Thousands of Gypsies -- also known as Roma -- have been forced into hiding in France, as that nation launched another campaign this week to drive them out of the country, the Salon website reports today (August 15, 2012).
The camps weren't much to begin with: They had no electricity or running water; grocery carts served as makeshift grills; rats ran rampant; and fleas gnawed on young and old alike.
The previous big sweep occurred in 2010 when France expelled Gypsies to Romania and Bulgaria. This time, the Gypsies headed into the woods, as bulldozers tore down their camps, mostly in Gennevilliers on the outskirts of Paris.
Most Gypsies have no plans to return to Romania, where they could be granted citizenship. They say that begging in France is still more lucrative than trying to find work where there is none.
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