PAYOUT FOR DALE FARM PROTESTER
A woman who claimed she was assaulted while taking part in protests against the eviction of travellers from Dale Farm has won a compensation pay out from police.
Ellen Yianni, 29, from Hounslow, west London, was part of a protest group which attempted to resist a police and bailiff operation to remove travellers who were living at Dale Farm near Basildon in 2011. At the time it was the biggest illegal travellers' site in Europe.
The Basildon Council-led operation saw violent clashes and cost taxpayers about £7 million but travellers continue to live on a site next to the former Dale Farm site, exceeding its legal capacity.
Ms Yianni's solicitors, Hodge Jones and Allen, brought a claim against Essex Police saying that during the protests she was "assaulted, wrongly arrested and maliciously prosecuted".
Today the firm said the force had agreed to a £15,000 settlement but had not admitted liability.
An Essex Police spokesman said it had no comment to make on the matter.
A spokesman for Hodge Jones and Allen said: "Whilst taking part in the Dale Farm protest Ms Yianni had attempted to climb scaffolding as she felt scared having witnessed violence from riot police below.
"As she tried to do so she was grabbed by two officers who pulled her from the scaffolding and threw her down a steep ramp where her fall was broken by officers.
"When attempting to get back up she was hit with a shield to the back of the knees and when she fell to the floor again was hauled back up whilst surrounded by shouting officers."
She was later arrested for refusing to remove a covering from her face but was cleared of the charge after a court heard she had covered her face due to the cold and to protect herself.
Ms Yianni says: "I was frightened by the force I saw used by the police at Dale Farm and the violent way in which I was treated. .
"I am pleased that the case has been settled and I am now able to move on."
Natalie Sedacca, solicitor at Hodge Jones & Allen, said the case highlighted the difficulties involved in policing large scale public order situation.
She added: :"There will obviously be situations where real criminality arises and the police need to act, but in this case my client was a peaceful protester who had not committed any acts of violence or disorder and simply declined a request to remove a scarf.
"The fact that this young woman of good character spent nearly 13 hours in police custody and a further three months being subject to a stressful prosecution as a result, is in our view unacceptable."
