Palestine campaigners accuse council of ‘carelessly’ dismantling protest camp – along with tents belonging to homeless people

The camp was set up on 10 May and dismantled on 9 July. Photograph: Hackney Citizen

Pro-Palestinian campaigners have criticised Hackney Council for “carelessly” dismantling their camp outside the Town Hall – along with a number of tents belonging to homeless people.

The protesters said tents and people’s personal belongings were taken by enforcement officers without warning and bundled into removal vans.

They said they made clear to the officers that many of the tents were being used by homeless people “who had temporarily vacated the site to avoid noise from the protest”.

The incident happened after a pensions committee meeting on 9 July – which the campers had previously announced would be the final date of their two-month-long protest.

A camp member told the Citizen that it was assumed the council would understand that this meant until midnight, and that protesters would be able to dismantle the camp themselves.

Instead, campers said tents were damaged when they were “torn carelessly from the ground” and thrown into “waste disposal vans”.

“Despite repeated requests, no evidence was provided for the legal grounds for the eviction,” they added.

A Hackney Council spokesperson refuted any accusations of it carrying out an illegal eviction: “This is not true. No-one has been evicted.

“The camp left of its own accord, which it announced on social media and was reported in the Hackney Citizen.

“We are storing belongings that weren’t claimed for people to collect.

“Our outreach workers are supporting those who are homeless to find accommodation and get support via the Greenhouse Homeless Hub.”

Prior to the camp’s end date, protesters said they stressed to the council that “houseless people, many of whom are vulnerable, had been camping alongside us for months and were still residing there”.

They added: “In response to this, we received an email on 8 July from [enforcement team leader] Gavin Avey-Hebditch noting that the council would attempt to ‘identify the homeless persons who are in greatest need of support’.

But they said “there was no mention or warning of eviction on the 9 July”.

When the camp was being dismantled, an officer was said to have told protesters: “Just give [the homeless occupants] a call and tell them to come and claim [their belongings] now.”

“It was so out of touch,” a camp member told the Citizen. “So many of the rough sleepers don’t have phones.”

Campers were told items would be taken to a local depot and stored for seven days.

“Officers initially stated the depot was open 24/7, then it was 9am-5pm from Monday-Friday, and later we finally discovered it is only open for 30 minutes every weekday,” they said.

“This move was actively hostile towards both the houseless community and the Palestine protesters present.”

After the camp was dismantled, Hackney Mayor Caroline Woodley said in a statement: “We are now in the process of cleaning the Town Hall Square and carrying out any work needed to return it to its use as a public space.

“A number of homeless people had also been sleeping rough as part of the encampment in the Town Hall Square. Council outreach staff have been in contact with them to offer support.

“In Hackney, we support peaceful protest and are committed to ensuring that a range of voices are heard.

“As a council, we are committed to peace and earlier this year called on the government to do everything in its power to bring about a ceasefire.

“We recognise that many in our communities have been personally affected by the ongoing crisis in Israel and Gaza, which has caused immense distress, fear and anger among Hackney residents.

“Our horror at the loss of life and the far-reaching impact of the conflict remains undiminished.

“We will continue to engage with local residents and community representatives, do all we can to maintain cohesion, and ensure that Hackney is no place for hate.”

The campers had been calling for the council’s pension fund to divest its holdings in Elbit, an Israeli arms company. They also want the borough’s twinning arrangement with the Israeli town of Haifa to be scrapped.

They are now considering a change in tactics after ending the camp protest, and left a message in chalk outside the Town Hall: ‘To be continued.’