Sunday, March 6, 2011

SCOTLAND

news.stv.tv
FROM THE SCOTISH SUN

VIGILANTE FEAR AT GYPSY CAMP

BY STUART PATTERSON

Published: 01 Mar 2011

A TOURIST town gripped by tension over an illegal travellers' camp faced fresh turmoil last night - after thugs threatened to drive gypsies out using PETROL BOMBS.

The chilling warning was made on a Facebook page set up by locals angered by the unauthorised site in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.

Under the name Neil Kerr, one yob posted on the online forum: "I suggest everyone joins this page, won't make a difference but if it does fail - baseball bats and petrol bombs anyone?"

Now the police and the council have been urged to step in before the row explodes in vigilante-fuelled violence.

Councillor Graeme Clark said: "We've already had some altercations. We don't want things to get any worse.

"I am concerned people will take matters into their own hands."

He spoke out after disgruntled locals set up the Facebook page called Get Travellers Out of Stonehaven. Other posts refer to travellers as "pikey scum" and suggest using intimidating protests.

Tensions have been simmering for months amid claims gypsy camps harm their tourist trade.

There are currently 15 caravans set up illegally in a park. Locals say the site is littered with rubbish and human waste.

Aberdeenshire Council said travellers have been served eviction notices and are due in court this week.

Cops have stepped up patrols in a bid to defuse the row.

Read more:
 http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3438925/Yobs-threaten-to-drive-travellers-out-of-tourist-town-with-petrol-bombs.html#ixzz1Fre7Grv2

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