It started with a single caravan parked on a verge near our house and was quickly followed by a Facebook message from the leader of our residents' association.
"Looks like a gypsy has moved in. Clear your cars tonight and lock all sheds/doors/garages," it read.
I replied politely, explaining that I wasn't happy with the stereotypes being used.
"Well, what should we call them then?" came the reply. It was shocking to realise that this person didn't understand I was objecting to the idea that all travellers and gypsies were thieves. They saw that as such a universal truth that they assumed I must have been merely objecting to the term 'gypsy'.