Dale Farm Travellers

[tropaka]

The community of Travellers (pretty sure some of whom appeared on "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding") have been evicted. Although some were offered permanent housing, it was refused. (sorry for link only, my mouse is out and I can't cut and paste very well without it).

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/kate-al ... 20479.html

An interesting point was that because of the quasi permancency of Dale Farm, the current generation were among the first to complete even primary school - and this is one of the reasons they wished to stay...however, they did refuse housing because it didn't fit with their "lifestyle"....

feel free to move this to Worldly Distractions if it is OT - I know there have been discussions of Roma and Travellers in Snark before....

[tropaka]

Found this

dalefarm.wordpress.com/tag/my-big-fat-gypsy-wedding/

On the current home page of the blog they are trying to get people to act as observers to make sure peoples' rights are respected as they are evicted. The link above is Paddy Doherty's request that people come down to show support.

[Cerysbell]

This is not that far from me.

According to the paper today, the local primary school has 106 pupils, of whom 103 come from the Dale Farm site. The school may not survive the closure of the site. The paper also said that this is a rising problem because previously, families would have been able to move round following the available agricultural work and living on thr farms were they were working, but no so much work is mechanised, it's not possible to do that. So, many of them are seeking more permanent sites. I have heard of several examples locally where travellers have bought green field sites and made permanent settlements on them, the been evicted. Local councils have a responsibility to offer acceptable sites in the area, but this is really hard in practise. There has been one proposed near us and the uproar has been immense.

[tropaka]

bumpity bump...

I know TLC has been trying to get American travellers to come forward, but these people were the original basis for their "documentary" (Travellers from other locations took some offense to the tv show). Rights to land vary between the UK, US, and Canada (and I'd say they changed them in US and Canada to prevent Roma or Travellers from setting up shop, although recently in Toronto there's been an influx of Roma)...

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks for the reminder. I meant to post earlier. I've been following this story on the BBC every night.

I've known some Roma in different parts of the US. Mostly Los Angeles area.

[JesusFightClub]

I've been following this. Sorry for my lack of class, but ahahaha riot porn ;)

Getting serious, why this sudden interest in the site? People keep going on about greenbelt land, but my understanding is it was a scrapyard, which isn't zoned for greenbelt anyway.

[let-them-eat-cake]

American travelers won't come forward because they aren't "Roma", they are just normal people and the show gives them a bad name.

[nuri]

American travelers won't come forward because they aren't "Roma", they are just normal people and the show gives them a bad name.

My friends proudly say they are Roma, and won't do anything like this because they find the premise to be offensive and exploitive.

[tropaka]

It seemed to me that they (the "documentary" makers) just found the worst examples of everything and showed it as common - they also lumped Irish travellers with Roma etc (I don't know how or if those communities overlap or self identify).

Yes, if it was a scrapyard, they shouldn't be going on about greenspace - but should be concerned that it's not the best place for anyone to have a home without site remediation.

ETA

What is happening to these people - did they find a site for them to go to, or mulitple sites? I don't know what if any obligations councils have in the UK - travellers here have no such rights to space etc. that I know of and as far as I know live in somewhat permanent communities. It's a shame if they take children who often have no formal schooling (if you believe what was broadcast) beyond primary, away from educational opportunities.

[tropaka]

another photo heavy link - things got violent and police got pelted with "missiles" (?) and urine...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... fs-in.html

seems it's been a 10 year battle....

[sugaree]

American travelers won't come forward because they aren't "Roma", they are just normal people and the show gives them a bad name.

Why the scare quotes around Roma? And did you mean to compare an ethnic group to "normal" people?

[tropaka]

I was wondering the same thing...in my city there have been an influx of Roma families fleeing persecution in Hungary.

[JesusFightClub]

Quick warning as well - do not trust anything the Daily Mail says. It is a rag. The changed article isn't even good riot porn and I have very low standards. Mind you I think most of its readers go in the other direction and basically just love seeing people get arrested. If you add in the facts they were Travellers and anarchos getting lifted, there were probably many Mail readers having erotic dreams last night.

[Kitty]

Quick warning as well - do not trust anything the Daily Mail says. It is a rag. The changed article isn't even good riot porn and I have very low standards. Mind you I think most of its readers go in the other direction and basically just love seeing people get arrested. If you add in the facts they were Travellers and anarchos getting lifted, there were probably many Mail readers having erotic dreams last night.

Indeed, there's a reason everyone on my other forums refer to it as "The Daily Fail."

[Guest Anonymous]

Indeed, there's a reason everyone on my other forums refer to it as "The Daily Fail."

Or the Daily Bile. It is a hate-rag.