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Dale Farm

Resistance to the threatened eviction of Dale Farm.

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Glimpses of a possible future

09-11-2011 13:50

Two possible futures?

Several empty buildings in Oxford have recently been opened as squatted social centres. In August an empty industrial workshop on Randolph Street was squatted. After several "Free Uni" events (sharing skills and ideas), community meals, film and info-nights the court process provided only a short delay and then eviction. The building now remains unused.

Undeterred, the social centre, known as "Plebs' College" due to the focus on free education, has re-opened on Union Street, with a multitude of weekly events. Again they are under threat of eviction from a landlord keen to demolish the place and build student flats. This space where people can gather, meet, organise and learn, as equals, free of the usual commercial or bureaucratic pressures, may be a glimpse of another society.

Meanwhile, the public occupations spreading in many countries are starting to challenge the economic system and may also evoke a freer and more equal society (though with much work still to do!).

For hints of a more brutal future, we can look at the recent eviction of Dale Farm: an entire community made homeless, while those who resist are kicked, tasered, batoned, pressured-pointed, or beaten, and the media continue their lies.

Which path we take could depend on the actions we all take in the next few years.

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Dale Farm: Injunction remains for now

24-09-2011 18:23

LATEST: Monday 3 October: Basildon Council concedes that full clearance of Dale Farm as originally proposed would be illegal. Council ordered to pay one third of Dale Farm's legal costs. Awaiting outcome of applications for judicial reviews, due Tuesday. More in full article.

The legality of the eviction notices served by Basildon Council on Dale Farm residents was challenged by the Travellers in the High Court on Friday. Once the arguments had been heard, including an application by Basildon Council for the scaffolding at the entrance to the site to be removed, the Judge Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart said that there would not be a ruling before Monday 26 September (now extended to Tuesday 4 October). Late in the day it was reported that the injunction to restrain bailiffs from starting any clearance or eviction of the site would stand in its current form until at least 4pm Monday. A later report indicated that the judge may further extend the injunction into the middle of next week or beyond if necessary. In the meantime, applications are being prepared for judicial review of the eviction, which could lead to further delay of a final decision. Basildon Council has already set aside £18 million to evict the Dale Farm residents. However, with the current stalemate reported to be costing the council over £1 million per day, the total cost is likely to have increased by some £8 million by Monday and will continue to rise during any further delay. With a bit of luck they'll run out of money before the eviction is allowed to go ahead.

Supporters are needed both at the High Court now and at Dale Farm now and for the duration. Contact savedalefarm@gmail.com for more information or see Save Dale Farm.

Recent newswire articles: Injunction extended to Monday | NET climbers at Dale Farm | Experiences of a legal observer | Travellers and Supporters open up Dale Farm | High Court 23 September | Re Dispatches: The Fight for Dale Farm | Keep stinging them in the pocket | Dale Farm wins reprieve | Last minute injunction | BBC censorship shame | Call out to activists | Bailiff's dirty tricks | Photos from Dale Farm march and demo 1 | 2 | Eviction Update

Features: Dale Farm locks on against eviction | Resist the Dale Farm Eviction

Other links: Save Dale Farm | The Advocacy Project: Dale Farm | Andy Worthington on Dale Farm

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Resist the Dale Farm Eviction

27-07-2011 07:40

Eviction notice attached to a resident's door

On 4 July 2011, some 90 families at Dale Farm, the UK's largest Traveller community, were hand-delivered a final notice of eviction giving families until midnight on 31 August to abandon their homes, or face their entire community being bulldozed. The central government and Basildon Council have set aside over £18m for the eviction battle that could last three weeks. It will be the biggest clearance of its kind, involving the ploughing up of 54 separate plots created on a former scrap-yard purchased by the Travellers ten years ago.

Urgent Call-out for Support: Supporters are urgently needed to help the community resist the eviction. Come to the camp for one of the activity weekends any Saturday between now and the end of August, and join Camp Constant from 27 August.

On the newswires: Solidarity Bulletin 4 August | Colchester Council Hates Gypsies | Solidarity Bulletin 27 July | Dale Farm Info Night, 2 Aug, Bristol | Resist Ethnic Cleansing | Eviction notice served | Previous feature
Elsewhere: Dale Farm Travellers | The University of Esssex Human Rights Clinic | Susan Craig-Green, Advocacy Project

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Travellers Resist Biggest Eviction Of The Homeless

25-01-2011 22:25

They are the most politically marginalized people in this country and across Europe; marginalized in the UK in every other way too, having no legal place to live, unable to send children to school because of police move-ons, and even refused service in pubs and restuarants.

But Travellers today are standing up for themselves and nowhere more so than at Dale Farm, in Essex. Here a hundred families have been under siege for ten years, refused planning consent to live on their own land; though it's only an old scrap-yard converted into a mobile-home park.

Dale Farm Travellers are making a final stand against what they see as an act of ethnic-cleansing equal in its brutality to the clearances of Roma camps in Italy and France. They are asking for your help.

Newswire Links:
Defend Dale Farm! Help resist Ethnic Cleansing | Defence Planing | Imminent Eviction | Constant & Co. to make £2m | Evictions of traveler families at Hovefields site

External Links:
Dale Farm Blog | Essex University Human Rights Clinic

XML UK Dale Farm Feature Archive

Text New Squat the cull group launched
06-03-2013 13:21 | 3 comments

Text Balochistan have burning ,
03-03-2013 01:16

Text Travellers celebrate “step in the right direction” as Basildon approve planning application for a 15 pitch Traveller site
12-12-2012 08:05

Image dale farm anniversary protest today - report and pics
19-10-2012 17:03

Image Dale Farm activists take ‘Fight for Sites’ to Pickles’ doorstep
19-10-2012 15:49 | 1 comment

Text Traveller Solidarity Network brings its Info Night to Cambridge
17-03-2012 13:38

Text TSN brings its Info Night to Sheffield
17-03-2012 12:50

Text Traveller Solidarity Network Info Tour
17-03-2012 10:55 | 2 comments

Text When TSN met Tony Ball Video
28-02-2012 16:44

Image ‘Shame-Faced’ Tony Ball forced to Flee Council Awards by angry protesters
28-02-2012 06:07

Text Callout for Legal Observers – London Training & Pre-brief 6.30PM Tuesday 14 Febr
08-02-2012 14:23

Text Dale Farm: Second Eviction Threat
31-01-2012 06:31

Text Support the Dale Farm Planning Appeal – Letter writing campaign
15-01-2012 17:57

Text Phone Blockade of Constant and Co
12-12-2011 19:23 | 4 comments

Text Video: Traveller Solidarity Network protest @ The Coronet Wetherspoons, London
10-12-2011 11:40 | 1 comment

Text First Meeting of the Traveller Solidarity Network
29-10-2011 01:19 | 2 comments

Text Dale Farm: Report from the front line
27-10-2011 16:59

Text any info on big change - that Dale Farm eviction led by cops?
19-10-2011 23:40 | 5 comments

Image Dale Farm, the reality of Green Belt in Basildon.
19-10-2011 21:51 | 1 comment

Image Dale Farm eviction "will weigh heavily on Britain"
19-10-2011 07:05 | 1 addition | 23 comments

Text "Dale Farm travellers' site eviction starts " BBC
19-10-2011 06:32 | 2 comments

Text Interview with an Anarchist at Dale Farm
18-10-2011 01:25 | 2 comments

Text Dale Farm appeal rejected, eviction expected soon
17-10-2011 16:18 | 4 comments

Text Get to Dale Farm soonest - judicial review appeal app. rejected by court
17-10-2011 16:17

Text Be ready to come to Dale Farm today
17-10-2011 04:18 | 2 comments

Text Dale Farm: State Repression Increases, as Activists Call for Supplies
15-10-2011 14:13

Image Dale Farm: The wider context
14-10-2011 16:14 | 1 addition | 1 comment

Image Dale Farm: An End to the Legal Process? A Call to the Baricades!
13-10-2011 01:56 | 16 comments

Image Quick Dale Farm Update.
12-10-2011 17:15

Text Dale Farm: Get Ready To Resist: skills and mischief at Camp Constant this weekend
07-10-2011 10:54

Text Phien O'Phien - Hum Hum Hum - Save Dale Farm Folk Song!
04-10-2011 15:43

Text Protesters scale Council building to call on Tony Ball to resign
27-09-2011 13:48

Text Dale Farm injunction extended to monday
23-09-2011 13:32

Image N.E.T climbers in Constant & Co uniforms at Dale Farm
22-09-2011 14:09 | 1 comment

Image Experiences of a legal observer at Dale Farm
21-09-2011 11:05

Text Travellers and supporters work together to open up Dale Farm
21-09-2011 10:32

Image Friday 23rd: Solidarity with Dale Farm, High Court, the Strand, 11.30am
21-09-2011 10:02

Text re: Dispatches - The Fight For Dale Farm
21-09-2011 08:47

Text Dale Farm: keep stinging them in the pocket
20-09-2011 10:51 | 1 comment

Text Dale farm last minute injunction
19-09-2011 15:58 | 4 comments

Text Basildon Council sunk secret group appointed to solve Dale Farm crisis
14-09-2011 19:57 | 5 comments

Image Photos from Dale Farm March, Sat 10 Sep. [Set 2]
13-09-2011 00:09

Image Photos from Dale Farm March, Sat 10 Sep. [Set 1]
13-09-2011 00:02

Text Dale Farm: Important Eviction Update
12-09-2011 11:28

Image Dale Farm Demo - March from Wickford Station Sat 10 Sep.
09-09-2011 21:51

Text Squatters and land occupiers; it's time for some digital payback !
07-09-2011 13:19

Text Scapegoating poor travellers whilst bailing out bankers is Tryanny not democracy
03-09-2011 18:24

Text Dale Farm Blocked!
01-09-2011 23:15 | 1 comment

Image Hate Mail on Dale Farm
01-09-2011 10:12 | 2 comments

Audio Bloody Revolution All The Way - NATO setting precedents in Libya
31-08-2011 21:59 | 1 comment

Text URGENT Tat list for Dale Farm
31-08-2011 14:59 | 3 comments

Text URGENT call out against Evictions
27-08-2011 17:16 | 5 comments

Text Dale Farm under Siege
25-08-2011 01:55

Text Defend Crays Hill travellers site in Essex
01-08-2011 11:04 | 3 comments

Text Colchester Council Hates Gypsies
29-07-2011 19:30

Text Dale Farm Solidarity Bulletin 27th July
28-07-2011 14:55

Text Dale Farm info night
25-07-2011 20:55

Text Resist ethnic cleansing at Dale Farm
22-07-2011 13:55

Text Dale Farm eviction notice served -- Camp Constant to be set up from Sat. Aug 27
04-07-2011 16:39 | 2 comments

Image Dale Farm Eviction - Solidarity / Numbers Needed...
13-04-2011 19:03

Text Defend Dale Farm! Help resist Ethnic Cleansing
18-01-2011 10:46

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