTER VIOLENCE ESCALATES
A TRAVELLER rights activist has blasted “toxic and rotten” behaviour in his community after violence in a graveyard left seven people hospitalised.
Martin Collins, a co- director of Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre, said that in the past the trouble involved bare knuckle fighting where there was “respect” for opponents.
But he said there was “nothing off limits” now as disputes involve properties being smashed up, graves vandalised and women and kids threatened.
It comes as seven people were h ospitalised on Wednesday with what appeared to be knife wounds after violence at a cemetery in Tuam, Galway.
It is understood the horrific fight came after two rival Traveller families sent taunting messages to each other ahead of the brawl as part of a feud.
Mr Collins told The Star: “I have been reflecting on the e issue of f euding i n the e Travelling community and I am really concerned as there is something real ly toxic and rotten taking place.
“At one stage in our history there was bare knuckle fighting and there was a certain level of respect shown between the different opponents. They shook hands at the end and that was the end of the matter. Now I am not endorsing bare knuckle fighting, I am deeply opposed to it, but there was no malice, they just got on with their lives.”
He said in the last 20 years things have gone toxic.
“I see men from the Travelling community putting up threatening video call outs, taunting each other, on YouTube, Facebook or whatever and there is really nothing off limits anymore,” Mr Collins said. He said the trouble included women and kids being threatened, properties smashed up a nd graves vandalised.
“Thirty years ago that would have been totally unheard of and you’d be ostracised and frowned upon if you were associated with such acts.”
Taunts
He added: “The question is why are gardai not responding i if they see these call out videos v on YouTube, inciting violence etc — I would have thought that’s a crime.
“There needs to be a g arda intervention before it escalates like it did inTuamlastweek. And t he Travellers directlyinvolvedhaveto take a huge responsibility for their own behaviour too.”
Some 30 gardai responded to the disturbance in Tuam on Wednesday, including an Armed Support Unit. One juvenile was arrested at the scene.
FIVE Palestinians have been killed during raids by Israeli forces in the West Bank.
The Israeli army said the operation was against Hamas militants about to carry out attacks.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the deaths, adding that one of those killed was aged 16.
An IDF officer and a soldier were also seriously injured during the raid in the village of Burqin, west of Jenin.
However, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the raids, calling them “crimes”.