The squatters say they have been there for seven years.
Anstasia House near Green Lanes in Haringey has been a squat for seven years, with supportive neighbours supplying those living there with food and essentials.
This resulted in a stand-off followed by a skirmish as the crowds broke through the police line. Meanwhile, officers said they had suffered minor injuries in the confrontation. One squatter who was there that day – Aaliyah, 22 – claimed the police ‘lost their cool’ in the incident and hit people.
Neighbours have come out in support of the squatters Aaliyah said the squat was a refuge for those who had fallen through the cracks in society and that locals were supportive of them. I went to Magnolia Bakery in the UK — one item is worth the hype‘I really want this to set a precedent that vulnerable people don’t deserve to be pushed out first. Local people are very supportive, they bring us food and other stuff.
’Another squatter said: ‘It was like a stampede, we had to pull our friends out. We are peaceful. A mother-of-two, who lives nearby, said the community was on the squatters’ side.
‘The squatters are friendly and have become part of the community. The police have to do their job, but these are not violent people. ’ A local business owner agreed, saying: ‘They are as good as gold, they are down on their luck and need somewhere to go. Footage of the clash has been published online Footage of the clash has been widely circulated, showing police vans and Met officers surrounding the building.
The squatters claimed the owners attempted to cut their way through the front door but were blocked by people inside. The people who live in the building have now posted lookouts outside to raise the alarm if police or the building’s owners come again. The Met said their officers were met with violence as they were trying to clear space for the owners to change the locks as part of a legal process to repossess the building.
The squatters claim that, as the premises is an unoccupied commercial property, they have the right to remain under the law. The force said police had faced a ‘hostile’ group of up to 60 people and that five officers had been assaulted. It said in a statement: ‘At 1.06pm on Monday, May 18, officers responded to reports of violent disorder at an address on Tavistock Road, Haringey.
‘Hostility from a large group of people began after contractors attempted to change the property’s locks, resulting in between 50 and 60 people behaving aggressively towards the workers. ‘Five Met officers were subject to assaults during the disorder but did not require further medical attention in hospital. EmailCraig Munro
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