Exclusive: Squatters take over former Hackney Central police station

Occupied: the now-closed Hackney Central Police Station. Photograph: Hackney Citizen

Squatters have moved into the former Hackney Central police station – in an act they say is not a political statement, but which perhaps betrays a healthy sense of irony.

The squatters are understood to have moved in around two weeks ago, and a “small group” of them are now living there.

The Hackney Citizen reported last month that the police station had been sold for £7.6m for use as a free school, after closing its doors in July last year.

When the Hackney Citizen visited the police station on Thursday evening the paper was greeted by two of the occupiers and a couple of excitable dogs.

The squatters were bringing a trunk into the building.

Most of the building’s windows and doors are boarded up, but windows on some of the upper floors were open and lights could be seen inside.

A notice stuck to the front of the building stated that the building was under occupation, and that laws against the squatting of residential buildings did not apply.

‘Not political’

In a statement to the Hackney Citizen, the squatters said that a small group of occupiers had moved into the police station as they were currently homeless.

They said that they did not regard themselves to be activists. “This is not a ‘political occupation’,” the statement said.

“Rather, as long-term Hackney residents, [we] have been forced to occupy this disused building because [we] have little if no access to affordable housing in Hackney.”

The squatters said that they were seeking to come to an agreement with the building’s owners to use it as a living space until it was needed for further development.

The Hackney Citizen understands that the squatters are unconnected to the group who took over 195 Mare Street last year. They have previously squatted elsewhere in Hackney, however.

Looking out: squatter on a balcony. Photograph: Hackney Citizen

Civil matter

It is not known whether civil proceedings have begun to evict the squatters.

Squatting of residential buildings was criminalised in 2012, but squatting of non-residential properties remains a civil matter.

In the statement from the occupiers, one squatter expressed concern about the trend towards squatting being treated as a criminal offence.

“If anybody were to speak to us they would quickly see that we are not criminals. We just need somewhere to live. We wish to be good neighbours and to look after the property while we are here,” they said.

The issue is understood to have been reported to the Metropolitan Police, who are thought to have advised people who contacted them that it must be treated as a civil matter.

The former Hackney Central Police Station, before it closed last July

Free school

The building was bought last month by the Education Funding Agency, for use by the Olive School – a free school currently based in temporary accommodation in Stoke Newington.

Neither the free school trust nor the Education Funding Agency could be reached for comment by the time of publication.

Speaking last month, Julie Bradley, Executive Head at the Olive School, said she was “honoured” to have acquired the site, which is Grade II listed in part.

“It’s a historic building, treasured by the local community…We feel incredibly honoured that we’re able to take over that history,” she said.

The Met Police had also not responded to a request for comment as the story was published.

Update: this article was amended at 11.20am Wednesday 23 April 2014. The story originally stated that the squatters were bringing what appeared to be an amplifier into the building. The squatters have since told the Hackney Citizen that it was in fact a trunk.