Sister harassed and intimidated by Irish gipsies in Blackpool

Petra_70

Just wanted to post this as a warning to people.

My sister is a gentle soul and wouldn't say boo to a goose.

She and her husband and 2 sons recently went to Cumbria for a few days holiday, and they decided to spend a day and a night in Blackpool on the way back.

Anyway, she was walking along the front in Blackpool 3 nights ago (around 8-ish) and an Irish gipsy woman approached her waving some heather (wrapped in tin foil,) in front of her face. She barged up to her and said 'my dear you have a lovely kind face,' and my sister who is quiet and a bit timid, said 'oh thank you,' (Her husband and 2 teen sons were 40-50 feet ahead of her at that moment....)

So then the woman had her cornered and said 'I see a new bungalow for you, you will move house to a bungalow soon. (She moved house a year ago to a 3 bed house and is only 45 so I don't see this happening!) Then she said 'someone is stabbing you in the back at work and is not the friend you think she is. (She is a SAHM and hasn't worked for 15 years, so THAT is nonsense too!) 'And someone called David features in your life.' (Doesn't almost everyone know some called David or Dave?!)

Then she thrust 2 stones made out of hard plastic into her hand and said 'these will protect you from bad luck, you need these to look after you,' and my sister said 'ummm ok...' and then the woman said 'you have to pay me twenty pounds now,' My sister had 8 pounds in her purse. She said 'I don't have 20 pounds,' and the woman said 'you must pay this, you can pay this, there's a cashpoint there...' My sister said 'well I don't have any surplus money, I am not rich.' She pulled out her purse and said 'I can give you 3 pounds...' 'NO! it must be the two stones and it must be 20 pounds' said the woman.' My sister resisted and said 'I don't have much money to spare, but I can give you 3 pounds for the heather.' The woman said 'there is a fiver in your purse there, I can see it. You have a debit card too, there's a cashpoint there!' Her stance and attitude had changed now, and she was becoming aggressive, and she had her cornered.

My sister looked around and 2 other women were standing behind her, by a horse and cart on the road, glaring at my sister like they were going to hit her. Then a teenage girl called over (from about 10 feet away,) and said 'Hey! She's f--king loaded, you can tell she's rich, she can afford it, the lying cow!' Then within seconds, 7 people were circling my sister like vultures. 'You must pay or you you will be taken with a sickness and die next year,' said the woman with the stones.

Just then, her husband appeared, barged through 3 women and said 'what the hell is going on?' My sister gave the woman the 2 stones back, then burst into tears, and ran to her husband, then the 2 teens boys (both nearly 6 ft) tall flew between them, and then a bouncer from an arcade nearby said 'clear off you lot!' and they scattered and slithered off into the night.

I think this is bloody disgusting, and they should be arrested for it. I was always open minded about these people, and thought they were just misunderstood, but now I think they are pure scum. My sister is still shaking from it, and has had nightmares about being cursed.

It's all bolux of course and curses are not real, but she is really upset, not only at the horrible things said, but being cornered and intimidated, and virtually mugged. Heaven knows what would have happened if her husband and 2 sons and the bouncer had not appeared when they did!

I am posting this as a warning to people to not speak to these people. Don't stop, and don't even make eye contact with them, and do NOT even put out your hand to gesture for them to go away, as they will push the heather or stones into it and demand money from you. And if you do go out at night there, then try to stick with at least one other person, preferably more.

I am also considering writing to or contacting Blackpool council about this. It's pretty disgusting that people have to endure this when they are on their holiday.

London50

Sorry to hear that your sister had to go through that but it is something that has gone on for many years in towns and cities across the country, those people look for easy prey and intimidate them in the hope that they will get the cash from them.
The police and councils do try to crack down but they are a slippery lot and melt away at the first sign of anyone in a uniform being around. As your sister found out they try the "curse" line to try and scare people into paying up, I found each time when a stranger {normally female} attempts to push something into my hands I just drop it on the floor and a gruff "no thank you" and walk away. As you say these people are nothing but street beggars or con artists and the sooner they are taken off the streets the better.
I hope your sister will try to put it out of her mind and {although I do hope not} if it was to happen again just walk away :0)

DKLS

There is a very easy and efficient way of getting rid of these people. Don't even bother with a rebuttal, Just tell them that you are a witch, and let them know thats its not wise for "Tinker to be demanding money from a witch do you and your children wish to be cursed properly?

Based on previous experience the Tinker will do their best impression of Usain Bolt.

Mrshaworth2b

Me and mum were once approached by the same woman about 5 times when shopping in Blackpool many many years ago. My mum always believed "you never say no to a gypsy" but it was embarrassing trying to hide from this lady. I feel for your sister

marleyboy

I remember being approached many Years ago in Blackpool by some Gypsy woman carrying heather. Needless to say I dont believe in charms and curses.

She gave it away when she pointed to my companion and said we will both be happily married together and have two wonderful children.........I pointed out that she was my Sister, we dont go for the incest thing.

She got the hint.

pollypenny

I wonder how long it will be before someone defends these people on the grounds of racist posts.

Or how long the thread will last. :cool:

Ronaldo_Mconaldo

There's an awful lot of detail in this first post considering the OP wasn't actually there.

tomtontom

I'm not defending what happened to the OP's sister, but I wouldn't judge a whole race by the actions of a few scumbags. Con artists come in all different shapes and sizes, and from all sorts of backgrounds. If we stereotyped everyone by the actions of a few, well we'd all be con men and terrorists

Georgiegirl256

There's nearly always some on (can't remember the name of the bridge) the foot bridge leading across to the South Bank in London. We've encountered them twice now on two separate visits.

Whilst making sure they spoke to you and that you noticed them, they were nothing like the ones mentioned in the OP thankfully. They can talk the talk for sure, but they never got anywhere near being abusive. Whether that would have still been the case if I was on my own I don't know.

My husband is one of those who believes you never say no to them, and as they were selling like crepe paper flowers with heather in for only £1, he got me one. They tried to get us to buy another on the way back but when we pointed out we'd already bought one they remembered us and were polite enough.

The ones in Blackpool (haven't visited there in years) sound in a whole different league though. Your poor sister OP

System

I was always told to never let those people with the heather touch you because you will be cursed if you dont give them money! I dont know if that is true but i avoid them if i see them :eek:

splishsplash

pollypenny wrote: »

I wonder how long it will be before someone defends these people on the grounds of racist posts.

Or how long the thread will last. :cool:

The thread title is definitely racist.

That's not to say the actions of the women were defensible.

Doesn't stop the thread title being blatantly racist though.