Pupils at a Hampshire secondary school confronted a group of travellers who set up camp near their 3G football pitch.
The students surrounded the traveller site which had set up adjacent to Brookfield Community School in Fareham, with staff shutting the gate leading from its 3G pitch to Holly Hill Leisure Centre.
Officers from Hampshire Police were called after some of the students started to intimidate the travellers, reports the Southern Daily Echo.
Staff at the Sarisbury Green school criticised their pupils, saying their behaviour was “unacceptable.”
A letter sent by the school’s headteacher Stuart Parkes to parents said: “Following an incident this afternoon on the Holly Hill Leisure Centre field, we have decided to close the gate that leads from our 3G pitch to Holly Hill until further notice.
“We have been informed by the police that they were called to a large crowd of our students surrounding the traveller site currently located on the field.
“The police reported unacceptable and at times intimidating behaviour from some students in this group. Please can you ensure your child does not attend the traveller camp whilst it is there.
“There is a significant safety concern for both students and travellers if this occurs.”
The travellers arrived at the Hampshire site
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JOANNE BURTON/FACEBOOK
Travellers had arrived at the site on the evening of Sunday, April 26.
Fareham Borough Council had issued a notice to quit at 11.15am on April 27 with the travellers leaving the site at around midnight on April 28.
Conservative Councillor for Sarisbury Joanne Burton said: “A dozen traveller vehicles, caravans and trucks have just arrived and are still arriving via Holly Hill Leisure Centre.
“I am assuming the same ones who were removed from Cams Alders recreation ground yesterday and Fareham Leisure Centre today having left an appalling mess. I do not want the same here.”
The school had reported pupils were intimidating the travellers
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JOANNE BURTON/FACEBOOK
GB News has contacted Hampshire Police for an update.
Earlier this month, Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives pledged a crackdown on illegal traveller camps if they win back power at the next general election, to ensure “all communities play by the same rules”.
Mrs Badenoch said police cannot currently evict travellers who have trespassed on to private property unless they have caused significant damage, disruption or distress.
She said the High Court in 2024 blocked legislation passed by the Conservative government in 2022 to give police the power to ban travellers from an area for up to 12 months.
Brookfield Community School issued a warning to pupils
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Mrs Badenoch said: “For years, towns and villages across Britain have been forced to accept criminality in their communities, but each measure we have used to deal with illegal Traveller sites has fallen foul of the ECHR.
“That is why I have serious plans to end the power of foreign courts to frustrate the will of Parliament, and to back our police with the powers and resources they need.”
The party said it would implement the measures by leaving the ECHR, which it said had allowed for so-called “lawfare” to thwart past government attempts to clamp down on unauthorised camps.
She added: “The Conservatives are the only party who are doing the proper work needed to leave the ECHR, take back our streets, and stand up for the rule of law. We will get Britain working again.”