Amid growing concern about the victimisation of travelling people across Europe, human rights activists have condemned the forced eviction of a community of some 400 Roma people in the Italian capital, Rome.

A poll on the Daily Mail website which recorded 93% of respondents as in favour of gypsies ‘jumping the NHS queue’ appears to have been removed from its website.

Local churches have been backing five Irish traveller families living on an unofficial site in Wickford, Essex, who now face eviction because the land they bought is within a green zone area. They have lodged an appeal.

Speaking at a pastoral congress in Germany, Cardinal Martino deplored the prejudice and hatred being meted out to Romany and travelling people (often called "gypsies") in many parts of Europe, and called on churches to support them.