The UK´s most recent scandal is about an old and almost epic battle: the battle against homelessness. A group of homeless planned a Christmas lunch for other homeless, but unfortunately they were not able to carry on with their plan as they expected. Bailiffs were quickly sent in to interrupt what was called "an activist take-over of private property". The true story however is, as always, much more complex than just that.
First, the original headlines made it look as if the activists took by force the building or as if some form of violence was used.
However, the truth is that the building was completely abandoned and has been abandoned for some time. The building is a Victorian five-story construction that used to be a bank before it got closed down. Homeless only had to walk in.
The scandal began (and the headlines began to appear) when Bailiffs prevented the homeless to serve lunch for the homeless. Before they entered the building, Love Activists asked for donations like food, tools and other objects that would be needed to cook and serve the food for the lunch they had in mind. People received their proposal well and many donations were made, enough to give the homeless a good meal and even some clothes to keep themselves warm. When activists and homeless were asked to leave without serving lunch and ruining what they have planned, two of them resisted and began to protest from the balcony of the building.
That is when the "take-over" began. Short after, a judge gave them permission to serve their lunch and then peacefully leave. However, the second the two activists remaining in the building walked away from the balcony, they were arrested and no one was allowed back in the abandoned building.
Homeless were forced to serve an uncooked, cold meal to their peers. Activists did not hold back anything and commented on "how wrong the whole homeless situation is and how bad it is being handled". They made emphasis on the fact that there are nearly 10 times more empty buildings than homeless, yet the homeless remain homeless and the empty buildings remain empty. The homelessness issue is quite delicate and probably has not been addressed properly, perhaps because they are seen as second-class citizens. This misconception keeps getting in the way, even when homeless plan a Christmas lunch for other homeless.
