A community in resistance - Essex

From the Travellers' Solidarity Network

Nearly a year has passed since the day of the Dale Farm eviction, and for a lot of the people who spent time at Dale Farm as part of the resistance, the anniversary carries a huge amount of emotional and political significance. Many of us had spent nearly two months living at Dale Farm as part of the protest camp at the heart of the Dale Farm Solidarity campaign. We combined direct action, legal action, and mass pressure through the internet, media and public outreach to build a campaign that reached thousands of people.

From the beginning we hoped to make the eviction into a financial and political liability- avoiding future evictions as well as trying to prevent the Dale Farm eviction- although we knew that the local council – Basildon- was determined to make it happen. We hoped to shift the discourse around Traveller rights- putting the issue of racism against Travellers into the public eye and challenging it. And we aimed to express solidarity with a community which, after being at the receiving end of state violence and racism for decades, was now being threatened with an assault of unprecedented scale. But some time between the rainy August days when the first marquees were set up and the bitingly cold October dawn when riot police stormed the site, we became so caught up in the struggle for the Dale Farm communities that our resistance took on an urgency tied into the power of a community fighting against the state in a David and Goliath set-up. The combined forces of the state, generations of anti-Traveller racism and the capitalist interests of the housing market and land developers made for a formidable Goliath, and neither the outpouring of public anger over the eviction nor our bodies chained to barricades and lock-ons were able to prevent the onslaught of riot police and bailiffs.

It’s hard to believe that just a year ago we were a group of people who hardly knew each other frantically building scaff towers, learning about planning permission legislation late at night, and even desperately hunting down information about newts to try to avert the eviction of a community who had welcomed us with amazing generosity, and taught us all a thing or two about resistance. One year on, the strength that many families are still showing is just as inspiring. Without adequate access to electricity or running water, they are ensuring their kids can stay in school and fighting to live with dignity and as part of a close-knit community.

I for one feel honoured to stand in solidarity with the Dale Farm community on the one year anniversary of their eviction from their home. Especially as they face constant intimidation and possible further eviction action from Basildon Council, it’s crucial that we target the root of the problem. We need to hit the government department responsible for anti-Traveller legislation , and hit them hard. Join us on the 19th October to expose the racism and brutality of Eric Pickles and the Department for Communities and Local Government. Meet at 1pm at Victoria Station- bring noise, friends and your rage.