Travellers and supporters work together to open up Dale Farm
Dale Farm Solidarity | 21.09.2011 10:32 | Dale Farm | Anti-racism | Policing
Travellers and supporters at Dale Farm will work together on Wednesday morning from 11:30 am to move barricades that are blocking access to the site [1]. The residents want to enable families to bring their trailers back on to their plots, and to enable access for emergency vehicles, but will oppose any attempt at entry by bailiffs.
The barricades were constructed to prevent Basildon Council from demolishing the homes and land of residents who have been living on the site for over ten years. The last minute reprieve caused by the High Court injunction left the site blockaded with gates, lock-ons and vans preventing access.
The barricades were constructed to prevent Basildon Council from demolishing the homes and land of residents who have been living on the site for over ten years. The last minute reprieve caused by the High Court injunction left the site blockaded with gates, lock-ons and vans preventing access.
Resident Michelle McCarthy said:
“With this court ruling we're finally hopeful that common sense will prevail, so we're moving our caravans back into Dale Farm. We're reasonable people and we urge the council to find a way that we can continue to live in peace as community.”
We're all working together to open the gates, and we're so grateful to our friends and supporters for helping us!”
The council has repeatedly stated they will clear the entire site and dig up all the hard standing, but they are only lawfully allowed to return Dale Farm to it's former state as a scrapyard. The High Court felt that there was a reasonable apprehension Basildon Council would over-enforce the eviction.
Hannah Roberts of Dale Farm Solidarity added:
“In their bloody-minded over zealousness, the Council are paying £1.2 million a day [2] for police to sit in hotel rooms and drink coffee when they could be funding schools and hospitals and building their community.”
Len Gridley, who has led a hostile campaign against the Travellers told Sky News "I think now they will win the right to stay...The council have mismanaged the whole thing. I saw three mistakes in their eviction notice and I'm not even a lawyer." [3]
Notes
1. There may be press restrictions during the removal of the barricades as some of the lock-on technology needs to be kept secret.
2. Lawyers for Basildon Council costed the eviction at £1.2 million per day during the High Court hearing on Monday 19th September.
3.
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16073844
“With this court ruling we're finally hopeful that common sense will prevail, so we're moving our caravans back into Dale Farm. We're reasonable people and we urge the council to find a way that we can continue to live in peace as community.”
We're all working together to open the gates, and we're so grateful to our friends and supporters for helping us!”
The council has repeatedly stated they will clear the entire site and dig up all the hard standing, but they are only lawfully allowed to return Dale Farm to it's former state as a scrapyard. The High Court felt that there was a reasonable apprehension Basildon Council would over-enforce the eviction.
Hannah Roberts of Dale Farm Solidarity added:
“In their bloody-minded over zealousness, the Council are paying £1.2 million a day [2] for police to sit in hotel rooms and drink coffee when they could be funding schools and hospitals and building their community.”
Len Gridley, who has led a hostile campaign against the Travellers told Sky News "I think now they will win the right to stay...The council have mismanaged the whole thing. I saw three mistakes in their eviction notice and I'm not even a lawyer." [3]
Notes
1. There may be press restrictions during the removal of the barricades as some of the lock-on technology needs to be kept secret.
2. Lawyers for Basildon Council costed the eviction at £1.2 million per day during the High Court hearing on Monday 19th September.
3.
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16073844
Dale Farm Solidarity
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www.dalefarm.wordpress.com