UK: Free the Love Bank 5 (Poster & website)

Five Activists who had occupied Liverpool’s old Bank of England building to provide shelter and feed the city’s homeless people have been jailed for almost 3 months each. They were sentenced on Thursday 17th September 2015 at Liverpool Crown Court.

The Love Activists moved into the unoccupied building in the middle of April 2015 to set up a support centre for Liverpool’s homeless people, incorporating places to sleep, an advice centre and a street kitchen, from where they were evicted in the early hours of 12 May and the homeless activists arrested. The defendants were charged in relation to the occupation of the old bank building in Castle Street, Liverpool city centre, as part of a protest over lack of support for the homeless and government austerity. [Read More]

Liverpool: Love Activists imprisoned for Bank of England occupation – Free the Love Bank 5!

Five Activists who had occupied Liverpool’s old Bank of England building to provide shelter and feed the city’s homeless people have been jailed for almost 3 months each [see prisoner details at bottom of article].

The Love Activists moved into the unoccupied building in the middle of April to set up a support centre for Liverpool’s homeless people, incorporating places to sleep, an advice centre and a street kitchen, from where they were evicted in the early hours of 12 May and the homeless activists arrested.

The defendants were charged in relation to the occupation of the old bank building in Castle Street, Liverpool city centre, as part of a protest over lack of support for the homeless and government austerity. [Read More]

Liverpool (UK): Occupiers of Bank of England building turned homeless shelter make demands

We make this document a Statement of Intent regarding the old Bank of England building on Castle Street, Liverpool. The intentions are as follows to feed, cloth and help all those who seek it and for the local community to help resource this project.

We intend to use this building for the community, to inspire a feeling of community, which is lacking.

We do this in direct response to a local council and government who are lacking in their efforts to help those in need and in fact, the local Council and government seem intent on making matters worse for the people by putting more and more austerity measures in place.
[Read More]

London: New week, new building

london_new_week_new_buildingNew week and a new building has been cracked open and occupied by Love Activists London, this is our fourth which we currently hold in and around Westminster.

Building number 15 is quite something else, three floors and a basement our initial plans are to use the space to outreach into the community and organise meetings, workshops and in general activism.

We have decided that the new building is to become a community hub only, staffed by live-in volunteers and activists and following very sadly months of dealing with homeless people who have brought with them many problems that we are unable or have the time to deal with, which in itself is a diversion from what we intended to do as a protest and campaigning group, it could be drink or drugs of some description or other and on top of being homeless, as one activist has said: “I’m not equipped to be a social worker”. [Read More]

London: The March for Homes

Good Morning Comrades and friends all…

And what a morning song of delight do I sing…What a ‘turnout’ by Londoners yesterday, on what was after all a very cold and in every sense a real winters day, but it didn’t stop thousands of us taking to the streets to demand homes for all those in need 35 years after the Thatcher government made the push to turn the nation into a land full of homeowners and of course as we now know with disastrous consequences for (no exaggeration) millions.

Two legs one from the South and the other from East London merged on and over Tower Bridge creating the massive march, the biggest on housing ever seen in London for many a year.

I joined the south London leg with my comrades from the Love Activists (London) and the Bohemians the occupying crews at the 12 Bar in Soho and on our second day in defence and in defiance of the court IPO, we still hold the Bar and what a joy that is to behold, for the people and by the people, power to the people! [Read More]

London: Police launch two-day crackdown against Love Activists street kitchen

Police have launched a two-day crackdown on squatters and housing activists in one of London’s most iconic squares after complaints of harassment.

Police have designated the area between Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross as a dispersal zone in a bid to rid the area of rough sleepers and street drinkers.

[Read More]

Fitzrovia, London: Love Activists find new home

[update evicted january 13]

“We have the facilities to provide television studios and sound proof rooms for anyone who wishes to set up ‘the people’s media outlet’ or something to that effect, this space can not be offered for more than 24 hours unless we can establish it and have occupiers to hold off any eviction attempt in that period. We have an opportunity here to occupy media and spread love through the air waves, let’s not let this escape the hands of the revolutionaries!” – Love Activists, January 6th 2015

The Love Activists direct action group who had occupied the former Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) building near Trafalgar Square in December are currently occupying an empty commercial building in Rathbone Place.

The group who had set up a food bank and soup kitchen at the RBS building were evicted by bailiffs and the police on Christmas eve, but undeterred they returned the following day to serve a Christmas lunch for the homeless. [Read More]

London: Love Activists in court over illegal eviction & callout for March for the Homeless in April

From Counterfire, December 29th 2014:

A group who occupied an empty bank to shelter and feed homeless people over Christmas are fighting to establish that their eviction was unlawful reports Dan Poulton

Activists who occupied a former NatWest bank over the Christmas period went before a civil court this morning [December 29th 2014] following their eviction by bailiffs last Wednesday, Christmas Eve. The premises at 2a Charing Cross Road had lain empty for two years and are now owned by Greencap Ltd.

The ‘Love HQ‘ occupation aimed to shelter and feed homeless people over the bitter winter period and raise awareness of a major housing and homelessness crisis in London and the rest of the country. [Read More]

Charing Cross, London: Police and council officials evict Love HQ street kitchen for New Years Eve

[Videos: eviction, as well as attempted eviction]

Following the Christmas Day eviction from the central London Royal Bank of Scotland premises the Love Activists set up a soup kitchen outside, giving out food, tea and coffee to the homeless. On the night before New Years Eve police and council officials forcibly evicted the soup kitchen in order to clear the streets for the end of year party revellers

[Note: It was confirmed yesterday that Love Activists have now squatted a new building] [Read More]

Charing Cross, London: Police retreat after attempted eviction of Love HQ street kitchen

Updates at midnight (see here for videos):

4 hrs ago: Police have retreated for now but our protest will continue. Still need more numbers here in solidarity.

5hrs ago: Police reinforcements have arrived

“If you are free NOW we urge you to get to 2a Charing Cross NOW as Westminster Council are attempting to close down the ongoing 24 hr. Streets Kitchen facilitated by Love Activists, many homeless groups and activists. Hundreds of homeless people have found assistance over the Christmas period there and we will resist any attempts to prevent us undertaking this essential service on the streets of London.”Street Kitchen [Read More]

Charing Cross, London: Food and clothes distribution continues everyday at Love HQ

Update 29/12, 1:20pm: The hearing this morning at the Royal Courts of Justice concerning the Possession Order of 2a Charing Cross Road on behalf of Greencap has been adjourned.

Last several days have been amazing, thanks to everyone who have shown their support in whatever form. Special shoutout to the awesome people who have volunteered to man the stalls day and night. Needless to say many thanks to everyone who have donated to the cause, your help has made this Christmas a great experience for those who otherwise would be swept out of view. [Read More]

Charing Cross, London: Free food and clothes distribution outside evicted Love HQ

Updates from 3:20pm:

1 hr ago: We have now officially set up outside love HQ, 2a charing Cross Road. Everyone please come on down and invite any homeless people you see for free food and clothes

2 hrs ago: Due to a lack of cooking facilities we will be incapable of serving warm food despite having a lot of raw ingredients. [Read More]