RBS building squatters allowed in 'to serve Christmas dinner to the homeless'

Most activists were evicted when bailiffs arrived with a court order earlier in the week

Squatting protesters take over former RBS office. (London Live)

Squatters at a former RBS building claimed a small victory yesterday, after a high court judge ordered that they should be allowed back into provide food and shelter for homeless people.

Calling themselves the ‘Love Activists’, the group took over the building earlier in the week with the intention to serve free Christmas dinners as part of a protest over London’s housing crisis.

Most were evicted when bailiffs arrived with a court order earlier in the week. However two – a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman - refused to leave and staged a protest on a balcony.

On Wednesday evening a high court judge amended the injunction evicting them, and announced the decision to allow them to re-enter solely for the purpose of "preparation, serving and participation in a festive Christmas lunch for homeless people" on Christmas Day.

Despite the court order the police were continuing to bar the activists from re-entering the building on Wednesday night, with about 20 people remaining on the pavement outside.

About 50 protesters – including some who said they were homeless – turned up at the pavement below to support the occupation with chants of “homes not banks”. The standoff was mostly peaceful, but police officers at one point scuffled with a protester who tried to push back their barriers.

Banners outside the office read: "We want our money back". Occupiers were encouraging locals to use the building as a community centre open to all groups to hold meetings and workshops.