[Ed. Note: Faithful to the “least of these,” London Catholic Worker, Zelda Jeffers has been resisting the mistreatment of Dale Farm residents for some time. More information about their plight is referred at the end of this article.]
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London Catholic Worker Zelda Jeffers walked at the rear of this procession to observe if anyone was picked off by police. |
DALE FARM--At 4.45 pm, October 20, 2011, Dale Farm residents and supporters jointly walked off the site to begin the next stage of the battle against eviction which has been waged across courts, barricades and protests. The decision to leave together was made in order to show the unity of the residents and supporters after two months of supporter presence at Dale Farm through Camp Constant.
Resident Mary Sheridan said, “Leaving with supporters today is about our own dignity and our appreciation of the support we’ve received. We’re leaving together as one family, and we are proud of that- you can’t take away our dignity”.
The mass walk-out leaves the site free of people except legal observers, who are required to make sure that the bailiffs stick to the letter of the law in leaving the walls, fences and most of the hardstanding in place.
Now the Travellers are outside the Dale Farm site, the legacy of Tory Councillor Tony Ball and local MP John Baron who drove the forced eviction to conclusion is laid bare. Where will these families go? How will their needs be met? The Travellers’ and supporters’ next move remains to be decided. Mr Ball and Mr Baron have declined to respond when asked for advice on what the Dale Farm community should do now.
Ali Saunders, a Dale Farm supporter added, “We have held off eviction for over a month, and our sense of togetherness has been amazing. Anyone who has visited the community cannot fail to see the importance of a movement to promote the rights of Travellers. Dale Farm will have a legacy for years to come.”
A new group, the Traveller Solidarity Network [1], has emerged in recent weeks, in response to the Dale Farm crisis.
Ali Saunders continued, “The Dale Farm forced eviction showed that the UK’s reputation for tolerance is a smokescreen for systematic discrimination against a Travellers because of their ethnicity and culture. That’s why groups from Amnesty International to the United Nations opposed the forced eviction.
Dale Farm has brought the ingrained prejudice against Travellers into public view, from constant rejections of planning permission, to hostile local authorities, to violent evictions. The true long-term impact of Dale Farm will be a movement of travellers and supporters to change attitudes so travelling people can live in peace and not be criminalised.”
More information:
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Updates from Zelda Jeffers:
October 21, 2011
I am home and safe and offering a safe house to dale Farm supporters who have come from police cells, before they move on. Below some news from Dale farm, I was acting as a legal observer on 19th and 20th, on the 19th was the violence when the police entered the site in full riot gear, knocked a traveller woman to the ground and kicked her fracturing her spine, she was stretchered off the site and treated in hospital but wanted to come back and was in a brace, thank goodness, still able to walk. Other sick people were taken off site and treated and people who were locked on defending the site were roughly removed and tazered. Steve from the London Catholic Worker was locked on to a caravan with a friend, they are both all right
The next day they removed the last of the lockons and the Travellers decided they did not want any more harm to come to the supporters and also were not happy with some press who said the supporters were causing trouble, they wanted to make it clear they had invited us and welcomed our presence. After some discussion and confusion we all walked off together united and proud, it was very emotional. Lots of tears and embracing.
Still remaining are the problems of how the Travelers will continue their lives and we will be trying to ensure that the bailiffs do not carry our more destruction on the site than the courts have allowed.
October 23, 2011
Dale farm is not finished. People are still living among the bailiffs, security, diggers and dumpers. Supporters are trying to help ensure the bailiffs obey the law. I was there taking notes yesterday Sunday 23 October. Another Catholic Worker supporter was led off the site by Bailiffs for "arguing" (I'm not putting his name as I didn't get to speak to him) Other residents are parked on the half of the site which has planning permission but they can't stay there for long.
The struggle continues, Love Zelda
Basildon Council enforce media 'blackout' as Bailiffs break the law. Diggers to move in tomorrow when 48 hour notices expire
Basildon council have prevented media from accessing Dale Farm, as it emerged today that Bailiffs were breaking the law. Constant & Co. bailiffs have begun removing fences and walls in breach of a court order requiring them to give 48 hours notice before work can commence. Notices were given to residents on Friday morning and are scheduled to expire at 9am on Sunday. Significantly increased activity by bulldozers is expected at this point.
One women, recovering on a legal plot after spinal injuries gained from police heavy-handedness, was intimidated out of her home as bailiffs began illegally demolishing her fences and walls. Bailiffs smashed a window in Nora's chalet as they proceeded with the unlawful demolition.
Mary Sheridan, a resident, described the tactics as "disgraceful. We always knew the bailiffs would breach their court orders, they always do. But I can't believe Basildon council could be so obviously trying to cover-up their demolition of our homes from the world."
YESTERDAY Bailiffs attempted to move trailers from three families' plots despite confirmation at the High Court by Justice Edwards-Stuart on 4 Oct that these plots could not be evicted and that families had a legal right to stay. Barrister Marc Willers was forced to intervene, reminding the Council that any action on these plots would place them in contempt of court.
The imposition of a media blackout today follows Basildon council's 'forcible eviction' of local MEP Richard Howitt from the press enclosure last Wednesday [1]. Howitt is an outspoken critic of the forced eviction.
Supporter Ali Saunders said, "the council's attempt at a cover-up is evidence of their embarrassment. This brutal eviction has left families with nowhere to go and will fall upon the conscience of all of the British people".
This story was submitted by London Catholic Worker Zelda Jeffers zeidyj@hotmail.com
Dale Farm web page:
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