latest.. Finally evicted May 15th
Protestors remain inside former Bank of England building in Liverpool city centre as Court Deadline passes
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Activists
”3rd Demand… We demand all of the homeless we have been supporting, helping to provide a sense of worth and belonging are re-housed immediately.”
Love Activists 1st May, dawn.. update ”..Occupied bank urgent update: Section 35 of the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014 been used tonight. People have been arrested unnecessarily/illegally. Read up! Trust me, I have been served before as have many others; it only disperses you from specified area for limited time. No need for arrests. Do not be afraid; read up on your rights, if you get served move on & stay away til given time. The Act was designed to stop protest. Time to stop picnicking; resist, resist, resist, defend the occupiers. Knowledge is power. Will be down asap…”
The former Bank of England building in Liverpool city centre is Mayday morning still under occupation.
Protestors known as the Love Activists were handed a court order on Tuesday requiring them to leave within 24 hours – but they resisted eviction and remain in the building.
The activists have been using the site as a homeless shelter with anti-establishment banners have been hung from its exterior.
Their statement said: “We intend to use this building for the community to inspire a feeling of community, which is lacking.
“We do this in direct response to a local council and government who are lacking in their efforts to help those in need and, in fact, the local council and government seem intent on making matters worse for the people by putting more and more austerity measures in place.”
The activists first moved into the building on April 18.
Police gather outside the former bank on Castle street occupied by Love Activists
Police returned to the occupied former Bank of England building Thursday hours after Love Activists resisted eviction.
Just before 8pm a police van turned up at the rear of the building and officers took up positions around all sides of the building.
The police helicopter hovered overhead for a while as a number of activists appeared on the roof while others were on the balcony and around 20 stood in front of the doors to the building.
Earlier bailiffs arrived at the door of the listed building which has been occupied since April 18 by protesters who have turned it into an illegal homeless shelter.
They were accompanied by several police officers at about 2.50pm and knocked on the door twice before retreating.
Protesters had been waiting for the bailiffs to turn up from noon after they were served an Interim Possession Order.
There were dramatic scenes as activists used red and green smoke cannisters in their protest.
A supporter of the campaign, Rebecca Cutts, said: “The support for this has been absolutely amazing. People have been given new clothing, there have been 50 here who have been sheltered. This bank has been empty for for the last three-and-a-half years. People who have been sitting in there will be back on the streets.”
A homeless man said: “I feel we were treated unjustly in court. We were denied a hearing. I’m in a brand new set of clothes, I’ve been getting three meals a day. I’m healthier, I feel better in myself since being here.
“The issue is there’s not adequate things that can replace this place. These people genuinely care. They haven’t done it for monetary gain- they don’t care about money.
“It should be celebrated. It shouldn’t be demonized. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
From the balcony, another homeless man shouted: “Where are you Joe Anderson? I’d love to swap lives with you.”
One spectactor told the ECHO: ““They had good intentions for a worthy cause. But the use of anarchy has tarnished that cause.”
Earlier the activists called for a meeting with Mayor Joe Anderson by the end of the week as part of a list od demands that included Merseyside Labour councils and Joe Anderson rejecting cuts and austerity measures.
The Mayor’s office did not comment on the list of demands but a council spokesman said: “We commission the Whitechapel Centre to offer support for rough sleepers in Liverpool, and they have been visiting the building over the last few days to identify any support that people who are there may need.“Outreach workers are on the streets every night identifying vulnerable people, getting them into services and helping turn their lives around. People who are sleeping rough and need support can visit the Whitechapel Centre on Langsdale Street, and anyone who sees someone sleeping rough should contact the No Second Night Out hotline on 0300 123 2041.”The bank building has been occupied since April 18, and activists appeared at Liverpool Civil Court yesterday where they were served an Interim Possession Order, which means the property must be vacated within 24 hours or the police can make them leave.
Liverpool (UK): Occupiers of Bank of England building turned homeless shelter make demands
We make this document a Statement of Intent regarding the old Bank of England building on Castle Street, Liverpool. The intentions are as follows to feed, cloth and help all those who seek it and for the local community to help resource this project.
We intend to use this building for the community, to inspire a feeling of community, which is lacking.
We do this in direct response to a local council and government who are lacking in their efforts to help those in need and in fact, the local Council and government seem intent on making matters worse for the people by putting more and more austerity measures in place.
- Juliet Edgar from a Facebook group ‘ReClaim’ delivers a powerful speech to the crowd gathered below explaining why they occupied the former Bank of England building on behalf of the homeless and why they are defying an eviction order.
We wish by the direct action of occupying an empty unused building and using said building to provide certain needs for the street people or for that matter anyone else who needs to use what is provided by donations, which come from the local community.
We intend to live in peace and harmony with our local community and will resolve any issues which are brought to our attention.
@Love Activists (Liverpool) former Bank of England.
@Love Activists (Liverpool) former Bank of England.
Our demands are as follows:
1. We demand Mayor Joe Anderson meets with us before the end of this week
2. We demand the Merseyside Labour councils and Joe Anderson Mayor rejects the cuts and says no to austerity and no to the cuts. We are suffering ‘Enuf is Enuf’ – we and they need sanctuary.
3. We demand all of the homeless we have been supporting, helping to provide a sense of worth and belonging are re-housed immediately.
4. We demand Social Services and Mental Health Services undertake rapid assessments of those we are supporting, they are very vulnerable.
5. We have learned the drug and alcohol rehabilitation services are underfunded and unsupported, with long waiting lists, cuts to funding. These services must be well resourced and protected. We say no to privatisation.
6. The voices of the homeless must be heard and their requests must be actioned and they must be treated as equals.
7. We have also learned that the Homeless Provision in Merseyside is at breaking point, we have been working with the Whitechapel Centre in particular and will continue with that positive relationship.
8. We demand that the first step to recovery for those with addition issues is a roof over their heads, this is a priority over their recovery.
9. We would also like to thank the community and businesses of Liverpool and further afield for their generous support in solidarity of our direct action to occupy the Bank of England – we have only got this far with that support.
10. We continue to peacefully resist our removal from the Occupied Bank until our demands are met in full.
In peace and solidarity @Love Activists (Liverpool)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Activists
The Free 