Protesters gathered outside Blacon Police Station after a married mother from Chester was arrested in a dawn raid allegedly because of her involvement in the occupation of an old bank in Liverpool.
Police have now evicted anti-austerity protesters, known as The Love Activists, from Liverpool’s former Bank of England building where, according to campaigners, the woman had apparently helped out with feeding the homeless and making cups of tea.
The Chronicle was contacted by campaigners protesting at Blacon custody suite yesterday lunchtime (Wednesday, May 13) where the 52-year-old mother-of-two was held after being arrested at her Upton home at 5am on suspicion of causing criminal damage.
Joe Boyd, a spokesperson for the anti-austerity group, said the woman’s husband had not been properly informed as to where she was being held. He described her treatment as ‘disgusting’.
“They were banging on the door at 5am saying we don’t want to wake the kids. That’s just clear intimidation and that ‘we can do what we like’. This was a woman who was helping out in an emergency shelter,” he said.
Talking about the occupation, he added: “The whole idea was to highlight homelessness in Liverpool when we’ve got a lot of empty homes. It’s also to highlight that people at the bottom are paying the price for the crisis caused by the bankers when it’s nothing to do with them.”
Newly-elected Upton Labour councillor Matt Bryan, an anti-fracking campaigner, has been involved with the Liverpool protest in the capacity of a legal observer. It is believed the arrested woman is also involved in the Frack Free Dee campaign which is how she met people from other campaign groups.
Merseyside Police spokesman Simon Wood said: “Merseyside Police can confirm that police officers from Cheshire Constabulary arrested a 52-year-old woman from Chester on suspicion of criminal damage. The arrest was done on behalf of Merseyside Police.”
Cheshire Police spokesman Will Harris said: “At around 5am, Cheshire police officers effected an arrest on behalf of our colleagues at Merseyside Police. Subsequently, a small group of protesters gathered outside the custody suite at Blacon. The protest has been conducted peacefully and without incident.”
The Love Activists had been occupying the empty building since mid-April, saying they wanted it to be used as a homeless centre. Some remained despite a civil court eviction order issued on April 28 giving them 24 hours to leave.
Police swooped on the building, up for sale by a private owner through Mason Owen, on Tuesday morning saying they had no option but to forcibly evict the protestors after all attempts to negotiate with the group failed.
A group of five ‘Love Activists’ charged with trespassing at the former bank all pleaded not guilty when they appeared at Liverpool Magistrate’s Court.
A 42-year-old woman was later arrested for obstructing police officers and on suspicion of handling stolen goods.
