Govanhill Remembers the Devouring

A memorial to Roma victims of the Nazis which was destroyed by vandals in Glasgow is to be replaced by a robust granite plinth. Charity leaders said they were "disgusted" at the vandalism last month.

The plaque was dedicated to "all of those Roma who were murdered during the Holocaust".

The rose tree was planted to mark the Roma Genocide Memorial Day along with a plaque in Queen's Park, Govanhill. The original memorial was organised by charity Romano Lav - a group which works for the inclusion of Roma people. A spokesperson posted online: "Roma Genocide Memorial Day is about remembrance, but it is also about resistance. That this hateful act occurred at all underscores the need for this memorial.

"We will continue to honour the memory of those who lost their lives during the Holocaust, whilst fighting against the racism that marks our contemporary political moment, and that is a scourge on our society and communities."

Govanhill not only has the highest population of Roma in Scotland, but is also one of the country's most diverse populations.

• Europe's Roma and Sinti people (often labelled as gypsies' historically) were targeted by the Nazis for destruction.
• About 200,000 people, about 25% of the pre-war population were murdered or died of starvation or disease, according to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
• Many more were imprisoned or used as forced labour. Others were subjected to forced sterilisation or medical experimentation.
• The persecution is known at The Porrajmos which translates as the Devouring
• About 20,000 were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau alone, which had its own Gypsy Camp.
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