Hackney Council & Cops Threaten to Illegally evict Kingsland Squatters
Harry Nelson, Kingsland Resident | 04.03.2004 22:37 | Repression | Social Struggles | London
Three Stoke Newington drugs squad officers in plain clothes visited the Kingsland Estate in south Hackney today, warning that the council staff would be evicting squatters on Monday, and that they would arrest any refusing to leave. They referred to section 7 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
The police also said that they & the council would evict all squatters from other local estates during the coming week.
The cops assumed that my electricity supply is illegal and said they would also arrest me for that if I stay, and said that they would arrest anyone found with drugs.
I tried to talk to one of cops, but he refused to listen, saying I might say something incriminating about my electricity supply, and that he would have to arrest me.
Section seven of the Criminal Law act relates to Protected Intending Occupiers. A PIO, in this context, is a tenant who can't move in because the place they have a tenancy for is squatted. The PIO can require the squatters to move out, and it a criminal offence for squatters to refuse. These provisions are frequently abused by local authorities, who often tell squatters that they must leave to make way for a PIO and then leave homes empty.
Section six of that act makes it an offence to break into anyone's home without legal authority, requiring landlords to obtain court orders before evicting anyone. Squatters in residential premises are entitled to at least five days' notice of court procedures.
One resident went to the council office, asking whether there was a PIO for his flat. The council staff told him that they did not need one, and would evict him anyway on Monday. The police did not say that any of the squatted flats had tenants.
The buildings require major refurbishment, and it is believed that the council intends eventually to demolish. The facilities in most of the squatted flats have been smashed by council staff. As far as I know, no new tenants have been housed on the estate in the last few years. There around ten flats or more squatted on the estate.
The Advisory Service for Squatters has written Hackney Council and the police, explaining that they have no authority to evict, and any attempt would be a criminal offence under section six. Squatters have also contacted solicitors for further advice.
The police are clearly trying to intimidate us into leaving. I suggest that squatters refuse to be illegally evicted on Monday, by not opening our doors to the council or cops, emphasizing section six, and that we are not committing any crime. We need to support each other and monitor the council & cops. Talk to your neighbours.
We would welcome people who can observe on monday morning, and prevent any illegal evictions.
Notes:
The Kingsland Estate is on Whiston Road E2, just off Kingsland Road
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=533652&Y=183518&A=Y&Z=1
The Advisory Service for Squatters is at 2 St Pauls Road, London N1 2QN. It is open for drop in and telephone advice weekdays from two to six PM.
0845 6445 814
http://www.squat.freeserve.co.uk
The cops assumed that my electricity supply is illegal and said they would also arrest me for that if I stay, and said that they would arrest anyone found with drugs.
I tried to talk to one of cops, but he refused to listen, saying I might say something incriminating about my electricity supply, and that he would have to arrest me.
Section seven of the Criminal Law act relates to Protected Intending Occupiers. A PIO, in this context, is a tenant who can't move in because the place they have a tenancy for is squatted. The PIO can require the squatters to move out, and it a criminal offence for squatters to refuse. These provisions are frequently abused by local authorities, who often tell squatters that they must leave to make way for a PIO and then leave homes empty.
Section six of that act makes it an offence to break into anyone's home without legal authority, requiring landlords to obtain court orders before evicting anyone. Squatters in residential premises are entitled to at least five days' notice of court procedures.
One resident went to the council office, asking whether there was a PIO for his flat. The council staff told him that they did not need one, and would evict him anyway on Monday. The police did not say that any of the squatted flats had tenants.
The buildings require major refurbishment, and it is believed that the council intends eventually to demolish. The facilities in most of the squatted flats have been smashed by council staff. As far as I know, no new tenants have been housed on the estate in the last few years. There around ten flats or more squatted on the estate.
The Advisory Service for Squatters has written Hackney Council and the police, explaining that they have no authority to evict, and any attempt would be a criminal offence under section six. Squatters have also contacted solicitors for further advice.
The police are clearly trying to intimidate us into leaving. I suggest that squatters refuse to be illegally evicted on Monday, by not opening our doors to the council or cops, emphasizing section six, and that we are not committing any crime. We need to support each other and monitor the council & cops. Talk to your neighbours.
We would welcome people who can observe on monday morning, and prevent any illegal evictions.
Notes:
The Kingsland Estate is on Whiston Road E2, just off Kingsland Road
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=533652&Y=183518&A=Y&Z=1 The Advisory Service for Squatters is at 2 St Pauls Road, London N1 2QN. It is open for drop in and telephone advice weekdays from two to six PM.
0845 6445 814
http://www.squat.freeserve.co.uk
Harry Nelson, Kingsland Resident
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