A report from Shelter (Scotland) states that many Gypsies/Travellers feel that discrimination against their community is considered more acceptable than discrimination against other races, such as black or Jewish people although an employment tribunal judgment in 2008 determined that Scottish Gypsies/Travellers are a distinct ethnic group, and therefore covered by the Race Relations Act.

However ethnic origin does not place anyone outside the law just as it is necessary to challenge the notion that respect for family life in different cultures should deter us from enforcing the law against domestic violence so

to quote one worker with the Gypsy/Traveler* community

"A criminal is a criminal no matter what their beliefs or ethnic background"

That's the view of this 'liberal' anyways Ake

* I use the term Gypsies/Travellers as it is an official term, used by the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government as the term 'tinker', like 'Gypo', is frequently used as a term of abuse.

Scotland's Gypsies/Travellers a resource from the Commission for Racial Equality in Scotland