on saturday 10th sept people arrived from all round the country to support locals and travellers in a solidarity march from wickford station to a rally at dale farm in crays hill, essex

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around a hundred people assembled outside wickford station on saturday at 1pm to begin a more than 3-mile march to the travellers' homes at dale farm which is facing imminent eviction by basildon council.

as more people joined them, a total of around 200 assembled at the rally after the march to hear from an array of speakers supporting the battle to remain on the land they bought ten years ago.

the march was wholly peaceful, but attracted a large police presence and monitoring operation including helicopter, undercover, two video teams, and several vehicles with police dogs. a large range of people were represented on the march and the atmosphere was good-natured, proud, defiant and noisy, with a mixture of chants and the accompaniment of a small contingent from the rhythms of resistance samba band.

it was my first visit to dale farm, and i was struck by the obvious wealth of neighbouring homes, with large houses, set in well-appointed grounds, and featuring expensive and multiple vehicles on their forecourts. i could see that among other things, ranging from naked racism to some genuinely-held complaints and suspicions, there was also a potential class issue going on here.

along the route, the reception was mixed, with a few locals accepting leaflets, but others watching silently, a couple shouting racial abuse (which the police refused to act upon), and one in his driveway bizarrely filming overhead from a mobile crane surrounded by vicious looking dogs. 

more people joined the march as it progressed: there was someone who had travelled from holland to show support, and i met a family who had arrived for the afternoon from bristol. some locals also joined the protest.

with short stops in wickford town and at the primary school where many of the dale farm children are currently pupils, the march finally arrived at the site after a couple of hours. there was a very warm welcome there as the samba band played us in through the high defensive scaffolding structure which has been erected at the main entrance to the site. by now, the numbers had swelled to around two hundred.

right at the heart of the site is 'camp constant', an area set up and manned by visiting activists and human rights monitors (and named ironically after the firm of bailiffs, 'constant and co', who will be earning millions of pounds from the eviction attempt). they had prepared a kitchen area which, after the speeches, served food and drink to the entire crowd, and there were also compost toilets, washing facilities, an info point for people wanting to stay and help, and marquees for meetings as well a secure area for belongings.

in his speech at camp constant, east of england labour MEP richard howitt, exploded some of the myths around the history of the site, referring to the right-wing press description of the 'green belt' area as if it were some sort of rural oasis. in fact, when basildon council sold the land to the travellers ten years ago it was a concreted and heavily contaminated scrap yard. despite suggestions that planning permission would be given, the council ended up only allowing about half the land to be built on. he spoke of international attempts to stop the eviction, his efforts to get the council of europe's damning research recommendations published, and the UN committee on the elimination of racial discrimination's request to the council to find an alternative peaceful solution. he pointed out that the march had been entirely peaceful and that any future confrontation would be of the council's making.

other speakers included secretary of the roma federation grattan puxon, david landau from 'no-one is illegal', and the south and eastern TUC secretary ,megan dobney. UAF representative weymann bennett spoke about how this eviction was an act of racism and that if it goes ahead it would give succour to groups like the BNP, EDL, and national front, whose fascist tactics begin with the targeting of one group and then spread to others. the current president of the gypsy council, richard sheridan, gave an economic analysis of the eviction, citing research into the cost of provision for unhoused travellers, and showing that the operation and its knock-on effects for ten years would amount to more than £220 million of taxpayers money - a racist ideology seemed the only rational explanation for such willingness to spend. kartic raj spoke of amnesty international's call to its members to campaign against the eviction. kika markham, corin redgrave's widow, spoke of their family's long support for the gypsy community, and clare, a rep from 'no borders', linked the government's building of new child detention centres with its willingness to put dale farm children out of schools and on to the streets.

two final speakers asked for active help. justin, from 'no sweat' asked people to come and support a cardboard city protest being held next thursday 15th at 5pm outside eric pickles' dept for communities and local government at eland house in victoria, london, and pete from 'dale farm solidarity' told people they were welcome to stay and help out, starting with a human rights monitor workshop to be held in one of the marquees that afternoon.

as the crowd ate food, drank tea, networked, and met the residents, the samba band gave an impromptu samba workshop to some of the resident children, and a system of lifts back to the station was arranged.

the stark truth is that at a time when the government and basildon council are cutting services on a massive scale, they are prepared to spend a vast amount of money on this racist eviction without providing solutions to where the travellers will go, how their children will be educated, and how international humanitarian requirements will be met. in response, a wide variety of non-governmental organisations as well as direct action activists will continue to do everything in their power to prevent this crazy course of action from taking place.

www.dalefram.wordpress.com

fcebook: Dale Farm Solidarity

Twitter: @LetDaleFarmLive

email: savedalefarm@gmail.com