Fears of a standoff if travellers told exact date for evictions (From Echo)
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Fears of a standoff if travellers told exact date for evictions
9:00am Friday 7th January 2011 in Basildon By Jon Austin
Tony Ball – decision to be made
HUNDREDS of travellers could be warned of the date of their planned eviction from Crays Hill, prompting fears of a violent standoff.
Until now all six eviction operations at the illegal Hovefields site, Wickford, have been unannounced and there has been minimal resistance from protesters.
However, a number of the agencies involved in planning the clearance of the Dale Farm have suggested the 96 families should be notified in advance of the day they will be booted off.
Legally Basildon Council has to give travellers a 28-day notice period before an eviction, but not the exact date it will happen.
However, a source close to the planning of the eviction said: “The police want the date to be announced in advance. There are concerns with so many children at the site, if it happens out of the blue, they could be at school and then come home to find their homes have gone.”
However, the source said there were also fears if the date is announced hundreds of activists, including anarchist groups will be able to prepare resistance at the site.
Tony Ball, Tory Basildon Council leader, confirmed announcing the date was an option for the operation, which could cost up to £13million.
He said: “On the one hand it is difficult to organise an operation on this scale, involving heavy machinery and road closures, without people noticing.
“On the other, if the date is announced, it does allow the opportunity for protesters to group at the site.”
He said a decision on which course to take was yet to be made.
There have been a number of cases of evictions around the country when the date was given in advance and they had to be called off due to violence.
There were violent scenes at a Chelmsford Council-led clearance of the Meadowlands illegal site near Little Waltham in 2004 after the date was publicised.
An spokesman for Essex Police said it was working with the council, but it was down to the council to make a decision.
Grattan Puxon, a campaigner for the travellers, has previously asked the council to announce the date in advance and is seeking people to take part in peaceful protests, including a human shield, should the eviction go ahead.
Comments(32)
fletch12107
says...
9:26am Fri 7 Jan 11
JuliaM
says...
9:37am Fri 7 Jan 11
And yet, just the other day, the police were arresting some poor soul for flashing his headlights to advise drivers to slow down or get caught in a speed trap...
This country has gone stark, staring mad!
geezer, innit
says...
9:40am Fri 7 Jan 11
Broonaldo
says...
10:19am Fri 7 Jan 11
The absentee rate at the local school is 57% against a national average of 1.8% If the police are concerned about kids coming home to find it gone. Might I suggest that on the day of the eviction all those travellers that do manage to find their way to school on the particular day chosen for the eviction are sent home upon arrival, not too much to organise I would have thought.
el caballero de la noche
says...
10:42am Fri 7 Jan 11
Easy stop being intimidated by these Low Life p155 takers.
gardenman
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1:05pm Fri 7 Jan 11
thelonewhinger
says...
2:19pm Fri 7 Jan 11
The general public constantly tut tut when they hear about matters relating to the G/T community but in reality do nothing. Those of us that care or are affected by the growing tide are still in a minority. Until actual direct action happens (as in other parts of Europe) these caravan utilising nomadic travellers will thrive.
It amazes me that a huge force of paramilitary riot police can be assembled at short notice to police a student protest in the city which is also advertised well in advance and before any unlawful act has actually taken place. Yet simply acting as protection to Crown appointed bailiffs raises so many difficulties and needs £13m worth of "specialists".
How does any "settled" householder having the misfortune to be a few months behind with a mortgage get evicted? Does anyone give a toss about their children being at school?
The whole saga would be laughable if it was not such a tragedyfor justice.
gardenman
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4:23pm Fri 7 Jan 11
firedog
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5:58pm Fri 7 Jan 11
stropmag
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7:16pm Fri 7 Jan 11
abbey gale
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7:45pm Fri 7 Jan 11
Audioman
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7:54pm Fri 7 Jan 11
Audioman
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8:02pm Fri 7 Jan 11
abbey gale
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8:04pm Fri 7 Jan 11
Seasider90
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9:13pm Fri 7 Jan 11
ukman
says...
10:30am Sat 8 Jan 11
JuliaM
says...
1:46pm Sat 8 Jan 11
abbey gale wrote:So you are happy to see scenes of disorder? You don't give a d**n if the police are hurt trying to move the parasites on, after they've finally exhausted all avenues and had the option to 'fight on' through the legal system (funded by us) for YEARS?
i think they should know the date the baliffs are gonna turn up ,that way the ones that want to leave peacefully can go ,and those who wont too fight on can ,i've read some of the comments ,for many months now ,and some of your suggestions for getting rid of these ppl ,r at the very least inhumane n disgusting ,talk of sending in sas n bulldozers,n not giving a f..k about litle children ,don't get me wrong this whole fiasco should never have gone this far ,but your comments put you on a par with animals ,
And as for 'animals', well, go take a look at the site first. Then tell us who the 'animals' are...
responsible1
says...
3:59pm Sat 8 Jan 11
Audioman wrote:napalm, that'll shift them!!!!
Why not bring on the water canon and tear gas,that should do it ,it is dine in other countries.
mr.happy
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5:32pm Sat 8 Jan 11
Nebs
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6:41pm Sat 8 Jan 11
They have wasted enough of our time, lets waste some of their time.
abbey gale
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8:07pm Sat 8 Jan 11
abbey gale
says...
8:16pm Sat 8 Jan 11
Mary Lou
says...
7:43am Sun 9 Jan 11
abbey gale wrote:Not as uneducated as you. Your grammar, spelling and the inference that the "Holocaust" is a valid comparison leaves a lot to be desired.
no im not happy to see "scenes of disorder " as you put it ,but if you can't see why some ppl (not me personally) are comparing this to a holocost ,you're obviously uneducated and ignorant (and dare i say chav) have you not read any literature at all on the subject ,..
thelonewhinger
says...
4:27pm Sun 9 Jan 11
Nebs wrote:On the face of it a brilliant ploy Nebs but I fear the requirement for official notice via a legal Court document needing to be stayed, reissued, stayed, reissued etc. would get short shrift from the Court and be just as problematic and expensive.
Name a date, let all the protesters arrive and bed down, let the TV cameras and helicopters wait with anticipation, let the travellers pack their goods in anticipation. Then don't turn up and say it will be the day after tomorrow. Then do the same again. Eventually they will get fed up and complacent, then you can go in. They have wasted enough of our time, lets waste some of their time.
The fact remains that until notice is served nobody can be certain which way this will pan out. They may just melt away to another of their illegal encammpments before notice expires or they may choose to stand and fight.
Either way it is a case of bluff and double bluff until hopefully direct action gets rid.
I sure hope it is soon because the stench of human waste from open sewers is already evident from the A127 up to a mile away from the camp and it's not summer yet!
Mary Lou
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4:52pm Sun 9 Jan 11
abbey gale
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7:28pm Sun 9 Jan 11
Mary Lou wrote:you realy don't get it do you darlin ,xgood luck x
abbey gale wrote:Not as uneducated as you. Your grammar, spelling and the inference that the "Holocaust" is a valid comparison leaves a lot to be desired.
no im not happy to see "scenes of disorder " as you put it ,but if you can't see why some ppl (not me personally) are comparing this to a holocost ,you're obviously uneducated and ignorant (and dare i say chav) have you not read any literature at all on the subject ,..
abbey gale
says...
7:33pm Sun 9 Jan 11
abbey gale
says...
7:36pm Sun 9 Jan 11
S6girly
says...
12:31am Mon 10 Jan 11
midnight warrior
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11:12pm Mon 10 Jan 11
EthanEdwards
says...
12:03pm Tue 11 Jan 11
Odd that...what a bunch of hypocrites they really are.
Nebs says...
9:21am Fri 7 Jan 11