Today, a rabble of around 150 people tore down sections of the 8ft-tall spiked fence surrounding the Aylesbury occupation and other blocks of flats on the West of the estate.

Today was also the day the court hearing for a possession order to evict the occupation. So predictable is the outcome of the legal process, that no-one bothered to pay Southwark Council’s third possession order any attention. Instead they opted for direct action.

The 700m ‘Aylesbury Alcatraz’ fence was hastily erected as a response to the successive occupations of three blocks of flats on the ‘First Development Site’. First in line to be demolished, this area is now largely depopulated. Yet the remaining tenants have been forced to live in the fortress-like conditions, with a large 24 hour security presence and long detours to a single gate in order to be let in and out.

With few cops in sight, a sound system and a lot of energy, the demo set out around 7pm from Burgess Park and headed towards the occupation. Ropes were thrown over the metal spikes and, with some collective strength, down they came – exposing nervous-looking security guards in the enclosure. After a few scuffles, the mob moved on. A window of a cop van was put through. Another fence was targeted – the whole section came down. The crowd moved to the south side again, individually tearing down steel sections of fencing, before calling it a day. By this point, more cops were amassing and the objective had been achieved.

In the words of the occupiers: “The fences are down! Victory to Aylesbury! Even if we lose in court, we win in the streets!”

http://rabble.org.uk/mob-pulls-down-140000-aylesbury-fence/