Tories planning to make squatting a criminal offence

[Marky B]

Squatting under threat...
Ref: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/02/446259.html?c=on#c242964

Tories plan crackdown on travellers
Ref:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/7220134/Tories-plan-crackdown-on-travellers.html



Comment on Indymedia by Sam:

 This is a policy blueprint of what the Tories might do if they win the
next general election. It's primarily an attack against Travellers with
squatters getting caught in the backlash. A quick internet search turns up
a pretty similar policy (especially as regards to the criminalization of
trespass) drafted in 2004 ( 
http://www.keepingyoung.org.uk/pages/travellers4.htm ). They're modelling
making trespass a criminal offence after the current Irish Law:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2002/en/act/pub/0009/sec0024.html#partiii-sec24
 - which makes it an offence to "enter and occupy any land where such entry
or occupation is likely to prevent persons entitled to use the land from
making reasonable use of the land or substantially interfere with the land,
any amenity in respect of the land, the lawful use of the land or any
amenity in respect of the land.” (paraphrased and condensed)

The Irish law says that if you don’t leave when the pigs tell you, you
can be nicked and face up to a month imprisonment and up to a £3000 fine.
So, pretty serious if the tories get elected and pass this. Past attempts
to criminalize trespass have only been fought off with squatters getting
organized and banding together with other groups to at least mitigate the
legislation. As the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are the direct
target, we need to be building better links with them. The recent
criminalization of squatting in the Netherlands shows how precarious the
laws on squatting can be.

Travellers’ Times article:
 http://travellerstimes.remotenewmedia.co.uk/list.aspx?c=00619ef1-21e2-40aa-8d5e-f7c38586d32f&n=13444717-30ae-46a1-bd69-fde19bbe214b

torygraph article:
Tories plan crackdown on travellers
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/7220134/Tories-plan-crackdown-on-travellers.html

Sam 

Travellers’ Times article: 
Ref:
http://travellerstimes.remotenewmedia.co.uk/list.aspx?c=00619ef1-21e2-40aa-8d5e-f7c38586d32f&n=13444717-30ae-46a1-bd69-fde19bbe214b