The Paddington Green police station squat was evicted. The operation saw more than 60 bailiffs, private security and, of course, the cops themselves, storming the building just after 7am. The residents have managed to resist for long enough to secure the time needed to gather their belongings.
The notorious high-security cop shop, best known as a place where people suspected of terrorism were held and questioned, had been squatted since the night of 7th February. That’s when the Green Anticapitalist Front, alongside squatters and other activists, took the decomissioned and abondoned in 2018 building, intending to turn it to a community centre.
The next day, the cops, whose egos must have clearly been bruised, unsuccessfully attempted to evict the space. They claimed it is a residential building (and therefore illegal to squat) and, reportedly, that not allowing them to come in and use a toilet is a breach of their human rights.
The eviction order was granted by the high court last week, with the court explicitly mentioning the disruption the squat has caused to police firearms training in the building.
The No Fixed Abode Anti-Fascists (NFAAF) commented on today’s eviction:
“Staying nearly an extra week beyond the eviction order should be seen as a big “fuck you” to the state and its police. Although it was a broad coalition of collectives who helped occupy the building, it remained those who showed militancy until the end, and respect for a diversity of tactics, who seemed to win the day.
In memory of Mark Duggan, Sean Rigg, Ian Tomlinson and those who have suffered at the hands of the police.
No justice, no peace!”
Green Anticapitalist Front
greenanticapitalistfront [at] riseup [dot] net
https://squ.at/r/7on9
https://greenanticapitalist.org/
Groups in London: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/city/london
Events in London: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/city/London
Groups in UK: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/GB
Events in UK: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/country/GB
Freedom News, Photo credit: Fields of Light Photography https://freedomnews.org.uk/london-paddington-green-police-station-squat-evicted/
