London has a long and varied history with squatters. Whether you support or despise them, these pictures give an insight into one of the city’s most controversial subcultures. From London24…
Who would have thought it? It’s been 5 years of growing tomatoes, learning how to use renewable energy, protecting from planes, pollution and capitalism and finding out about what community really means.. so it’s time to party…
Saturday 28th February 11am till late: 5th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION! Expect workshops, guest speakers, fun and games, pizzas, live music, tours, the cake competition, late night djs, and more.
Friday, 27th February 7pm: Pre-Birthday Performance
Sunday 1st March 3pm: Post-Birthday Artistic Performance
Any Help Appreciated – Help us start the next 5 years with a bang by joining in with preparation throughout January and February. We need help fixing, building and painting on site, cooking cakes and spreading the word. Come to the Grow Heathrow site and join in with tasks, especially on a Thursday as that’s our community work day. On the day, we’ll also need help cooking, entertaining the littluns, playing music and more. [Read More]
[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]
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]
[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]
“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]
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]
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]
--- PRESS RELEASE on behalf of autonomous solidarity for Love Activists, London. BEGINS ---
‘Twas the night before Christmas, in the High Court of the land,
Where Justice was guided by the invisible hand…
While some with full bellies were nestled in bed;
The homeless and hungry had hopes to be fed….
Updates from Love Activists facebook page (from 12:30pm), see video from Occupy London:
5o mins: Police are threatening to seize residents’ belongings if they do not leave the premises
1 hr: Police Are intimidating residents and dragging them out,
1 hr : Come make as much noise as possible, police have taped off the street as bailiffs illegally evict love activists from 2a charring cross road
1 hr: HELP!! We are being illegally evicted!
2 hrs: Baliffs have forced entry and are illegally evicted the squat as we speak. They can not produce any paperwork or identification. Please help if you can! 1a charing cross road, london [Read More]
Responding to a recent call out, Grow Heathrow sent wishes of solidarity to Hambacher Forest on Thursday.
Hambacher Forest is a camp comprising four occupations in the Rhineland of Germany, which is protesting against the expansion of one of the largest opencast brown coal mines. The mine is a disaster, not only in terms of the impact on the climate from this dirty fossil fuel, but also for the local residents of the nearby villages that would be destroyed to make way for the mine’s expansion. In addition the natural ecosystem would be totally devastated.
In recent weeks activists in Hambacher Forest have been carrying out a number of actions against the felling of this ancient forest. There have been a number of arrests and one of the tree-occupations was evicted at the beginning of December. [Read More]
