St. Agnes Place - Putting Up A Resistance

[William of Walworth]

ST AGNES EVICTION IMMINENT -- Police Waggons at Vauxhall Cross!!

Posted by me on relevant threads in Direct Action/Protest and General :

The eviction will almost certainly be this morning (Tuesday 29th November) -- at about 8:15 am this morning there were approx. 15 empty Police waggons (minibus size -- personnel carriers, with riot shields up) parked up at Vauxhall Cross

Before reaching there, I went through St Agnes, about 8 am. Two banners ("Save St. Agnes" and "Homes 4 All") stretched across the street at first floor level. Others ("Merry Christmas Gritchett Ya Grinch" and "LambethNO!") pined to a fence and to a ground floor window. One or two doors already gates and locked -- whether by the Couincil from an earlier eviction/vacancy, or by the inhabitant(s), it was hard to say. Sound system blasting from a first floor window, but very few people about -- presumably getting ready in their homes!!

The traffic signs at either end of St Agnes had been 'altered' -- they'd been put up about ten days ago to close off the street, but now read : "Save St Agnes" and "Peoples Republic of Kennington"

I felt really bad cycling off again without making contact with anyone, but I had little choice -- work called -- and I'm sure they were all busy getting ready, and bracing themselves for the imminent eviction -- THIS MORNING!!!

St. Agnes Place, Kennington, SE11= : nearest tubes Oval and Kennington.
Street not yet blocked off but I suspect this will not last ...

Please, please please can anyone with a bit of free time Get down there to join any protest, be legal witnesses, take photographs, etc.

I will return as soon after 5:30 as I can!!

 

[William of Walworth]

RIOT POLICE NOW ARRIVED and street blocked!

New thread started on General by pirate tv with ongoing news ...

Please get down there if you can -- I cannot return til later, but will as soon after 5:30 as I can ...

 

[William of Walworth]

Eviction happening NOW with RIOT POLICE!!

Loads going on.

Please check other thread (link above) or better still, get down there!

 

[articletwo]

On the BBC report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4481284.stm) it says that "It is estimated unpaid rent on the properties over 30 years amounted to £4m, plus a further £400,000 in council tax."

Is that true? If so, it seems a bit unfair that the rest of us have had to pay extra in council rent and/or council tax to fill the gap.

 

[Streathamite]

oh for fuck sake!
Time amd time again, they offered to pay rent and sign contracts on the properties which were lying empty and derelict when they moved in.
other councils have followed this enlightened route. did Lambeth? NO!
They - Lambeth BC - are now peddling this line as justification for the fact they are destroying this community, prior to jumping into bed with property developers, so as to cover the gaping wond in housing dept finances, caused by their own incompetence in being fleeced for £3m by a fraudster. jesus, do keep up....

 

[Donna Ferentes]

On the BBC report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4481284.stm) it says that "It is estimated unpaid rent on the properties over 30 years amounted to £4m, plus a further £400,000 in council tax."

Is that true? If so, it seems a bit unfair that the rest of us have had to pay extra in council rent and/or council tax to fill the gap.

"It is estimated" means "Keith Fitchett has made this claim".

 

[aurora green]

I wonder just how much this eviction actually cost Lambeth council tax payers?
I mean the whole extravagant operation must have cost a fortune; all those teams of security guards and riot cops, and climbers, medics, helicopters, fire engines, tow trucks, horses, portaloos...etc. etc. This was a no expense spared eviction.

 

[Bob]

I wonder how to much this eviction actually cost Lambeth council tax payers?
I mean the whole extravagant operation must have cost a fortune; all those teams of security guards and riot cops, and climbers, medics, helicopters, fire engines, tow trucks, horses, portaloos...etc. etc. This was a no expense spared eviction.

A lot of that wouldn't be paid by the council. One of the reasons I'm not particularly sympathetic to the St Agnes Place residents is that this whole operation is because they weren't willing to move out after the judicial process was exhausted. Ultimately the Courts can't be ignored just because people don't want to obey them.

 

[aurora green]

A lot of that wouldn't be paid by the council.

Who would of paid then? and what percentage of the costs?

 

[Ms T]

I wonder just how much this eviction actually cost Lambeth council tax payers?
I mean the whole extravagant operation must have cost a fortune; all those teams of security guards and riot cops, and climbers, medics, helicopters, fire engines, tow trucks, horses, portaloos...etc. etc. This was a no expense spared eviction.

Was there a picture of you in last night's Evening Standard, aurora? I thought it was you, but couldn't be sure. (Especially as we've never met!)

 

[aurora green]

Was there a picture of you in last night's Evening Standard, aurora? I thought it was you, but couldn't be sure. (Especially as we've never met!)

...erm yes, that was me.

 

[zenie]

...erm yes, that was me.

Good for you telling them that

 

[girasol]

...erm yes, that was me.

Hey, I recognised you! (seen you at Unsound a few times).

don't freak out, you'll probably recognise me too. I'll say hi next time we're both out at the same place...

 

[Bob]

Who would of paid then? and what percentage of the costs?

I'd guess that the bailiffs only - but that the vast majority of official people there are police related.

 

[aurora green]

I'd guess that the bailiffs only - but that the vast majority of official people there are police related.

Who will pay for the cops then?

 

[William of Walworth]

A lot of that wouldn't be paid by the council. One of the reasons I'm not particularly sympathetic to the St Agnes Place residents is that this whole operation is because they weren't willing to move out after the judicial process was exhausted. Ultimately the Courts can't be ignored just because people don't want to obey them.

Would you move out Bob? And make yourself homeless before you had to?

Think about it.

(In any case, a fair number DID move out, but no-one tells you that -- those that were left, were in a minority ... ).

 

[Blagsta]

Who will pay for the cops then?

AFAIK, some council tax goes to paying for the police.

 

[Bob]

Would you move out Bob? And make yourself homeless before you had to?

Think about it.

(In any case, a fair number DID move out, but no-one tells you that -- those that were left, were in a minority ... ).

I don't know - I'm not in that situation - but my point is that that is the point of laws and the courts - so that there is a fair resolution of these things.

 

[Bob]

AFAIK, some council tax goes to paying for the police.

Fair point - it does - but through the GLA not Lambeth council (both are paid for through your council tax bill).

 

[citydreams]

Ultimately the Courts can't be ignored just because people don't
want to obey them.

Was there no right to appeal then?

 

[Blagsta]

I don't know - I'm not in that situation - but my point is that that is the point of laws and the courts - so that there is a fair resolution of these things.

and this was resolved fairly...how exactly?

 

[aurora green]

Good for you telling them that

them ??

 

[Bob]

and this was resolved fairly...how exactly?

Fairly in the sense of there being equality between different groups of people doing the same thing. In other words two groups of people doing something similar (in this case living in property without having a legal right to do so) would get treated in the same way (get evicted).

Citydreams - don't know about the appeal process but I'd guess it's exhausted since this saga has been going on for some time.

 

[Streathamite]

A lot of that wouldn't be paid by the council. One of the reasons I'm not particularly sympathetic to the St Agnes Place residents is that this whole operation is because they weren't willing to move out after the judicial process was exhausted. Ultimately the Courts can't be ignored just because people don't want to obey them.

so as far as you are concerned, Lambeth council in general - and Fitchett in particular - have acted in an entirely honourable, community-minded, socially just and - dare I say it - Liberal manner, in moving heaven and earth to destroy this community, so as to facilitate a private development, yes?
well - yay or nay?

 

[William of Walworth]

C'mon Bob, it would be great to see you admit that Fitchett has been a complete scoundrel over this ...

 

[Blagsta]

Fairly in the sense of there being equality between different groups of people doing the same thing. In other words two groups of people doing something similar (in this case living in property without having a legal right to do so) would get treated in the same way (get evicted).

Eh? That's not any definition of "fair" that I ever heard.

 

[jæd]

Would you move out Bob? And make yourself homeless before you had to?.

Why does moving out automatically make them homeless...? Whenever I had to leave somewhere I've been able to find accomodation somewhere else. Why couldn't these people do the same...?

 

[Blagsta]

Have you tried getting somewhere to live in London when you have very little money?

 

[piratetv]

Urgent

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY

There is going to be an illegal eviction happening to the couple that live at the south end of St Agnes Place (Bolton Crescent) at 5pm....they have not had their case heard in court yet, that is due on 16th December. They have nowhere to go and have 2 cats with 3 baby kittens.

They are appealing for people to come as witnesses to this illegal eviction and also desperately appealing for emergency accomodation.

Measures are being taken to try and stop this illegal act but we are running out of time

PLEASE PLEASE help if you can....
offer temporary shelter (private message me)
get up there and give support and witness/photograph/film/gather evidence.

Obviously these people are distraught and need our help NOW

 

[tarannau]

Why does moving out automatically make them homeless...? Whenever I had to leave somewhere I've been able to find accomodation somewhere else. Why couldn't these people do the same...?

Are you being deliberately obtuse?

Many of these people won't have a whopping deposit hanging around, nor the positive credit checks and references needed to rent a place from most letting agencies.

Not everyone can rely on handouts from the parents or the kindness of friends you know