A CONSERVATIVE councillor has been criticised for a 'joke' he made on Twitter about the eviction of the Dale Farm travellers' site.
Chingford Green ward Cllr Thom Goddard provoked fury on the social networking website after comparing protesters perched on a barricade to children's board game Kerplunk, in which objects fall from a height.
He wrote: "[I] can't help thinking that tower of scaffolding would make a good game of human Kerplunk".
Police and bailiffs are currently in the process of evicting residents and campaigners from the settlement near Basildon in Essex.
The authorities say sections of the development are illegal but campaigners have put up fierce resistance, claiming Basildon Council wants to force travellers from the local area in general.
Within minutes of Cllr Goddard's comments yesterday (Wednesday October 19) fellow Twitter users began to complain he was being "offensive" and "despicable".
He swiftly deleted the comment and wrote: "I am sorry my Tweet was mis-construed.
"Of course I do not want anyone hurt at Dale Farm and hope the situation ends peacefully."
But since then dozens more have taken to the website to complain, with some calling on him to be sacked as a councillor and removed from the Tory party.
Twitter user Barry Edwards called the comments “sick and disgusting” while Angus Duncan wrote “Hard to see how it could be mis-construed, if you're going to make a joke about folk being chucked out of their homes.”
Adam Clennell wrote: “[I] am a supporter of the eviction but your comment was ill-judged at best, offensive and inflammatory at worst.”
However a minority came out in support. Martin Patient, writing under the username 'partymarty84', said “still laughing at your Dale Farm Tweet” while others said those who were complaining had blown it out of proportion.
Nick Johnston wrote: “It's not exactly a sick and disgusting tweet. He's just not a very good comedian.”
The Guardian has been unable to reach Cllr Goddard for a comment this morning.
What do you think? Contact reporter Daniel Binns on 0779 547 6625 or via email at dbinns@london.newsquest.co.uk
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