The high court has ruled that local authorities can no longer issue blanket bans on Gypsies and Travellers stopping on parcels of land, in a landmark case which campaigners have hailed a “victory for equality”. A number of councils have used wide injunctions against “persons unknown” since 2015 to prevent Gypsies and Travellers from stopping on certain pieces of land, even if they are new to areas with no knowledge of the injunction. Debby Kennett, chief executive of London Gypsies and Travellers, said the “catch-all injunctions effectively banned Gypsies and Travellers from stopping in large areas of the country”. At a high court hearing in January, 13 local authorities across England defended their use of the wide injunctions but in a judgment published on Wednesday Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that wide injunctions could only be granted against individuals who could be named or properly identified. It means Gypsies and Travellers who arrive at a site at a later date than that will not be affected by the injunction.

Source: The Guardian May 12, 2021 18:19 UTC