Keep up to date with our thread on the protest
@LondonWorldCom
All our tweets and videos from 5 Belgrave Square, where activists have occupied a building linked to sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska. They say they want to give it to Ukrainian refugees. Riot police have now stormed the building to try and remove them.
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So many police here lining the cordon and keeping journalists and the public back from the building. Can count at least 30 from where I'm stood, excluding riot cops now inside the house..
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Protestors moving plants and singing on the balcony. Unclear how negotiations with police are going?
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The occupiers are telling a man leaving out of the next door window "don't worry we'll be back tomorrow - we're your new neighbours"
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Thought he’d left the house but he just popped out to collect a Gousto delivery!
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Huge international media interest in this eviction - I'm stood next to a Polish TV crew.
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Statement from the protest group here ⬇️
Russian oligarchs: You occupy Ukraine, We Occupy You!
Statement from the occupied mansion:
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This is what they say they plan to do..
The squatters are using a version of the Section 6 notice known as the "protest defense", in which they do not intend to live and sleep at the property, but are instead occupying it as a protest, on rotation. This is because of the 2012 law change on residential property.
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Just spoke to a protestor on the balcony - one of five - who says riot police are inside the building asking them to leave.
Tells me the group have no leader - “we are anarchists” - and he is from Eastern Europe living in London while other members are from other countries.
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It’s all a bit of a standstill at the moment. Police and protestors don’t appear to be doing much?
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Our reporter
@JessicaFKeyes
is at oligarch Oleg Deripaska's £5m Belgravia mansion, which has been occupied by protestors. Around 20 riot police have cut a hole in the door and stormed in. They are now - slightly bizarrely - standing inside the window asking the activists to leave
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Supporters have gathered at the cordon to back the protestors - including this colourful bloke blowing bubbles
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Video from inside the property via
@ImStanley
- looks pretty lavish
Just sent this from people inside the house, empty rooms complete with a grand piano
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The JCB has moved in front of the protestors..
Shouts of “this is how our govt treats anti war protestors.. Moscow or London. fascism is everywhere”
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Police are now speaking to the protestors on the balcony.
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Protestors are asking the crowd to order them a pizza as police descend in the cherry picker to cheers.
Shouts of “pizza or death” and “tout le monde deteste la police”
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It’s starting to rain here but that doesn’t seem to be affecting the protestors’ moods - they are singing and asking police if they care about their “health and safety”
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NEW Protestors say police have told them they will be arrested for burglary - and to come down the stairs or in the cherry picker
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Chants of “Free Ukraine” from protestors and supporters
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The activists are now telling police they will only come down if they are not arrested and can walk away.
“If the cops want to accept our proposal we will come down right away.. no reason to be arrested for burglary. We are here to protest.”
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They say they will come down if they can walk away with their support group.
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Protestors are demanding police give them a questionnaire “like Boris Johnson who they have actual evidence of committing crimes”.
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Signing off from
@LondonWorldCom
for the night - will be back with updates on
@resist_london
tomorrow. Protestors are still on the ledge and some police and media have now left the area.
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Update from protestors here:
Occupation still going strong on the balcony of the building despite many many attempts to get close to them with a "cherry picker". More people welcome to come down to support despite the closing of the road. Be prepared with warm clothes and hot drinks etc if possible.
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UPDATE: Several arrests have been made - after it sounds like a scuffle broke out to the right of the police cordon on Belgravia Square - but told officers have “got” the individuals involved..
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Darkness has fallen and the protestors are still on the balcony ledge -
@metpoliceuk
will have “contingencies” and a continued police presence here. Could be a long night.
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NEW: Protestors are no longer on the balcony - more police going into the building.
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UPDATE: Protesters arrested by
@metpoliceuk
last night face up to a YEAR in jail and a £10,000 fine - if convicted of "squatting in a residential building".
Others face up to six months behind bars for "trespassing on the premises of foreign missions".
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