Protestors block attempted eviction of illegal Edinburgh traveller site

Human rights protestors and authorities have clashed in Edinburgh over an attempted eviction of a traveller’s site.

Protestors formed a human chain to block enforcement agents from entering the area situated between West Granton Road and Waterfront Avenue.

The land has been earmarked for a state-of-the-art home for Scotland’s national collection of art, with £56m investment by the Scottish Government.

The Art Works form part of the wider Granton Waterfront development, with construction work at the site due to start soon.

Protestors formed a human chain to block enforcement agents from entering the area. STV News

Tensions have risen over recent years between travellers on the site and local residents, who launched a petition last summer to have the travellers moved. It received close to 500 signatures.

Enforcement agents arrived on Friday morning under a sheriff’s eviction order, with equipment ready to clear the area.

Some of the travellers living at the site have been there for nearly eight years.

They include around 20 children, several of whom are enrolled in local schools, and a woman who is nine months pregnant.

One protestor named Dash said: “That person is still here and still heavily pregnant.

“I just think that’s a shocking way to treat any member of society, let alone a deeply marginalised group such as the traveller community.

“We’re just members of the local community here. One of the families living here contacted someone we know, and we’ve just managed to rustle up people to turn up today to look out for our neighbours.”

Another added: “I’ve got ten kids, an eleventh baby due this week, they’re wanting us to move, but we’ve nowhere to go.

“Our kids are in school, and we’ve been here since 2019. I want a permanent base, somewhere for our family, anywhere.

“I’d like to buy my own piece of land; we’re looking into that now. I have seven sons, so I would like them to be with me.

“A house is not ideal for us. With mental health issues and suicide rates among the travelling community, putting us into a house is not ideal for us.

“We’re a family, we’ve cousins here too, we’ve been together these last couple of years, and we want to stay together.”

Police were called to the site, but officers advised that they were not able to enforce an eviction due to resources.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has gone through a legal process to obtain an order requiring those illegally camped on Scottish Government-owned land to leave.

“The land is to be cleared as development on the site is due to start following the green light in the Scottish Budget for the construction of The Art Works project. Site development and construction works will make it impossible for people to remain there.

“The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the City of Edinburgh Council, which has offered support through their homeless service and education department, as well as being referred through the NHS.”