- LONDON: A British court on Wednesday rejected a last-ditch attempt to prevent 86 families from being evicted from an illegal travelers camp east of the capital.
The High Court in London dismissed the application for a temporary injunction from lawyers representing 72-year-old camp resident Mary Flynn.
Flynn’s lawyers had argued that she suffers from breathing problems, and that European law requires consideration of whether eviction was a proportionate response to her case.
Residents of Dale Farm where Flynn lives are Irish travelers. They have similar lifestyles, but are ethnically distinct from Gypsies, also known as Roma.
Some of the travelers have lived legally at the site for decades, but local authorities won an eviction order against those who came in 2001 without proper permits.
Actress Vanessa Redgrave and other supporters were in court to hear the last-ditch bid to prevent eviction.