That’s right folks, if you thought it was just Basildon Council getting their fill of anti-gypsy racism, think again. Colchester Council has decided to use some of it’s money (perhaps the cash it saved by shutting down the Conexxions youth service or by flogging off Philip Morant school) to build an a massive gate just to stop travellers using St John’s Close field.

According to ward councillor Ray Gamble, “It will make it much harder for travellers to gain entry.”. This new fear of travelers seems to be fueled by the worry that following the forced (and possibly quite violent) eviction of Dale Fame in August, members of the traveling community might actually need somewhere else to live. Apparently it’s too much for the council to bear to think that they might not want to give up their culture and way of life, so it’s taking these measures to make sure they can’t do it here. However, no one wants to admit this, so the gate is being dressed up as a reaction to locals’ complaints that travellers have previously dumped rubbish, damaged trees and stopped local children using the field during the school holidays. But of course, no attempt seems to have been made to engage travellers using the site and talk to them like human beings – it’s easier just to block them out.