Anarchist group says it ‘will go further’ to see more oligarchs’ properties occupied
THE INDEPENDENT, UK
Squatters have occupied a London mansion owned by a Russian oligarch in protest over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Several activists from the group known as the London Makhnovists took over the luxury townhouse in Belgrave Square on Monday, claiming that it now “belongs to Ukrainian refugees”.
They hung a Ukrainian flag from an upstairs window and unfurled a banner that reads “this property has been liberated”.
Another banner reads: “Putin go f*** yourself.”
The property is owned by Oleg Deripaska, a Russian billionaire industrialist with close links with the British political establishment, who was targeted by government sanctions last week.
Squatters have occupied a London mansion owned by a Russian oligarch in protest over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Several activists from the group known as the London Makhnovists took over the luxury townhouse in Belgrave Square on Monday, claiming that it now “belongs to Ukrainian refugees”.
They hung a Ukrainian flag from an upstairs window and unfurled a banner that reads “this property has been liberated”.
Another banner reads: “Putin go f*** yourself.”
The property is owned by Oleg Deripaska, a Russian billionaire industrialist with close links with the British political establishment, who was targeted by government sanctions last week.
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He was described as “a prominent Russian businessman and pro-Kremlin oligarch”, who is “closely associated” with both the Russian government and Putin.
Anarchist activists speaking from the balcony of 5 Belgrave Square
(Lamiat Sabin)
The house at 5 Belgrave Square was worth £25 million back in 2002, and is one of the many UK properties in Deripaska’s property portfolio – having been owned via an offshore British Virgin Islands company.
When The Independent asked the activists how long they plan to be at the property, one of the squatters shouted from the balcony: “Until Putin stops the war.”
The group is named after the 1917 Ukrainian anarchist movement known as the Makhnovists, that was led by Nestor Ivanovich Makhno.
In response to the The Independent asking how they entered the house, the activist joked that the “ghost of Nestor Makhno manifested itself and opened the door.”
The area cordoned off while six police vans are parked outside the house
(Lamiat Sabin / The Independent)
The activists described their group as a “property liberation front”, and are demanding that properties of oligarchs are seized to house refugees.
One of the activists vowed to “go further” to occupy properties – adding “no more oligarchs’ mansions!”
They also said: “Do we want to live in a society that protects mansions of oligarchs, or that houses refugees?”
Government website for Ukraine sponsorship goesdown within minutes of going live
A passer-by was overheard saying: “Good for them. F*** Putin.”
Later, the Met Police said they searched the mansion and are “satisfied” that no protesters are inside – adding that four men are still sitting on the edge of a balcony.
In a statement, police said: “We continue to engage with those on the balcony as we balance the need for enforcement with the safety of all involved.”
Police officers in riot gear enter Oleg Deripaska’s mansion
(REUTERS)
An activist accused police of “restricting the protest” and claimed that “the only thing standing in the way of refugees being housed is the police”.
Officers had cordoned off part of the street in the area where embassies of many countries are located.
Officers at the scene declined to answer reporters’ questions.
Six police vans were outside the property, including those of the Metropolitan Police’s Territorial Support Group
He was described as “a prominent Russian businessman and pro-Kremlin oligarch”, who is “closely associated” with both the Russian government and Putin.
Anarchist activists speaking from the balcony of 5 Belgrave Square
(Lamiat Sabin)
The house at 5 Belgrave Square was worth £25 million back in 2002, and is one of the many UK properties in Deripaska’s property portfolio – having been owned via an offshore British Virgin Islands company.
When The Independent asked the activists how long they plan to be at the property, one of the squatters shouted from the balcony: “Until Putin stops the war.”
The group is named after the 1917 Ukrainian anarchist movement known as the Makhnovists, that was led by Nestor Ivanovich Makhno.
In response to the The Independent asking how they entered the house, the activist joked that the “ghost of Nestor Makhno manifested itself and opened the door.”
The area cordoned off while six police vans are parked outside the house
(Lamiat Sabin / The Independent)
The activists described their group as a “property liberation front”, and are demanding that properties of oligarchs are seized to house refugees.
One of the activists vowed to “go further” to occupy properties – adding “no more oligarchs’ mansions!”
They also said: “Do we want to live in a society that protects mansions of oligarchs, or that houses refugees?”
Government website for Ukraine sponsorship goesdown within minutes of going liveA passer-by was overheard saying: “Good for them. F*** Putin.”
Later, the Met Police said they searched the mansion and are “satisfied” that no protesters are inside – adding that four men are still sitting on the edge of a balcony.
In a statement, police said: “We continue to engage with those on the balcony as we balance the need for enforcement with the safety of all involved.”
Police officers in riot gear enter Oleg Deripaska’s mansion
(REUTERS)
An activist accused police of “restricting the protest” and claimed that “the only thing standing in the way of refugees being housed is the police”.
Officers had cordoned off part of the street in the area where embassies of many countries are located.
Officers at the scene declined to answer reporters’ questions.
Six police vans were outside the property, including those of the Metropolitan Police’s Territorial Support Group
.
Metropolitan Police Territorial Support Group watching over the property
(Jonathan Brady/PA)
In a statement, the Met Police said officers were called to the property at 1am on Monday, and found that “a number of people had gained entry and hung banners from upstairs windows”.
The anarchists said, in a statement, that they had taken over the mansion “in protest against Putin and his world” and wanted to show solidary with Ukrainians whose lives are devastated by the invasion.
In Ukraine, about 600 civilians have been killed – according to the United Nations, more than 2.5 million people have been forced to flee, and Russian troops’ bombardments have destroyed infrastructure and homes across the country in the invasion launched on 24 February.
A university in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on fire – allegedly caused by Russian troops’ shelling
(Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)
“This mansion belongs to a Russian oligarch, complicit in Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” the squatters said in a statement.
They said the residence would “serve as a centre for refugee support, for Ukrainians and people of all nations and ethnicities”
Metropolitan Police Territorial Support Group watching over the property
(Jonathan Brady/PA)
In a statement, the Met Police said officers were called to the property at 1am on Monday, and found that “a number of people had gained entry and hung banners from upstairs windows”.
The anarchists said, in a statement, that they had taken over the mansion “in protest against Putin and his world” and wanted to show solidary with Ukrainians whose lives are devastated by the invasion.
In Ukraine, about 600 civilians have been killed – according to the United Nations, more than 2.5 million people have been forced to flee, and Russian troops’ bombardments have destroyed infrastructure and homes across the country in the invasion launched on 24 February.
A university in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on fire – allegedly caused by Russian troops’ shelling
(Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)
“This mansion belongs to a Russian oligarch, complicit in Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” the squatters said in a statement.
They said the residence would “serve as a centre for refugee support, for Ukrainians and people of all nations and ethnicities”
.
This map shows the extent of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
(Press Association Images)
While the activists occupied the house, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan repeated his call for some oligarch-owned London properties – that he called “gold bricks used to launder money” – to be used for housing displaced Ukrainians.
“I think the government should be seizing them, and before selling them – because they’ll take some time – they should be using them to house those Ukrainians who are fleeing Ukraine, who we’ll be offering a safe haven in London,” he told Times Radio.
“It’s a form of poetic justice, but also it’s a good use of these many, many empty properties sitting across London simply with dust being gathered inside rather than them being used to house people who need homes.”
Over the weekend, housing secretary Michael Gove said the government wants to “explore” the option of using sanctioned oligarchs’ properties to house Ukrainian refugees.
The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015.
Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered.
To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.
This map shows the extent of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
(Press Association Images)
While the activists occupied the house, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan repeated his call for some oligarch-owned London properties – that he called “gold bricks used to launder money” – to be used for housing displaced Ukrainians.
“I think the government should be seizing them, and before selling them – because they’ll take some time – they should be using them to house those Ukrainians who are fleeing Ukraine, who we’ll be offering a safe haven in London,” he told Times Radio.
“It’s a form of poetic justice, but also it’s a good use of these many, many empty properties sitting across London simply with dust being gathered inside rather than them being used to house people who need homes.”
Over the weekend, housing secretary Michael Gove said the government wants to “explore” the option of using sanctioned oligarchs’ properties to house Ukrainian refugees.
The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015.
Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered.
To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.
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