Activisits invade Streatham property in protest at Lambeth council housing sell-off

11:20am Wednesday 8th April 2009

By Matt Watts

Police were called by Lambeth Council to evict activists who invaded a council flat in Streatham in protest at the town hall selling off its housing stock.

Five protestors from Defend Council Housing Lambeth entered the property on the Sackville Estate on Friday afternoon, intending to occupy it until it was auctioned on Monday.

The protestors - all Lambeth tenants - were furious at Lambeth’s strategy to auction off dozens off council properties despite demand for properties increasing, 17,000 people on the borough’s waiting list, and almost 2,000 residents in expensive temporary accommodation.

They intended to stay “as long as it took” for the council to withdraw the flat and 13 others due to be auctioned off for knock-down prices even though they could be brought up to liveable standard with minimal investment, according to campaign group secretary Stephen Hack.

They also wanted to disrupt any weekend viewing of the property by potential buyers, and highlight the council’s refusal to listen to the views of Lambeth Tenants’ Council - who voted unanimously for the council to drop its sell-off policy last week.

But the sit-down peaceful protest was broken up by the police, who were called in before 5pm to remove the activists.

Lambeth said it respected people’s rights to have their say on local issues but it could not condone this type of action.

It argues selling the properties is necessary because it is “uneconomic” to refurbish them.

Responding to the eviction, protestors took to the estate on Saturday to vent their anger at what Mr Hack called “a heavy handed approach”.

Activist Paul O’Brien, one of the people evicted after gaining access under the guise of wanting to buy the property in auction, said his actions were necessary to raise the profile of Lambeth’s “crazy” policy.

A Lambeth Council spokesperson said numbers in temporary accommodation had dropped and that selling 100 smaller properties would enable 400 family homes to be refurbished.

"We absolutely want to provide more homes for homeless people which is why we are selling off properties that are uneconomic to refurbish to fund more homes for families in need.”

• What do you think of the council’s policy? Was the protestors’ action too strong? Let us know in the comments section below.