I can't help feeling it must be more complicated, but...

Since the beginning of last year the French government has expelled almost 20,000 Roma. It denies it's acting illegally because, although as EU citizens the Roma are entitled to freedom of movement, the law allows countries to deport foreigners who are unable to support themselves.

That may be true. But for French government to show that it's not acting in a racist way, it would need to demonstrate that it's also deporting those other foreign EU nationals without jobs who are living in France, and not targeting the Roma disproportionately. I've not seen anyone, either in favour of the policy or opposed to it, suggest that this is the case.

Ergo, it's plainly and openly a racist policy.

Or am I missing something?

I can't help feeling it must be more complicated, but...

Since the beginning of last year the French government has expelled almost 20,000 Roma. It denies it's acting illegally because, although as EU citizens the Roma are entitled to freedom of movement, the law allows countries to deport foreigners who are unable to support themselves.

That may be true. But for French government to show that it's not acting in a racist way, it would need to demonstrate that it's also deporting those other foreign EU nationals without jobs who are living in France, and not targeting the Roma disproportionately. I've not seen anyone, either in favour of the policy or opposed to it, suggest that this is the case.

Ergo, it's plainly and openly a racist policy.

Or am I missing something?