The eviction of Gypsy families at Hovefields, Essex SS12 9JA started this morning. Approximately 50 bailiffs arrived this morning at the
site to launch the next stage of the eviction process. Legal proceedings are currently underway regarding breaches of health and safety law at previous operation Hovefields in June. (1)
Basildon District Council is employing Constant & Co bailiffs, who were recently awarded a £2 million contract to evict Dale Farm, the largest traveller site in the UK, (2) only 2 miles away.
Bailiffs arrived from 8am this morning, with large numbers of police. They have occupied a plot in order to set up an operating unit, and are currently telling families to leave the site.
Residents from around East Anglia are supporting the traveller communities facing eviction, including the Hovefields residents, through the Save Dale Farm campaign:  http://dalefarm.wordpress.com.
Eviction happening now – help needed!
The Hovefields traveller site in Essex is being evicted today – we need as many people as possible to get down to Essex to support those who live there. People with legal observer training are especially useful right now, to document the eviction and potential breaches of safety law, as bringing these before a judge is the most probable method of stopping the eviction we have.
There are about 50 bailiffs on site, currently taking an inventory of items in the threatened homes, with no clear timescale for physical clearance. Police are overseeing the eviction.
Contact 07783322752 or 07783322752 for further information if you can get down there. Contact 07954341365 to coordinate travel from Cambridge. Directions to Hovefields are below.
Directions to Hovefields:
By road take the A127 towards Southend, at Basildon look for garage and diner on the left immediately before turn into Hovefields Avenue (road is marked but the sign is small). The postcode is SS12 9JA.
By rail, take the Southend train out of Liverpool Street and get out at Wickford. For lift call Catherine on 07775688610 or John and Kathleen on 07990706205 also Michael 07979420203. Taxis available outside the station (about a fiver).
My hope is that support will steadily increase over coming days and with luck we’ll have enough people there to be fully effective when Constant shows up.
There is accommodation for at least 20 people, in Catherine’s house “South View” (the first big brick house on the left at the start of Hovefields Avenue – people may call there first to find out what the immediate situation is); in a trailer caravan, mobile-home, hut and two small tents – so far. You need to bring bed rolls, some food, and other camping gear will be useful.
Those coming as Legal Observers, some from Essex University Law Clinic, will be there to collect evidence of breaches of safety law, danger to children, unlawful damage to proper etc – which will be sent via laptop to solicitors for an immediate application to a judge in chambers for a injunction halting the eviction before its completed.
Other supporters will of course provide evidence too – written statements and pictures – so cameras and videos valuable.
It’s hoped supporters and residents can get some barriers up to slow down the bailiffs, which will be legally appropriate if children and adults need to be protected from bailiffs who are breaching safety laws by failing to erect safety fencing and warning notices, and failing to exclude people from the demolition zone.
Constant is already under investigation for breaking safety laws – so preventative action in the way of barriers could be legally justified.
Material useful for this purpose should be coming from Dale Farm today. But there is plenty around Hovefields where bulldozing has been going on.
Every hour of delay will help. The aim is to hold up the eviction operation for at least four hours to give lawyers a chance. Also
a four hour delay will give more people time to reach Hovefields and join in.
Information and interviews at the site:
Phone: 07783322752
Email:  dale.farm@btinternet.com
Notes to the editors
(1)  http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/hovefields-evictions/
(2)  http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jul/27/dale-farm-essex-travellers-eviction

Posted on September 7, 2010 by dalefarmsupport  http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/