Barnet press on occupation and eviction of mike freer protest

Squatters evicted from land outside Mike Freer MP's office

Thursday, 28 November 2013

Occupy movement: Squatters say MPs need to address the housing crisis instead of making squatting illegal

---

By Koos Couvée

THE group of protesters which had occupied the front yard of the office anti-squatting MP Mike Freer were evicted this morning. 

The squatters from Occupy London, who locally rose to prominence for their part in the reopening of Friern Barnet Library last year, had begun their protest at Mr Freer’s Finchley and Golders Green constituency office in Ballards Lane on Friday afternoon – flying in the face of the MP’s stance on squatting. 

But bailiffs acting on behalf of the Finchley and Golders Green Conservative Association removed the group's tents and belongings at around 6am this morning. 

The group are now stationed across the road, where they are continuing their protest. 

Mr Freer was one of the main architects of section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, which criminalised the squatting of residential properties. 

The squatters' spokesman Pete Phoenix said that solicitors from Bindmans, the law firm advising the group, had told the squatters that they were “surprised” that Mr Freer had “not gone through the proper channels” and resolved the matter in court. 

“We will continue to follow Mike Freer around and ask him to help the homeless,” Mr Phoenix said. “He is refusing to support poor people in the borough.” 

Mr Freer, who earlier this week said said he did not believe that squatting was not a good way to solve the housing crisis, had sent the group an email on Tuesday asking them to leave. 

Today the MP said: “The squatters and the camp were disrupting my constituency office and its presence was intimidating. 

“A polite request for the squatters to leave was ignored as were instructions on how to arrange an appointment, so it was decided that we had no alternative but to lawfully remove the squatters from the property.” 

The squatters, who were evicted from The Bohemia, in High Road North Finchley, two weeks ago had moved temporarily into a disused building in Granville Road – across the road from Mr Freer’s office – last week, but moved out on Saturday after reaching an agreement with the landlord. 

Mr Phoenix added that Occupy London would hold an assembly on the housing crisis and section 144 across the road from Mr Freer's office at 7.30pm tonight.

Email: koos.couvee@nlhnews.co.uk

All content © of North London Press unless stated otherwise.

Protest against anti squatting MP Chuka Umuna , invited for dinner at the labour finance and industry group. Tomorrow 3 dec, 6.30 pm,11 stratford place w1

Protest against anti squatting MP Chuka Umuna , invited for dinner at the labour finance and industry group. Tomorrow 3 dec, 6.30 pm,11 stratford place w1

http://www.scriptonitedaily.com/2013/12/02/the-secret-trade-agreement-about-to-complete-the-corporate-takeover-of-democracy/

http://www.scriptonitedaily.com/2013/12/02/the-secret-trade-agreement-about-to-complete-the-corporate-takeover-of-democracy/

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) enshrine the rights of Corporations under International Law, restricting future governments from overturning the changes through fear of costly legal action. They are the largest trade agreements in history, and yet are not open for review, debate or amendment by national parliaments or the public.

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)



The agreement between the US and 11 other Pacific Rim countries representing 40% of global GDP, has been under negotiation for three years. The US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, and Brunei will shortly be signing up to the TPP, with only a handful of people in each nation aware of the content of the deal.

It was recently revealed that only three individuals in each TPP nation have been given full access to the agreement, while 600 ‘trade advisors’, those are corporate lobbyists from corporations such as Monsanto, Chevron, Haliburton and Walmart have been granted access.

In fact, if it were not for WikiLeaks, we would still be unaware of the contents of the TPP. In mid-November, WikiLeaks published a draft chapter of the agreement – and the reasons for secrecy became clear. This agreement tips the scales in the balance of power between Corporations and the State – tipping them firmly in favour of corporations.

The section of the agreement published by Wikileaks focuses on ‘intellectual property’, a chapter it chose “due to its wide-ranging effects on medicines, publishers, internet services, civil liberties and biological patents.” The subsections of the chapter make “agreements relating to patents (who may produce goods or drugs), copyright (who may transmit information), trademarks (who may describe information or goods as authentic) and industrial design.” And as WikiLeaks state in their press release:

Protest against anti squatting MP Chuka Umuna , invited for dinner at the labour finance and industry group. Tomorrow 3 dec, 6.30 pm,11 stratford place w1

Protest against anti squatting MP Chuka Umuna , invited for dinner at the labour finance and industry group. Tomorrow 3 dec, 6.30 pm,11 stratford place w1

Cops off campus thurs 5th decULU malet st

COPS OFF CAMPUS. Join the protests. Thursday 5th dec, 3pm - 8pm @ ULU, malet st. Solidarity is our strength - organise in autonomous blocs, bring banners, noise, colour, ice-cold fury... Lets politely explain to the cops & ukba scum where they can go...

The Mike Freer MP Police Commissioner 'Daft-gate' e-mails Mike freer now refusing to go on TV and Radio to explain himself and his unjust law

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: FREER, Mike <mike.freer.mp@parliament.uk>
Date: Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 7:20 AM
Subject: Re: Invitation for direct democratic
To: Bohemian <thebarnetbohemians@gmail.com>

err no

email told them to phone and we would follow our usual procedures. which they seem unable to do. I am mightily peed off at the Police. I feel like sending the BIll to the Commissioner saying your daft advice landed us with this Bill.

of course this will inhibit every other demo as we will simply refuse to allow anyone onto our property.

so tempting to say - you are all numb-nuts as i am not the owner of the property and it is they you should be dealing with about your presence!

Mike Freer MP
Conservative Member of Parliament for Finchley & Golders Green
020 7219 7071 (Westminster)
020 8445 5875 (Finchley)
Sent from my iPad, working in the move

On 26 Nov 2013, at 23:47, "Bohemian" <thebarnetbohemians@gmail.comthebarnetbohemians@gmail.com

>> wrote:


Dear Mike

We appreciate you taking the time to communicate with us,
thank you for the permission from you and your office to conduct our peacefull protest on the front yard piece of land at 212 Ballards lane N12.

The protest at your constituency office is a result of us trying to engage with the parliamentary democratic process in which we followed your procedures,for a public consultation.
Lobbying campaigning and raising awareness,whereby 96% of the replies to the public Consultation said do not criminalise squatting.
Including  Judges, police and lawyers associations as well as homeless charities and housing NGOs  requesting the law not be enacted.
However your government chose to ignore their own  public consultation and press ahead undemocratically to criminalise sheltering (squatting) in empty buildings.

We are further concerned greatly by Chris Grayling the justice minister saying he may once again undemocratically criminalise non residential squatting.Which is one of the last safety nets for many homeless and landless people who are not helped by the housing system.

Part of serving your constituents is to represent all constituents including rich and poor this includes some of your homeless constituents currently evicted onto your front yard from a community centre around the corner the Bohemia.

We have many points of importance to raise with you around the issues of the Housing crisis,the rise in street homeless,the bedroom tax,the further criminalisation of non residential squatting etc
.
The law you co sponsored sec 144 Laspo act is unfair, unjust, undemocratic, unlawful, unaffordable and unworkable,and is causing great misery by removing an ancient and basic human right to shelter.

Also leading to an increased number of people freezing to death over winter.Many of your constituents are facing urgent housing/homeless and medical issues,which we hope you are willing to address.

We have had numerous liaisons with the inspectors from Colindale police of the past days (which we have filmed recorded and logged ) who are happy for our protest to continue.
Acknowledging that we are not breaking any laws and that we have rights to peacefully protest and assemble under ECHR articles 10 and 11.

That at all times we are endeavouring to be polite, courteous,co-operative with police requests through regular Liason.
We are keeping the area clean and tidy and are aiming to install some plants and window boxes to make the area more beautifull and attractive.
We are keeping the main access way very clear to your doorstep all times.
We have trained health and safety managers who are monitoring the situation.

We politely ask you to meet with us to discuss matters of great national importance such as the housing crisis which we feel your sec144 is exacerbating.
We would like to invite you to spend a few nights camped out with some of your homeless constituents to discuss these and many other issues,over a cup of tea, in an atmosphere of co-operative democratic discussion.

Having been ignored by your so called democratic public consultation, we have taken this act of peacefull protest to facilitate direct discussion and to stimulate the debate in the national media.

We are, having met with you and shared our views with each other,and some of our conditions met, happy to discuss an end date to our protest in a reasonable and proportionate manner without recourse to the law.
We hope to avoid unnecessary court time and expense.
We shall be advised in all the matters by our good friends Bindmans solicitors.

Looking forward to a discussion of solutions to the housing crisis that we can all work towards together.

Yours sincerely

Phoenix
Daniel
Mordecai
Petra
Peter
Graham
Dom
Mark
Bohemia Caretakers








Keep networking

On 26 Nov 2013, at 15:54, "FREER, Mike" <mike.freer.mp@parliament.ukmike.freer.mp@parliament.uk

>> wrote:



Mike Freer MP
Conservative Member of Parliament for Finchley & Golders Green
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
020 7219 7071 (Westminster) & 020 8445 5875 (Constituency)


Dear Sir,

I write in reference to your protest and encampment at my constituency office.  I have 74,000 electors to serve and your protest/encampment outside my office is inhibiting my ability to serve my constituents.  I appreciate you feel your point is important, but I must stress that I am trying to deal with constituents who are facing urgent medical issues and child protection issues to name but two.  My constituents are being deterred from calling at my office.  Having made your point through your protest, I now politely ask you to stop.  If you are a constituent, you can, as you have been advised by my office, e-mail or telephone 0207 219 7071 to make an appointment and in accordance with our usual procedures, an appointment would be offered.

Mike Freer MP
Conservative Member of Parliament for Finchley & Golders Green
020 7219 7071 (Westminster)
020 8445 5875 (Finchley)
Sent from my iPad, working in the move

Evening Standard Tory MP Mike Freer calls police ‘daft’ and protesters ‘numb-nuts’ in email gaffe

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tory-mp-mike-freer-calls-police-daft-and-protesters-numbnuts-in-email-gaffe-8972282.html

Tory MP Mike Freer calls police ‘daft’ and protesters ‘numb-nuts’ in email gaffe

A Tory MP’s attempt to placate a group of protesters camped outside his office backfired after he copied them in on an email in which called them “numb-nuts” and branded the police “daft”.

Last week, a dozen members of the Occupy movement launched a protest at the office of Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer, who helped draw up the new law against squatting in empty residential buildings.

Mr Freer’s staff initially followed police advice and gave the protesters permission to camp in the driveway to stop them blocking the pavement outside his office on Ballards Lane in Finchley, which was Baroness Thatcher’s former constituency HQ.

However, they later retracted this and hired bailiffs to force them out.

The group had vowed to stay until Mr Freer spent a night camping with them and he politely invited the protesters via email to meet him to discuss their concerns, which they agreed to do.

However, in an email to office colleagues that was apparently sent to the protesters by accident, he wrote: “I am mightily peed off at the Police. I feel like sending the Bill to the Commissioner saying your fat advice landed us with the Bill. Of course this will inhibit every other demo as we will simply refuse to allow anyone onto our property.

“So tempting to say — you are all numb-nuts as I am not the owner of the property and it is they you should be dealing with about your presence.”

The “bill” was for the private bailiffs who arrived at dawn yesterday to remove campaigners and their furniture. The group has now set up camp across the road and around 50 protesters staged a demonstration last night that was broadcast online.

Protester Pete Phoenix, 43, said: “It isn’t a nice way to refer to your constituents. We have been politely co-operating with the police and we have been very respectful in our protest. We weren’t trespassing as he gave us permission. He has been disrespectful to people trying to have their say.”

Mr Freer said: “The squatters and the camp were disrupting my constituency office and its presence was intimidating. A polite request for the squatters to leave was ignored as were instructions on how to arrange an appointment. It was decided that we had no alternative but to lawfully remove the squatters from the property.”

A Met Police spokesman said it would not be commenting on the email.

Guardian on mike freer MP email daft gate,embarrassment at Tory HQ

Tory MP calls police 'daft' in email mistakenly sent to squatters at his HQ

'I am mightily pee'd off at police,' wrote Mike Freer over protest at suburban office where Margaret Thatcher launched her career http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/28/tory-mp-mike-freer-police-daftGuardian article link

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• Diane Taylor
• The Guardian, Thursday 28 November 2013 22.52 GMT 

The squatters, including Pete Phoenix (centre), had been sleeping in tents pitched outside Mike Freer's constituency office. Photograph: Velar Grant/Demotix/Corbis

The Conservative MP in Margaret Thatcher's former constituency has made damning comments about police officers who have been overseeing a week-long housing protest on the forecourt of his constituency office – in an email intended for a colleague but instead sent to the protesters.

The Finchley MP Mike Freer describes advice from the Metropolitan police about how to manage the protest as "daft". The protesters have nicknamed the disclosure as "Daftgate".

Freer was already facing embarrassment about the week-long housing protest in his front yard. Since last Friday protesters had set up two tents and a gazebo and slogans have been filling the forecourt. Many of his constituents have come along to support the week-long protest.

In the email – seen by the Guardian – he calls the protesters "numb-nuts" and the police "daft", saying: "I am mightily pee'd off at the police. I feel like sending the bill to the commissioner saying your daft advice landed us with this bill."

The six protesters camped on the forecourt for the past week were removed by bailiffs at 6.30am on Friday.

Pete Phoenix, one of the demonstrators, said the protest focused on legislation, introduced last year, that made squatting in empty residential buildings a criminal offence (it was previously a civil offence).

Freer is an architect of the law – section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (Laspo) Act 2012.

Phoenix said: "With 1.5m empty properties in the UK and a rising problem of homelessness – estimated at 400,000 hidden homeless – the time and effort being put into criminalising sheltering in empty properties (squatting) goes against common sense.

"These laws are a further example of attempts by the current government to penalise the poor while tax evaders and corporate profiteers run away with the stolen wealth of the country."

The protesters say Freer's office allowed them to protest on the forecourt last Friday. They then construed this invitation as a licence to remain and the standoff between the two parties began.

When the bailiffs arrived, they gave the protesters a notice in the name of Finchley and Golders Green Conservative association asking them to vacate the premises under common law, a rarely used legal route.

Freer said: "The squatters and the camp were disrupting my constituency office and its presence was intimidating. A polite request for the squatters to leave was ignored as were instructions on how to arrange an appointment; it was decided we had no alternative but to lawfully remove the squatters from the property."

Paul Ridge, a solicitor at Bindmans, who has been advising the protesters, said: "The manner of the eviction was very unusual. It seems that self-help remedies under common law were applied instead of going to court to seek an eviction order.

"Mike Freer may not like what has happened but the police behaved entirely properly during this protest. Police are not there to adjudicate between two parties who disagree but to uphold the law.

"The key issue here is about the right to protest. The police were clearly satisfied that no criminal offence had been committed."

A Met spokesman said: "Barnet officers were at the constituency premises of MP Mike Freer this morning whilst bailiffs moved the protesters on. Officers from Barnet were there to prevent a breach of the peace. No arrests were made."

#OccupyyourMP #homes4all network and twitter storm rising solutions to the housing crisis

@phoenixsrainbow: Occupy London General Assembly on the Housing Crisis http://t.co/9OBH0LICiY

#OccupyyourMP
#homes4all

PLEASE RT

Tory MP mike Freers email travesty top Tory tyranny own goal - occupy London GA at mikes office Tory HQ

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiwKB62Bs8&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DMJiwKB62Bs8%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

Occupy London General Assembly on the Housing Crisis Thursday November 28, 2013 at Mike Freer MPs Tory HQ Barnet 212 Ballards Lane East Finchley. (Margaret Thatchers old office)

Occupy London General Assembly on the Housing Crisis 

Thursday  November 28, 2013 at Mike Freer  MPs Tory HQ Barnet 212 Ballards Lane East Finchley.

(Margaret Thatchers old office)

National Call Out to Occupy your MP

If you're affected by the Cuts, high rents, benefit caps, the anti-squatting law,the bedroom tax,or workfare slave labour.

Find your local MP and occupy outside their office.

 The General Assembly calls for: 

1) The repeal of section 144 the law that criminalises sheltering in empty buildings (squatting) and the repeal of the LASPO Act.which has removed our rights to Legal Aid.

Www.squashcampaign.org petition to repeal sec.144

2) The 1.5 million empty buildings in the UK to be used for homes, community centres and to create employment.

3) a National Housing debate on the housing crisis in the media and online.

4) That no  one freeze to death in the winter when there are so many empty buildings. 31,000 people died this year from fuel poverty homed and homeless.

The big six companies energy profits are up 500% in three years to 1 .2 billion.

We call for the renationalisation of the energy companies.

5) Housing is a fundamental human right and property rights should not trump those rights.

6) Solutions to the housing crisis  need to be put into action, all cooperating to make this happen.

To be sent to all MPs, press lists and social media.

Keep networking
Keep networking

Occupy general assembly on housing crisis on Livestream now #olsx

Occupy general assembly on housing crisis on Livestream now #olsx @occupylondon

Antifa solidarity gig fri 29th Camden

ANTIFA Solidarity Gig Friday 29th November, Camden 22:30 - Late. Alex Etchart and SHOT! are headlining followed by DnB, Jungle and Breakcore DJs until the early hours. Save the Party line 07522138061. Suggested donation £3 will go to Antifa Warsaw in light of the armed attacks by fascists on two social centres on the 11th Nov. Please pass this on. See you Friday...

Mike freer mp illegally evicts anti Squat law protest , general assembly 7.30 pm tonight at Margaret thatchers old office 212 ballards lane east finchley network it

Mike freer Mp not wanting any more direct Democracy debates on his doorstep sent in the heavies to evict under old Norman common law, we have more big baillifs than you.bindmans solicitors say its regrettable that top Tory MP did not follow usual legal process, he has taken the law into his own hands. To forcefully evict a peacefull protest.
The protest continues come and support even though you strike us down we will just become more powerfull than they can possibly imagine.come for occupy London General Assembly 212 ballards lane east finchley 7.30 pm tonight on the housing crisis repeal section 144 unjust anti squatting law and housing issues network it far and wide.up from the ashes of eviction u cannot evict an idea mike freer.

Occupy your mp camp at mike freer MPs Tory HQ Margaret thatchers old office 212 ballards illegally evicted 6 am this morning GA on housing tonight here 7.30 pm network it

Occupy your mp camp at mike freer MPs Tory HQ Margaret thatchers old office 212 ballards lane corner of Granville rd. illegally and unlawfully evicted this morning at 6am its regrettable that a Tory MP chose to take the law into his own hands to evict peacefull protestors exercising their democratic rights.the protest continues occupy London general assembly here tonight7.30 pm on the housing crisis, unjust squat law.etc check our Bohemia on Fb or www.squashcampaign.org

Hugh Muir in the guardian diary part 2 on mike and the squatters garden democratic dialogue....(4th section down)

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/27/hugh-muirs-diary-rowan-williams

Spring place resists today thurs 28th @10.30am solidarity

!*Spring Place resists*! Tomorrow (thurs 28th) @ 10.30am, county court bailiffs. Fancy dress competition (if it takes your fancy), breakfast + street performances. Come help us resist this awesome building. 8-9 Spring Place, nw5 3er. Solidarity squat massive!

Pete the temps excellent entertaining,informative and educational,recorded interview at the frontline of the housing crisis debate

https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?feed=//www.mixcloud.com/peterbearder/squatters-occupation-of-mike-freers-mps-office-margaret-thatchers-old-office/&hide_share=1&hide_tracklist=1&hide_cover=1

Evil Standard article on occupy camp at mike n magpies yard network it

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/margaret-thatchers-old-hq-is-targeted-in-protest-at-new-laws-on-squatting-8961814.html?origin=internalSearch

The group have set up camp on the driveway of the office - now used by Conservative MP Mike Freer- and are refusing to leave until he spends a night camping with them.

One of the group of around a dozen activists said they had chosen to target the location because of its history as the birthplace of Thatcherism. 

Dom, 27, who did not give his second name, said: “The Conservative Party has done a lot of harm to this country so this being Margaret Thatcher’s office adds to our reason for being here.” “Mike Freer is partly responsible for the criminalising of squatting while more than one million homes are empty. It used to be a civil matter but now you could face time in jail. It makes it difficult for people to find shelter. Squatting can save people’s lives.”

Another, Daniel Gardonyi, 32, vowed they would stay camped outside the office of the Finchley and Golders Green MP until Mr Freer joined them.

“Mike Freer tried to kick us out. We will stay until he comes and speaks with us and sleeps in a tent to see what it is like, so he can relate to the homeless,” he said.

But Mr Freer called the protest “futile” as he had not been at his constituency office since Friday.

“They arrived on Friday and protested outside my office but they hadn’t worked out I would be in Westminster like every other MP.

“They have rung the buzzer of the office but that’s the sum of all contact. They have a view and I disagree with it. Camping outside my front door is not going to persuade me to change my mind.

“I supported the criminalisation of squatting because it was a big problem in my constituency. I don’t think it was right that hard working families that have saved would come home from holiday or having a house refurbished and would find someone else living in it.”

The activists claimed they had been given verbal permission to camp in the driveway but Mr Freer denied this.

“Initially it was fine but by camping they are intimidating and deterring my constituents from coming to the door. I’m hoping they will see sense and we are considering our next step,” he said.

Baroness Thatcher’s political career officially began when she was elected as MP for Finchley in 1959. She served the constituency throughout her time as Prime Minister and only stepped down two years after leaving Downing Street.

Mrs Angry on the Mike Freer Mp Margaret Thatcher occupy camp .... Hard hitting and hilarious

http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/chickens-coming-home-to-roost-or.html