Brixton protesters smash up shop front

Evening Standard/LondonProtesters have smashed into Foxtons and stormed Lambeth Town Hall after a “reclaim Brixton” demonstration turned ugly yesterday.Vandals destroyed the shop front of the Brixton branch of Foxtons while some stormed the town hall before being ejected by police.More than 1,000 people had taken part in a peaceful demonstration earlier this afternoon along Brixton Road before gathering in Windrush Square.Anna McKie, 27, news editor of Brixton Blog who was on the scene, said: “They completely smashed one of the windows at Foxtons and police are guarding it now.“They have written ‘yuppies out’ on the window which isn’t smashed.“People stormed the town hall and got inside.”She added: “It was such a nice vibe earlier and now it’s not. There are lots of angry people. I don’t think anybody was expecting there to be smashed windows.“People are grumbling about how bad it will make Brixton look, but then there are a lot of people who are still chanting outside Foxtons.”The event had been organised by residents who fear being driven out by soaring rents and property prices and rapid development in Brixton, which has led to social housing evictions on local estates.Jack Dean, 29, from Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth, said: “We were all at the town hall, outside the front.“Some people started to move round the back of the town hall and I think quite a lot of them made it in.”“I did not see [the Foxton’s window] being smashed but by the time I got there it was shattered.”Dean argued that the property damage has to be “put in context”.He added: “If that level of disruption and damage incenses you then what about the eviction of hundreds of people from their homes, which can often be quite violent?”Police are currently on the scene and have arrested one man on suspicion of criminal damage.A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At approximately 3.15pm a group from the demonstration gained access to Brixton Town Hall. Officers entered the building and the protesters were removed. There were no arrests.“A group of protesters then made their way to Brixton Road where the window of a commercial premises was smashed and graffiti sprayed on the building.”