kings x station
overt FIT surveillance
packed tube
thatcher reference
entering holly lodge estate
lord freud's london home
one of many letters
picnic and speeches
open mic
natalie bennett (green party)
owen jones (columnist)
removal boxes and sign
eviction notice
packing the removals van
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as midday approached, a large crowd gathered on the concourse of king's cross station ready to take part in a mystery ukuncut action to 'evict a millionaire'. they'd been told to bring oyster cards valid for zones 1/2 - the only other clue was that the target was connected to the bedroom tax.
the protestors were watched and filmed by FIT surveillance, and NETCU officers (national extremist tactical coordination unit), and at the edge of the crowd were two men known to be undercover police, while an 'intrusion' of liaison officers mingled and chatted with the activists and fished for information while pretending to be friendly.
at just after 12, they were on the move, heading for the underground and northern line. the platform was full, and when a 'high barnet' train arrived, most of the carriages filled up, with a couple of police entering each compartment too.
announcements were made in each carriage, and about half the group got off at tufnell park, while the others travelled another stop to archway.
both groups then walked north by different routes with some co-ordination going on by mobile phone. meeting at a junction just south of the exclusive holly lodge estate near hampstead heath, they entered the gates and headed up the hill.
ahead of us i could see several police vans mobilising, and as we turned into a road of large semi-detached houses, we could see a police welcoming committee - a line of cops protecting one of the homes and a row of vans in the road.
out of a ukuncut 'removals van' that joined us on the hill came settees, blankets, packing boxes, a coat stand, and a small amplifier.
in opening speeches we were informed that we outside the london home of lord freud, he who devised the bedroom tax, and who also signed the contract with ATOS to run the controversial and deeply flawed disability tests. this £1.9m property with three spare bedrooms is nothing compared to his eight bedroom country mansion in kent, and yet as undersecretary of welfare reform his language is characterised by contempt and derision for the people in desperate need that his policies are affecting.
there were mixed reactions from neighbours. one offered biscuits, and some passers-by cheered and clapped, but one pompous chap shouted out that the protestors were all just jealous, needed a wash etc, and demanded that the police 'do something'. he also physically attacked two photographers at one point, at which point police suggested he calm down and go inside. (lovely folk tories! as shown again later in the day when the majority of violent incidents at thatcher's party
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2013/04/508510.html were by pro-thatcher hooligans). meanwhile the completely peaceful protest continued with a string of informative and rallying speeches, a sometimes heart-breaking reading of letters from people who couldn't make it to the event, a rousing speech from columnist owen jones (introduced as the left's justin bieber), and some sensible words from green party leader natalie bennett.
the undercovers, police liaison, and surveillance continued their work, and at least half a dozen vans of TSG riot cops lurked in a road nearby.
as the rain became gradually heavier, the crowd began to disperse and at around 3pm the remainder helped to clear up, pack the van, and leave together after pinning an eviction notice to the tree outside lord freud's home.
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