Squatters ordered out of Royal Mint building amid fears of an illegal New Year's Eve RAVE
SQUATTERS have been ordered to leave the former Royal Mint building over fears of an illegal New Year's Eve rave.
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A High Court judge acted swiftly after hearing a group of 20-50 people had taken over one of the Grade II-listed buildings in the City of London property opposite the Tower of London.
Mr Justice Henry Carr granted two leaseholder companies orders for immediate possession and refused the squatters an adjournment of the case to another day.
Later a squatters' spokesman said there was no time to appeal and the group were leaving the building.
The group were squatting in protest over Britain's homelessness problem and were refusing to leave.
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PAThere is a real risk that an illegal rave would take placeMr Justice Henry Carr
The occupation began at about 6.28am on December 28 after a security guard was crushed by six protesters as he opened a gateway to Royal Mint Court, which has five listed buildings, including the Johnson Smirke Building.
Law student Jed Miller, representing the squatters, argued the buildings were currently surrounded by security staff who were well able to prevent any attempt to hold a rave.
But the judge said that, if he allowed an adjournment, "there is a real risk that an illegal rave would take place" with security staff being "overwhelmed" because of the numbers that might respond to alerts on social media.
Mr Justice Carr said: "There would be a continuing risk to health and safety and it would enable the occupation to achieve its objective of a rave simply by a request for an adjournment.
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"I am not prepared to allow that to happen."
The court heard if the squatters remained leaseholders would be forced to shell out more than £200,000 for security.
Ruling the legal balance was in favour of an immediate possession order, the judge said the leaseholders' lawyers had put before him evidence that since the occupation began "a very large security presence" had been provided which had already cost about £102,000.
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The judge said the squatters had identified themselves as part of the anti-capitalist movements known as "the Bohemians" and "Occupy London" which essentially were "professional trespassers".
Rejecting their claim that they needed time for an adjournment to properly prepare their case, he refused the squatters permission to appeal against his ruling to the Court of Appeal.
He said: "It seems to me they should have anticipated the application for possession and made arrangements in advance of the application."
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