PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Travellers and supporters fighting eviction from the UK's largest illegal site have refuted claims they have been infiltrated by trouble-making anarchists.
Speaking at a press conference at Dale Farm, near Basildon, the two groups presented a united front and said they are committed to non-violent resistance.
It follows reports that up to 2,000 protesters are set to descend on the site to clash with bailiffs and police.
Resident Kathleen McCarthy said: "These supporters are welcome here and we remain determined to stay.
"We will resist the bailiffs and build barricades but none of us have weapons or anything like that.
"Anybody who is welcomed on this site will resist in a peaceful way."
One supporter, who gave her name only as Marina, said specialists in peaceful resistance were among the activists and were training travellers in how to resist bailiffs in a non-violent way.
She said: "We would urge anybody who cares about human rights and peaceful resistance to join us.
"This eviction is a form of ethnic cleansing and we are determined to stop that.
"We have been made so welcome by the travellers and this is a community which deserves protection."