CHANNEL FOUR has been slammed by the Gypsy and Travelling community following a highly racist documentary aired last night.
Dispatches – The Truth About Traveller Crime was accused of tarring all Travellers with the same brush and was accused of “putting the whole of the Traveller community on trial for the actions of a minority.” by one campaign group.
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty hit back and aired of his frustration that the entire community could be tarred by a few families.”
He said: “If – the country people has been wrecked by the travellers well, you can’t blame the country people, can you, and you can’t blame the police, can you?”
“But it’s not all the travellers on that site, it’s only maybe two or three families, and that’s why they should be put off that site.”
“Yeah, in the long run… like, there’s 20 families on there, but there’s two families what’s torching all the country, the corner shops, robbing them, baiting them, slapping them about, doing what they’re going to do. And that paints the other 17 like the other three, do you know what I mean?”
The Channel 4 doc – on leftie outlet usually backs minorities – but tarred a whole race with the same brush.
The programme claimed that “Crime is up around 50 per cent near some traveller sites in the UK with locals forced out over safety concerns.”
One angry Traveller spoke to Politicalite and said: “I’m an English traveller absolutely disgusted in not only channel 4’s programme tonight but also at the response of extremely racist individuals online.”
Another outraged viewer said: “Tonight I watched a totally biased programme on channel 4 about the travelling community.”
“It was sickening. I am good friends with many travellers and have been for years. They are protective, loyal and would give you they’re last penny if you needed it.”
One Gypsy campaign group also slammed the broadcaster urging those angry to complain to Britian’s media regulator Ofcom.
Friends Families and Travellers said: “Channel 4 chose to broadcast a show, ‘Dispatches: The Truth About Traveller Crime’. It is not an entire community that commits a crime, it is an individual.”
“Yet, this show has put the whole of the Traveller community on trial by press.”
“We are deeply worried that this show will increase prejudice against Gypsies and Travellers, contributing to negative stereotypes and increases in discrimination and hate crime”
“If you share our concerns, we ask you to join us by co-signing our letter of complaint to the CEO of Channel 4 and the Chief Executive of Ofcom by filling out the short form below.It is not a whole community that carries out a crime, it is an individual.”
TAP HERE TO SIGN