Defend Dale Farm!

Submitted by AWL on 5 July, 2011 - 1:21

Eviction notices have been served to 51 traveller families on the Dale Farm site in Essex, sparking a call for activists to help defend their homes.

Basildon Council has served the notices which give them until the end of August to leave Dale Farm, which was first occupied in 2001.

Travellers at the site, thought to be the largest "illegal" encampment in Europe and home to around 400 people, have offered to leave peacefully if alternative plots are provided for them.

The cost of enforcing the eviction has been put at more than £10 million, with finance coming from the Home Office, Essex Police, Basildon Council and the Department for Communities and Local Government and others. Instead of persecuting an impoverished and oppressed minority community, they could spend the money protecting jobs and services, and help integrate the travelling community into society instead of demonising them as scroungers and criminals.

Activists are being urged to join a resistance activity weekend on Saturday July 9, which will include sessions on legal observer training, discussions with residents and other resistance activity workshops. A call-out has also been made for supporters to join Camp Constant on Friday July 29.

To find out more about Dale Farm and how you can help visit dalefarm.wordpress.com or search on Facebook for 'Dale Farm Solidarity'.

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