My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty to lead protest after children 'blocked from Manchester Christmas Market like Nazi Germany'

The reality TV personality claimed the scenes were reminiscent t of "Nazi Germany" after large groups of children and teenagers were stopped from attending the event and "forced" back onto trains, Greater Manchester Police officers were accused of being "heavy-handed" after videos circulated online appearing to show screaming youths being ushered through Manchester Victoria.

Equality group, The Traveller Movement told the BBC the "shocking" incident involved children from the Traveller community and branded it "completely unacceptable." They said: "This heavy-handed and discriminatory action has left children upset and distressed, with parents deeply concerned about the treatment that their children have faced.

"These children were simply trying to enjoy the festivities like everyone else, but instead have been unfairly targeted and marginalised." Greater Manchester Police said the force's priority was "always to protect public safety by preventing incidents of violence and disorder."

They put a 48-hour dispersal order in place at around 12.15pm on Saturday (23 November) after reports of anti-social behaviour on trains and in the city. But the situation has sparked outrage among the Traveller community. Irish Traveller, Paddy Doherty, told the Daily Star: "We are human beings, we are not dog poo. Can you imagine the uproar if they'd tried to put black kids back on the train?

"It is absolutely appalling and sickening. Those kids have as much right to be there as anyone else, they must've been terrified being forced onto trains not knowing where they were going.

"It was like Nazi Germany when all the Jews were put on trains, all that was missing was the Swastikas." Paddy said he and many members of the Travelling community and beyond are set to come together to descend on Manchester on December 6. He added: "We don't want any trouble, we just want to be heard and respected like everyone else."

Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, Mary Kelly Foy raised a point of order in the House of Commons earlier this week, and called for a Home Office investigation into the incident. After the incident, Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said the force had been given "intelligence" about anti-social behaviour by groups on trains on the way into Manchester and similar reports around the city centre so a dispersal order was issued.

He said: "We understand there are feelings of mistreatment and confusion amongst groups of people for being turned away. We are determined to address these concerns by working closely with the mayor’s office to engage these communities in Manchester and further afield."