Victorian London , Christmas 2014

Bah Humbug.
Working on behalf of their corporate masters the brave Met Police are in the process of evicting a group of squatters on Christmas eve , the squatters took over the empty building formally occupied by the RBS bank with the aim of providing a Christmas dinner for local homeless people.

One of the squatters on the balcony, Danny Freeman, 22, told the Guardian: “We heard banging on the door at 8am and some people forced their way in. We don’t know who they were because they wouldn’t tell us and have not provided us with any paperwork.

“I climbed on to the balcony and then I called the police. I can’t put into words how distressed I feel about this. We won’t be able to provide Christmas lunch for the homeless now and about 50 people who were sleeping here will be homeless over Christmas. I’m here for the long haul, I’m not planning to come down from the balcony. I’d rather spend Christmas here than in the cells.”
www.theguardian.com...

Yeah , Merry Christmas.

Millions of empty buildings all around the UK...

A great many living on the streets...





If anyone still has hope for humanity, I'd like to know which drugs you've been prescribed so I can speak to my consultant.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
Millions living on the streets...

Er, no there's not.

To the OP. I have no sympathy for squatters having known someone whose house was destroyed by their kind. If people want to provide Christmas dinners for the homeless they should find a way to do it that does not involve breaking into someone else's property.

Regards

a reply to: paraphi

No there isn't, but I also don't believe the stats that only 2000 people are sleeping rough in the UK.


Thanks for correcting me.

a reply to: gortex

Damn. I've got mixed feelings reading about this and watching the vids.

The Police are interacting and not arresting people. That's a stark contrast to how similar circumstances are dealt with in other countries. No shootings and no beatings.

Christmas is just another day really and whatever sympathy we can offer homeless people should have a longer shelf-life than these few days. I've donated some food and money to homeless charities in the supermarkets this year. But I've also walked past dozens in the past 2 weeks and offered nothing...

The homeless can make hypocrites of all...at the same time, we can't personally 'save' them.

There's an irony in the poorest of society occupying a building that was owned and run by the same people who increased the percentage of poor in the UK. In some ways, it's fitting that they are there and the big-bonus bankers are not. Salute!

Then again, the poor will still be poor in the New Year and the rich will still be rich.

RBS is owned by the tax payers isnt it?

Though I cant remember the last time I got my invite to the share holders meeting.

a reply to: Kandinsky

Then again, the poor will still be poor in the New Year and the rich will still be rich.

Hi mate
The thing that gets my goat about this is we are supposed to be in the season of good will , these people wanted to give the local poor a break from the reality of their life and give them a dinner , rather than leaving the action a few days the corporation that owns the building decided to send in the bailiffs the day before , now the people that would have had food and company on what otherwise must be a hard day will go without.

I'm not a squatting advocate but I think there needs to be some flexibility in the reaction and a little more heart could be shown.

a reply to: gortex

Totally agree

Sometimes the system is ruthless and doesn't have an 'out' where it can 'do the right thing.' It's a fvcking meat-grinder too often...

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
No there isn't, but I also don't believe the stats that only 2000 people are sleeping rough in the UK.
.

There are many people homeless who are provided with temporary accommodation. However, there are very few people who sleep rough - around 300 in London.

I have been homeless, but always got a bed for the night and food. Never felt the need to break into someones house and set up a squatter commune - that's what low life do. It is one reasom why the UK is such a good target for migrants because from day one they get housing.

Regards