![\"Dave](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/46c3\/live\/b3e838f0-aa9e-11ef-9272-2b8a989634a2.jpg.webp\")
Dave Skerton<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nPolice officers have been accused of being “heavy-handed” after large groups of children and teenagers were stopped from attending a city’s Christmas market and allegedly “forced” back on to trains.<\/p>\n Video footage shared online showed screaming youths being ushered through Manchester Victoria on Saturday after being met by a large number of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers.<\/p>\n Equality group, The Traveller Movement, said the “shocking” incident involved children from the traveller community and it was “completely unacceptable”.<\/p>\n GMP said the force’s priority was “always to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Police put in place a 48-hour dispersal notice from about 12:15 GMT on Saturday after reports of anti-social behaviour on trains and in the city.<\/p>\n The Traveller Movement said officers had “blocked Romani Gypsies and Irish Traveller children from attending the Christmas markets”.<\/p>\n “This heavy-handed and discriminatory action has left children upset and distressed, with parents deeply concerned about the treatment that their children have faced,” a spokesman added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n He said: “We have been contacted by numerous parents and received video footage of Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller children arriving into Manchester, and then being forced on to a different train and prevented from leaving the station by police. <\/p>\n “These children were simply trying to enjoy the festivities like everyone else, but instead have been unfairly targeted and marginalised.”<\/p>\n Greater Manchester’s deputy mayor Kate Green has called for an investigation into the footage.<\/p>\n She said: “I have watched the videos circulating on social media with concern and have asked GMP for a full report on the action taken.<\/p>\n “While we will not tolerate lawlessness and anti-social behaviour in Greater Manchester, I want to reassure the community that I expect the police to treat everyone fairly and with respect and I will be inviting community leaders to meet me to discuss what has happened.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said the force had been given “intelligence” about anti-social behaviour by groups on trains on the way into Manchester and similar reports around the city centre so a dispersal order was issued. <\/p>\n “This included plans for officers to re-route arriving groups back home,” he said. <\/p>\n “Our priority is always to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder.”<\/p>\n Shortly after, officers responded to several disturbances in the city centre and intervened in altercations between groups, he said.<\/p>\n “We understand there are feelings of mistreatment and confusion amongst groups of people for being turned away yesterday,” Mr Jackson said.<\/p>\n “We are determined to address these concerns by working closely with the mayor\u2019s office to engage these communities in Manchester and further afield.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Unfairly targeted’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Dave](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/703c\/live\/50e7d4e0-aa9e-11ef-9272-2b8a989634a2.jpg.webp\")
Dave Skerton<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n