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Police officers have been accused of being “heavy-handed” after large groups of children and teenagers were stopped from visiting a city’s Christmas market and allegedly “forced” back onto trains.

Video footage shared online showed screaming youths being led through Manchester Victoria on Saturday after being met by a large number of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers.

Equality group The Traveler Movement said the “shocking” incident involved children from the Traveler community and was “completely unacceptable”.

GMP said the force’s priority “has always been to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder”.

Police imposed a 48-hour dispersal notice from about 12:15 GMT on Saturday after reports of anti-social behavior on trains and in the city.

The Traveler Movement said officers had “prevented Roma Gypsies and Irish Traveler children from visiting the Christmas markets”.

“This heavy-handed and discriminatory action has left children upset and distressed, while parents are deeply concerned about the treatment their children have faced,” a spokesperson added.

‘Unreasonably targeted’

He said: “We have been contacted by numerous parents and have received video footage of Roma Gypsy and Irish Traveler children arriving in Manchester only to be forced onto another train and prevented from leaving the station by police.

“These kids were just trying to enjoy the festivities like everyone else, but were instead unfairly targeted and marginalized.”

The Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Kate Green, has called for an investigation into the images.

She said: “I have watched with concern the videos circulating on social media and have asked GMP for a full report on the action taken.

“While we will not tolerate lawlessness and anti-social behavior in Greater Manchester, I would like to reassure the community that I expect the police to treat everyone fairly and with respect, and I will invite community leaders to meet with me to discuss what has happened. “

Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said the force had received “intelligence” of anti-social behavior from groups on trains heading to Manchester and similar reports around the city center so a dispersal order was issued.

“This included plans for officers to guide arriving groups back home,” he said.

“Our priority is always to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder.”

Shortly afterwards, officers responded to several disturbances in the city center and intervened in arguments between groups, he said.

“We understand that there are feelings of mistreatment and confusion among groups of people because they were rejected yesterday,” Jackson said.

“We are committed to addressing these concerns by working closely with the Mayor’s office to engage these communities in Manchester and beyond.”

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Related links

• Greater Manchester Police

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority