A few years ago, I became interested in learning more about the Roma people, erroneously called "gypsies" (because people originally thought they came from Egypt.)
I read a few books about them ("The Nazi Persecution of the Gypsies", "We Are the Romani People", and so on.) I also became online friends with a university professor in TX who is of Roma ancestry. But I still did not personally know any other than the one online friendship.
And then I happened to join a UK-based forum, where I met MANY Englishmen who hate Roma, and they kept saying they are all thieves in the UK. I had no firsthand experience like that, so I couldn't understand.
Finally, one of the guys said to me, "Look...you know how blacks are in your country? THAT is how gypsies are HERE!"
I think I started to "get it" after he said that.
But I still don't personally have any issues with Roma, because truthfully, they have never done anything to me.