I think you've nailed it. The gypsies are obnoxious but relatively safe to get heavy on. If they try that on the Muslims, they will have cities in flames, plus have international problems.
Still it's a step in the right direction.
I should have made a disclaimer, that I was not necessarily opposed to deporting ANY illegal immigrants/illegal residents in France; only that the French government may have selected the Gypsies ONLY because it was politically safe to do so.
On the other hand, all of Europe has a “Gypsy” problem, with centuries of European states claiming they do not belong in, and are not a part of their “state”; with a parallel history of Gypsies being among the earliest “open borders” migrant groups in Europe, having little respect for being recognized as part of any state.
The term “Gypsy” itself comes from the ignorance in Europe, early on, about just where the Gypsies came to Europe from and in that ignorance the popular belief was that they came from Egypt.
The Early History [of Gypsies]
http://www.scottishgypsies.co.uk/early.html
Gypsy History/Lore
http://www.gypsyadvice.com/gypsy_lore.htm
History and Origins of the Gypsies - Where Did it all Begin?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2044813/history_and_origins_of_the_gypsies.html?cat=37
Roma (Gypsy) Origins & History
http://www.romani.org/local/romhist.html