Dramatic moment riot cops storm travellers' camp after dozens of caravans force school to SHUT | The Sun
THIS is the dramatic moment riot cops stormed a traveller camp after a school was forced to close when dozens of caravans turned up.
Officers armed with batons swooped in Milton Keynes, Bucks after 27 mobile homes pitched up on a playing field at Oakgrove School.
Police dogs and their handlers were also called to the school, which lies in the middle of a quiet suburban housing estate, while specially-trained medics were on stand-by for any injuries.
Two men were arrested during the three-hour operation. The raid started when police suddenly closed off the neighbouring main road about 4pm.
Within seconds of the shutdown, dozens of police vans roared up and officers carrying helmets and batons leapt out.
Minutes later, two low-loaders and breakdown trucks arrived.
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Despite the reinforcements, there was little trouble – and members of the group eventually towed their caravans away.
At least two cars and two caravans were impounded by the police.
Fly-infested bin bags full of food, broken toys and discarded clothes were left behind.
One man with a shaved head was led away in handcuffs to a police van after being arrested for refusing to leave private land.
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It's alleged he threatened a photographer in the hours before the raid, blasting: “If you put my picture in the papers, I’ll find you. It’s a small world.”
Residents said they'd been frightened to leave their homes after the first of the caravans arrived on Friday.
Tory MP Ben Everitt said: “We cannot allow this anti-social behaviour to take place.
"Strong action must be taken to remove them and prevent it happening again.”
Oakgrove School stayed closed and locked up yesterday. It's also closed today. A teacher said on Monday: “It is far too dangerous for the children.
TRAVELLER SITE RAID
“We should be holding sports day on the playing field tomorrow – it would have been the first time in three years because of Covid.
“But I don’t think it can go ahead now. Even if the travellers leave, there will be all the rubbish to clear up.”
Neighbour Tommy Burrows, whose 15-year-old son Kyan is a pupil at the school, said: “Everybody is furious about what has happened.
“This is usually a very quiet, peaceful area. But these people have created chaos all weekend. The police should have moved them on straightaway.”
Pets Corner manager Jack Bucknall, 26, told how a gang of young teens stormed into his store.
They hurled a box of crickets on the floor and allegedly stole budgie food, he said.
It's far too dangerous for the children to come to school. We'll have to cancel sports day
“They were just looking for trouble and trying to intimidate people in the area," he added.
A Costa coffee shop next door was forced to close after sandwiches were allegedly stolen.
It's also claimed a group of women with young children and babies took toothbrushes, toothpaste and lotion from the shelves of a nearby Waitrose before freshening up in the shop's toilets.
When The Sun approached a group of three women at the site, they replied: "F*** off."
However, they later clarified that they weren't responsible for any shoplifting.
"No, that wasn’t us. We didn't steal nothing," one said.
Officials at Thames Valley Police said: "A notice to leave the site was issued to those in the encampment at 8.30am on Monday morning, utilising the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, as amended by recent legislation.
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"However, this was not complied with, so officers entered the site to seize vehicles and where necessary arrest anyone suspected of failing to comply with the requirement to leave."
The force moved in under Priti Patel’s new anti-trespass legislation, which penalises those who park their caravans on roadsides and stay in “unauthorised camps” overnight if they cause “significant harm, disruption or distress".
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