Stop Anti-Traveller Racism at Leeds Common Place
Published:
February 24, 2011 11:05
by
No Racism at The Common Place
Neighbourhoods:
The Common Placeshould not be a space for racism.
Leeds has a large Traveller community, who like Travellers, Gypsies and Roma throughout Europe, get little or no respect. Despite being persecuted by the Nazis, and in spite of their recognised status under British race laws, they are still widely discriminated against and are subject to racial abuse and racist violence. They are perhaps the last group to be seen as a legitimate target for racist ‘humour’ and face increasing persecution both in the UK and across Europe.
To add to their many existing woes however, Leeds Travellers now face a new and perhaps unexpected foe - This Saturday, February 26th, The Common Place, Leeds supposed ‘radical’ social centre will be hosting ‘Gypsy Nightmare’ where the same sort of sneering middle-class idiots that previously organised ‘Chav’ nights, now invite you to come and take the piss out of an invented Gypsy ‘culture’ - Which has about as much to do with real Traveller culture as the Oxbridge boat race.
So we are told to expect a night of wild music performed by fake ‘Gypsies’ such as ‘DJ Shirley B**stard’ and ‘bizarre sideshows’ presented by ‘Madame Laycock’. To further take the piss guests are told to dress in their ‘wildest attire’ – presumably like ‘real’ Gypsies. Can’t you just imagine the sneering of art-school racists attempting to caricature people they clearly see as some sort of circus act?
The Common Place should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for accepting a racist event which seeks to demean and belittle a minority group who already suffer widespread persecution. The Bookings Collective should be forced to resign for their insensitivity and made to attend Racial Awareness classes and the organisers of the event should be banned from future use of the building.
Despite already receiving complaints from members of Leeds Traveller community and from other Common Place users, the event is still scheduled to go ahead. So we are going to have to teach the organizers something that forms a part of real Gypsy culture, the constant threat of eviction. We are calling on all anti-racists, antifascists, activists, Common Place members, Travellers, and anyone who is sickened by the sneering racism of this event to help stop it taking place. Please come and show your opposition to the event and stand in solidarity against racism in all its forms.
PICKET AGAINST ANTI-TRAVELLER RACISM AT THE COMMON PLACE
SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 7.30PM
THE COMMON PLACE, WHARF STREET (OPPOSITE THE ‘DUCK & DRAKE’ PUB) CENTRAL LEEDS
‘Gypsy Nightmare’ contact: mildred_star@hotmail.com
Common Place: 0845 345 7334 info@commonplace.org.uk
You can also complain to Leeds Racial Equality Council at: leedsrec@btinternet.com
Please forward as widely as possible on lists, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.
Additions
Any offers of help?
Published: February 24, 2011 12:16
by
nab
As someone who has help out (only very little) at the Common Place I find this article hard reading. The main reason the Common Place is going is so that Common Conversation has a home, a place giving free english lessons to refugees. If you have come to Common Conversation and seen the 50 or so people eating and chatting away with bus fares paid for than you will know how important the space can be. At most meetings there are about 5 people who stay up late on weekends trying to keep it running. I would love for someone to come to a meeting an raise these points but this feels more like a smear than an opportunity to engage. The bookings collective has two exhausted volunteers.
If more people were involved then we might have noticed that this event was controversial and had productive dialogue early on. I think there are lots of issues this raises and we could certainly have been dealt it better but the Common Place needs energy to be able to do this. Not an excuse but we are fighting a £15 000 court fee, environmental health threatening to close us down and down and only a handful of volunteers. We are also trying to deal fallout from having a cop as our company directors.
time to say goodbye to the common place....
Published: February 24, 2011 13:52
by
viral
as someone involved in an autonomous social centre that is part of the same uk wide network as the common place i am both angry, disgusted and so very very despairing of this.
having known that the common place was financially struggling, i had previously been feeling quite sad at the potential loss of an autonomous space in leeds, and another one gone in the uk. but really, my sympathy and desire to help support the common place has been completely destroyed by this.
across the rest of the uk there are people working incredibly hard right now to mobilise for the upcoming eviction of dale farm, and within this to counter the virulent racism and stigmatising of gypsy and traveller communities across the world. and autonomous social centres are playing a key role in being part of uk wide radical infrastructure offering a home to events, meetings, mobilisations on this matter.
i cannot accept the comments made my nab. this just seems to be classic racism deflection. yes, the common place is skint, yes, there are environmental health problems, yes, there was a cop. these are facts, not excuses. and placing them within this context merely serve to shift attention from calling racism, racism.
equally, of course nobody would want the common conversations project to completely fall apart in leeds. but again, this does not mean that we should continue to support the common place. if people think the project is really that important, it will find a new home. and politically, using one "minority" group's needs to excuse the stereotyping of another "minority" group is deeply suspicious. capitalism pits "us" against "them" continously in order to create hierarchies and divisions.. we must refuse to play this game in any form.
this situation is more than "controversial", and it only ever needs one person to call out racism, and say no to an event of this kind happening.
not being based in leeds i cannot comment on how the community there should manage this situation. and in terms of the political positioning of the common place, it is evident that things have not been going well for a really really long time. maybe it's time to let one thing go, and for a new centre with considered politics, effort and community support to fill its place....
Apology
Published: February 24, 2011 13:57
by
Madam Laycock and her Dabeno Pleasures
Hello,
We are really sorry for offending the Gypsy and Traveller community and everyone else who has been offended by the event title and event 'A Gypsy Nightmare'. The title or night has nothing to do with targeting the gypsy and traveller community. It's called a 'gypsy nightmare' because it's trying to describe the music we play and the other bands at the event. In the past we have been described as Gypsy Music many times in reviews and so have the other bands.
When we named the night we just thought about this musical link and I suppose the Romanticism of Eastern Europe back in 1400's. It is a one off event to raise funds for Royal Park School to stay open. An event we were hoping would make people enjoy the music we play and have some fun. Some fun at nobody else's expense. I know it's at a very late stage but we want to change the name to 'Madam Laycock presents...' and apologise for any offence caused to anyone. We have been in contact with GATE apologising and explaining why we chose the name.
Sincerely Sorry,
Madam Laycock and her Dabeno Pleasures
Apology
Published: February 24, 2011 14:43
by
@
Come on, the nature of much of the event as described on the Common PLace website is offensive. It's good that you're apologising, but whatever the name you now use you have advertised this as 'Gypsy Nightmare', and that's what it will be. Take proper responsibility for your stupidity and don't besmirch the Common Place with this shit.
Apology
Published: February 24, 2011 15:05
by
BB
The offensive name and poster are all over the internet. Only seen the poster here,
Not good enough
Published: February 24, 2011 15:15
by
Tom
This apology is just another piss-take, 'Madame Debano' still has it up on her website as 'Gypsy Nightmare' and it's all over the place under that name. This is just face-saving because you've been called on your racism.
Additions please
Published: February 24, 2011 15:29
by
pedant
Ok, so the general idea is you use this feature to add some information to the article.
If you just post your opinion/judgement/commentary it's likely to be removed.
There are other places you can blow off your bad vibes though, if that's you're thing.
less
Published: February 24, 2011 16:29
by
lee ving
yes a really, really bad choice of phrasing, 'gypsy nightmare' but there it was on the calendar and people didn't realise - a reference to the music style rather than traveller community of course. So now the common place appears to be under attack from all sides.... so time to circle the wagons, perhaps reopen as a wild west themed bar or something but maybe time to go.
But, check the listings, still a well used space and it is worth mentioning a long history of campaigning against racism.
and.. as some people might be aware, the article is part malicious and opportunist
Apology
Published: February 24, 2011 17:08
by
The Commonplace
The CommonPlace would like to apologise for not acting earlier with regard to the racist implications of this event. We are happy to see an apology and explanation from the promoters, and see this as a sincere willingness to make amends
The promoters have responded to complaints and concerns they have received regarding the way the event is represented on their advertising. They have recognised, as have we, how it could give the wrong, and wholly unintended, impression. They are also considering splitting the funds raised from the event with a traveller support group, as suggested by one person who raised a complaint.
The name of the event has been changed and there is an open meeting tonight (8pm) to try and decide what else needs to be done.
Please read the full text here:
http://www.thecommonplace.org.uk/component/content/article/218-apology-qgypsy-nightmareq-event.html
GATE LEEDS
Published: February 24, 2011 22:22
by
David
GATE in Leeds have offered their full support of the night and will be offering information to anyone who has a problem with a group of artists trying to raise money for their community at Royal Park School. GATE are also working with the band to create a future funding event.
Yes the name was inappropriate but it has been advertised since December and no one has ever thought anything of it because believe it or not the word 'Gypsy' is also descibed as a GENRE of music. And the word 'Nightmare' is a way of descibing something dark and imaginative. I found out that the same night was run in Liverpool last year with no problem what so ever because, maybe there the people are less bored and have more important things to target their anger at.
David.
Leeds GATE
Published: February 25, 2011 15:29
by
Claireblue
Copied from https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/02/474684.html?c=on#c265361
Leeds GATE have certaily NOT offered our full support to the night, as stated in my comment above we raised our concerns, we felt that they had been listened to and in light of this being a charity fund raiser we were satisfied that the organisers had not meant to cause offence.
The organisers of the event are also NOT working with GATE to create a future funding event, this is not true.
I will paste the email conversation we had about a week and a half ago below..... Representatives of GATE will be outside the venue tonight and look forward to talking to all those involved, we were unable to make the meeting last night at such short notice.
....with the last one first (obviously) here is the email conversation
Hello,
Thank you. I've had a look at the organisation, I really like the culture section and the Childrens writing and poetry and what your organisation is doing. Did you also do the TV Documentary? If you ever want us to do any gigs for you, please ask. And sorry again for offending anyone.
Yours,
Mildred
--- On Wed, 16/2/11, Claire Graham wrote:
From: Claire Graham
Subject: RE: Gypsy Nightmare
To: "Madam Laycock"
Date: Wednesday, 16 February, 2011, 9:54
Hi Mildred, thank you for your quick and honest reply. I am aware of Gypsy music and understand how yourselves have been connected with it in. Thanks for taking on the points I have raised. Here is a link that tells you a little more about the community in Leeds http://www.grtleeds.co.uk/information/GATE.html
Claire Graham (Advocacy Development Worker)
Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange
Ground Floor, Crown Point House
169 Cross Green Lane
Leeds
LS9 0BD
Tel. 01132009042
07967679892
From: Madam Laycock [mailto: madam_laycock@yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 16 February 2011 00:16
To: info@thecommonplace.org.uk; Claire Graham
Subject: Re: Gypsy Nightmare
Hello Claire,
I'm really sorry for offending you, others and your organisation. The title or night has nothing to do with targeting the gypsy and traveller community. It's called a 'gypsy nightmare' because it's trying to describe the music we play and the other bands at the event. In the past we have been described as Gypsy Music many times in reviews.
When we named the night we just thought about this musical link and I suppose the Romanticism of Eastern Europe back in 1400's. It is a one off event to raise funds for Royal Park School and if we plan another event at a later date we will think about using a different title as we really don't want to offend anyone.
Sincerely Sorry,
Mildred
Madam Laycock and her Dabeno Pleasures
This is a link to a quick explanation of Gypsy Music, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_style
--- On Tue, 15/2/11, Claire Graham wrote:
From: Claire Graham
Subject: Gypsy Nightmare
To: madam_laycock@yahoo.co.uk, info@thecommonplace.org.uk
Date: Tuesday, 15 February, 2011, 16:58
Dear Madam Laycock, Dear Common Place,
I am writing to express my anguish for a night I saw advertised in my local pub last week. I do not wish to criticise your work I am aware of the fantastic work the Common Place does and that the evening is a much needed fundraiser for Royal Park School. I do however want to express my disappointment at the way ‘Gypsy’ has been used to advertise the above night.
Leeds GATE are one of very few voluntary sector organisation across the country that work with English Gypsies and Irish Travellers (both recognized ethnic groups Race Relations Amendment Act 1996 & 2000). As you probably already know the communities are faced with daily misunderstanding and stereotype. In 2006 GATE carried out a census in Leeds with over 1000 community members which found a life expectancy of 50 years of age. The community also suffer from high infant mortality and increased mental and physical health difficulties.
We do an awful lot of work trying to get the settled population ‘on our side’ lobbying the councils and local MPs to provide sites to deal with homeless families and dispel myths.
I believe the media has a lot to answer for with regards to many of these issues and I also believe that our fellow organizations with left leanings should shoulder some of the responsibility in challenging widely held poorly informed beliefs. ‘Gypsy Nightmare’ conjures up images of the exotic, other, the outsider, dark, mysterious, even dangerous. I don’t think its appropriate. I have also shown the flyer to a few community members who would agree.
I just wanted to raise this with you for consideration before you would go ahead and organize another night.
I would also appreciate an acknowledgement of this email, perhaps with your thoughts on the matter.
Claire Graham (Advocacy Development Worker)
Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange
Ground Floor, Crown Point House
169 Cross Green Lane
Leeds
LS9 0BD
Tel. 01132009042
07967679892
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About time
Glad this is getting raised, whoever organised this club night appears to be completely clueless. Fuck cultural appropriation, depressing that the Commonplace didn't call this out when it was first booked.
Sort it out!
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Also worth looking at is Leeds Uni's 'Disco Partizani' night, which features a fortune teller and cheap entry for people in 'gypsy' fancy dress!
They suggest
"*Costume optional - take your pick...
Guys and girls = dark trousers, light shirt, trouser braces, cap/ trilby; punk/ ska; circus/ (sad) clown chic, make-up; any Eastern European dress
Girls = gypsy skirts, headscarves, golden earrings, coinbelts."
(Check out Photos below to get a feel.)