Gatherings & Public Order

[A5 24 Page]

A short history describing the Travellers, Free Festivals and Free Party scene. Police, Policing and Surveillance

To begin with, I feel it relevant to tell you something of my background in photography and how I come to be here in the first place.
I started taking pictures, at the end of the 70’s. I wanted to communicate something of what it was like to be a young rootless “Traveller”. Because I was one.
Years earlier, I had a truck that I had decked-out as a “Mobile home” and lived on the road, travelling around the festivals and fairs for a couple of years. More and more people began to come to such events and while there, many were set an “example” by the new travellers to change their lifestyles from being settled. Travelling, of course provided a sensible alternative to many people who were homeless in the cities.
Because of these increasing numbers, events would spring up in the countryside at short notice with little or no organisation. Welfare agencies began to be formed to help provide services where the local authorities were quite unable or unwilling to. I volunteered to help them and soon realised that I could be more effective with some training. I became an Accident Ambulanceman in London and there I got some experience that I have been applying since. However, I soon discovered that people not only asked us for help for injuries and illness, people could be equally distressed as a result of their treatment by the Law.

“it’s not paranoia ….
if they’re really after you!

‘Pageturner’ video at: https://youtu.be/vUYwsMo49pg