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Will Poland ever be multicultural like Sweden, Germany or France? [283]
the largest foreign inmate groups are actually Turks, followed by nationals from countries like Romania
Surprised Romania is not number 1, but instead Turkey. Also, no Bulgaria?
Maybe the type of crime gypsies are proficient at, does not result in prison sentences? Just seems strange, given that nearly every European big city center has gypsies running petty crime networks.
Recently, gypsies have made it to New York. I don't know where they came from, but one day they appeared in the subway - typically a young woman, and always with a small baby. One time, I saw a scene where an older Orthodox Jewish gentleman got into an argument with a gypsy in a subway car. "This is the richest country in the world! You have no shame! There is no reason to do what you are doing! I spit on you!". I thought this was pretty amusing.
I don't think their pickpocketing, or ball game tricks will work very well in the United States. Pickpocketing is likely to result in having your spine broken, or getting shot. Scamming people using ball games and card tricks, will work until you play against some gentlemen from the projects.
This is also why I am so puzzled at why the gendarmes in Paris or the Carabinieri in Rome seem to give zero f*cks about Gypsy crimes. In fact, they won't do anything to punish them - but they WILL drag you to the nearest police station if you go so far as to throw a scammer's equipment into the Seine (my friend did this, and to his surprise he was arrested). Not sure if he was arrested for polluting the Seine, or for destruction of property - but still kind of amazing.
If I put my "logical hat" on, I think the practical reasons may be:
1) These are Bulgarian and Romanian citizens - meaning they are free to travel within Europe. If you start cracking down on them in one place, they'll simply pick up and move to Marseille, or Milan, or Madrid.
2) They list fake residential addresses, and carry fake IDs. Arresting them is worth more administrative hassle than the trouble they create.
3) Being decentralized and solely focused on petty crime - they are preferable to say Russian or Corsican gangs running more organized rackets around tourist areas.
4) They represent a tax on idiots, and a nice little boost for the local French economy. If a tourist was planning to spend €200, suddenly he has spent €250 instead. Gypsies still need to eat and fix their cars - so the money contributes to French GDP.
But honestly - how can it be normal to arrest tourists and not the pickpocket or scammer who had provoked the tourist?
