Foxtons found itself targeted once again this week by protesters, when housing activists occupied a branch in Hackney, London.
Members of Reclaim Hackney, who had been celebrating a victory when the local council was forced to withdraw a public space protection order aimed at stamping out anti-social behaviour in certain public places, held a “short and peaceful occupation” inside Foxtons.
Reclaim Hackney member Barry Watt told the Hackney Citizen: “The aim was to celebrate the repeal of the pernicious PSPO by Hackney Council, whilst continuing to highlight the devastating effects of rampant regeneration to our borough.
“The short occupation of Foxtons aimed to draw attention to their aggressive business practices – driving house prices up to ludicrous and unsustainable levels, ripping off renters and making Hackney and the rest of London unaffordable and unwelcoming to all but the wealthy.”
Reclaim Hackney said it would continue to campaign against gentrification and focus on the role of property developers and local authorities in the “relentless trend towards disenfranchising working class people in Hackney”.
Earlier this year Reclaim Brixton protested about gentrification of their area at Foxtons in Brixton, with a window being smashed in the process.
Foxtons declined to comment on the latest demonstration.
Separately, plans by Foxtons to open a new branch in a former pub, the Elephant and Castle, in Southwark, could be stalled. The local council has stepped in to have it listed as a community asset – which means that Foxtons will have to apply for planning permission for a change of use.
Comments (5)
These lot seem to be in the news every other week about “Reclaiming Brixton or Hackney” be it peaceful demos, noisy demos, sit ins, theft and destruction on sales boards and they always seem to target Foxtons. Many other agents work in these locations but why single Foxtons out? verging on harassment in my opinion.
Meanwhile, longstanding residents of the area aka ‘The Community’ quietly sell up at huge profit and slip off to drive up house prices in the South West. Everyone wins. Sort of.
Very good points from you and ray comer. By calling themselves “Reclaim Hackney” are they suggesting that they should evict those who live there and steal their homes (that they have paid for) for themselves?
They probably think they can change a whole lot of things but what hasn’t occurred to them is that a) it won’t change squat, and b) most people won’t take it seriously.
If they really want to make a change in the borough then they need to embrace politics not anarchy.
Can anyone tell me what the protesters think they can change by carrying out these protests?