Szarek Out-Foxed at Dale Farm

Ex-CUSU Women’s Officer and Tab-hater Natalie Szarek was yesterday revealed as a leading figure in protests at Europe’s biggest travellers camp.

Szarek has been leading the Dale Farm Solidarity Group, who are taking part in anti-eviction protests at Dale Farm in Basildon.

Szarek uses the pseudonym ‘Natalie Fox’ when talking to media, but ‘Fox’ was out-foxed yesterday, when an article on The Evening Standard‘s website revealed her true identity.

Szarek is no stranger to protests. While a student she was cuffed twice for aggravated trespass at protests against a Nottinghamshire power plant and Stansted Airport’s expansion.

Szarek pictured at the site

She has described herself as a local resident, but her recent membership of a London ‘peace garden’ volunteer project for East Hainult locals seems to suggest that she may have relocated to Basildon just for the protests.

Protesters have been gathering at the site since the High Court authorised the clear-out at the start of the month, and some residents have accused newcomers of “hijacking’ the protest.”

Basildon District Council has ploughed over £18million into the eviction, which is the culmination of a decade-long dispute over illegal settlers in the city’s green belt.

In November 2009, Tab readers voted Szarek the second-worst Cantab of all time, with more than twice Oliver Cromwell’s share of the vote. She was only ‘bettered’ by Nick Griffin.

In her time as a member of CUSU, she also planned a “big attack” on The Tab… it has yet to materialise.