Today at 11am the 'Magic Roundabout' will appear in Newport Magistrates Court to answer an eviction order under Traveller Encampment legislation.

The Roundabout is one on an industrial estate that became home to protesters who came to the Isle of Wight to support the Occupation of the Vestas Wind Turbine Blade factory in July and August of this year. The Roundabout was pretty much the closest point to the balcony on which the occupiers appeared daily.

Since the end of the occupation, some of the ex-workforce and several supporters (from unions, climate and labour movement groups) have continued to camp on the roundabout - which now includes a spacious kitchen with wooden yurt-type structure to withstand storms, a living room with 3 piece suite ad straw insulation, and several veg plots (broad beans, winter lettuces and herbs), alongside the tents used by visitors.

The Roundabout has served as a Campaign office - organising events including this weekend's large event in Newport town centre, Iow, and a visit by Caroline Lucas MEP, dealing with Press enquiries, and generally keeping the pressure on Vestas to pay redundancy to the 11 workers they sacked for occupying the factory, and keeping environmental and labour rights issues in people's minds on the Isle of Wight.

The eviction is using the same Traveller Encampment legislation that was used to remove the 'Blade Blockade' camp in September (a camp on a nearby site designed to prevent Vestas from shipping blades in or out of the factory). This time is it a private (local) landowner rather than the council pursuing the eviction.

Many suspect the council to have a hand in things, however, as it is 4 months since the roundabout was occupied, but Copenhagen and the Council's decision on Wind Turbines on the Island at Cheverton Downs are coming up soon, so eviction is politically expedient at present.

I'll post the news here soon as I have it...

Please send messages of support to the roundabouters, and think about paying em a visit before it's too late...