Ratstar Camberwell raided by antiriot cops

[wemakeyousoundb]

Just received a SMS seconds ago:
"ratstar raided by antiriot police early this morning.
Cops smashed all the doors and are still there, please spread the news"

 

[Nice one]

News is reaching us that the squatted Ratstar and Offmarket social centres in London are currently being raided by police and the occupants are being evicted. We also understand that the Petroseige squat in Camberwell has also been raided.

Early this morning around 7am a large numbers off police in a co-ordinated action surrounded both the Ratstar, a disused factory wharehouse in Camberwell South London and Offmarket, an old bookshop in East london and raided the premises.

We understand there have been eight arrests so far, all are currently being held at Harrow Road police station. There was a search warrant for stolen goods and as far as we know no-one has been charged.

If people can make it to either venue solidarity support and physical presence is desperately needed

Ratstar Social Centre
298 Camberwell Road
Camberwell
London SE5 0DL

Offmarket Social Centre
121 Lower Clapton Road
Hackney
London E5 0NP

- We will update as and when more information comes through

http://www.freedompress.org.uk/news/2011/04/28/london-squatted-social-centres-raided/

 

[MellySingsDoom]

And let's just wait for the Met to roll out the "reasons": "National Security", "Terrorists", "Domestic Extremism", "Threat To Democracy"....and good old Parliament will cheer them on, whilst the wedding farce provides ample distraction for the masses.

Solidarity with these people, peeps.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

threat of disruption to the royal wedding is the obvious "reason" behind it all I'd guess
:/

 

[editor]

Reckon so.

 

[sim667]

Essentially the popo have worked out they can act like utter cunts because the tories will support them all the way? Am i assuming right?

 

[BigJimS]

squatting is stealing.

 

[editor]

squatting is stealing.

Be off, stupid troll boy.

 

[MellySingsDoom]

Have the Met mentioned anything of this on their Twitter feed? Tried looking at Twitter at work, but looks like Twitter is blocked here now (grumbles).

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

squatting is stealing.

 

[stethoscope]

squatting is stealing.

Fuck off.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

latest addendum on the freedom press link above:
"Also Grow Heathrow, the squatted land site in west London opposing the expansion of Heathrow airport, was raided this morning by 30 or so police on the pretext of searching for ‘weapons to cause criminal damage’. It is unsure if they have been evicted or there were any arrests."

 

[Onket]

I reckon this-

Essentially the popo have worked out they can act like utter cunts because the tories will support them all the way? Am i assuming right?

More than this-

threat of disruption to the royal wedding is the obvious "reason" behind it all I'd guess
:/

But both will be playing a part, sadly.

 

[sim667]

They might have done it all today because there's extra police in town for the royal parasites tomorrow...... They wont have to bring in extra coppers twice and pay their expenses

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

latest from twitter:
14 arrests, people are being held at harrow road police station (is that not the terrorist holding place?) and the official reason is:
illegal abstraction of electricity & handling stolen goods (that is what the warrant said apparently)

 

[Crispy]

illegal abstraction of electricity.

What a fantastic use of police time. twats.

 

[two sheds]

squatting is stealing.

leaving houses unoccupied is criminal negligence.

 

[editor]

Well worth a visit from the riot squad!

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

well, the ratstar actually has a deal with the landlord IIRC

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

also: the clapton social centre has now reopened after this morning raid.
some pics of the raid at the heathrow protest camp: http://twitpic.com/4qftwt

 

[stethoscope]

Warrant issued at the Clapton social centre says in relation to the 26th March - http://goo.gl/szV28

 

[smokedout]

threat of disruption to the royal wedding is the obvious "reason" behind it all I'd guess
:/

that would be the non-existant anarchist protest which hasnt been organised for weeks now

 

[DeadManWalking]

Where's Petroseige?

 

[BigTom]

being tagged as #squatageddon (if I've spelt that right) on twitter.. 10 riot vans of TSG for a warrant about stolen goods? fucking scum.. political policing at its most blatant but I doubt the mainstream press will report it like that, especially the bbc. I've lost so much respect for bbc news over the last month or so, just trotting out the police line on everything.

 

[Corax]

Be off, stupid troll boy.

Other posts look genuine. I'm guessing honestly ignorant of the issues rather than trolling.

 

[Nice one]

as of midday today:
Update 12.00pm As far as we are aware police have left the Offmarket social centre and Grow Heathrow site, but the operation is still ongoing at the Ratstar. There is currently 12 TSG vans outside the building with a crowd of around 40 people outside in support. As we understand it the arrests have been for ‘abstraction of electricity’ and there has been further arrests of 7-8 people in another part of the Ratstar building. Other occupiers are being detained in the carpark by TSG and it is unknown if they will be arrested. A further arrest was made by plain clothes police outside the building as they recognised someone in the crowd from their ‘March 26th wanted’ spotter cards. This person has been taken to Walworth Road police station.

So far it is a TSG operation in terms of clearing the site and making arrests. The senior officer on the scene admitted (to Laurie Penny) that this operation is indeed connected to the Royal Wedding. Because the Ratstar is such a big complex it is likely the police will be around for several hours, so support is still needed. Most of the occupants living there have been arrested or detained so at present the building is in exclusive hands of the police. The occupiers have an agreement with the owners of the building to live there and this is not in any way connected to an eviction attempt on behalf of the owners, but purely a police instigated operation.
http://www.freedompress.org.uk/news/2011/04/28/london-squatted-social-centres-raided/

 

[Blagsta]

latest from twitter:
14 arrests, people are being held at harrow road police station (is that not the terrorist holding place?) and the official reason is:
illegal abstraction of electricity & handling stolen goods (that is what the warrant said apparently)

Paddington Green iirc

 

[strung out]

met press release...

Police have today (Thursday, 28 April) executed warrants at three addresses in London as part of intelligence led operation.

The addresses were Camberwell Road, Camberwell; Lower Clapton Road, Hackney and an address in Sipson, near Heathrow.

19 people were arrested for abstracting electricity at Camberwell Road. One person was arrested at the address in Hackney in connection with the disorder following the TUC march.

There were no arrests at the address in Sipson.

Those arrested are in custody at various London police stations.

These arrests are part of ongoing proactive work to tackle suspected criminality. They are not specifically related to the Royal Wedding but have been brought forward ahead of the event.

http://www.met.police.uk/pressbureau/Bur28/page03.htm

 

[TitanSound]

met press release...


http://www.met.police.uk/pressbureau/Bur28/page03.htm

These arrests are part of ongoing proactive work to tackle suspected criminality. They are not specifically related to the Royal Wedding but have been brought forward ahead of the event.

What a crock of shit. 12 police vans for some people allegedly nicking electricity

 

[MellySingsDoom]

They are not specifically related to the Royal Wedding but have been brought forward ahead of the event.

Really?

The senior officer on the scene admitted (to Laurie Penny) that this operation is indeed connected to the Royal Wedding.

Putting to one side the "Was Laurie Penny there? Really?" question, if what she reported has any truth, then it shows one again the good old Met lying about an operation. Plus ca change.