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Shoreditch Cereal Killer Cafe targeted by anti-gentrification protesters Shoreditch Cereal Killer Cafe targeted by anti-gentrification protesters
(35 minutes later)
The owner of an east London “cereal cafe” has described his terror at being targeted by a group of anti-gentrification protesters who daubed the word “scum” on the cafe’s window. The owners of an east London “cereal cafe” havedescribed their terror at being targeted by a group of anti-gentrification protesters who daubed the word “scum” on the cafe’s window.
Alan Keery, who with his brother Gary owns Cereal Killer Cafe in Shoreditch – which has been seen by some as a symbol of inequality in east London – described an “angry mob with torches and pigs’ heads” that gathered outside the building on Saturday evening. Alan and Gary Keery, who own Cereal Killer Cafe in Shoreditch – which has been seen by some as a symbol of inequality in east London – described how an angry mob with torches and pigs’ heads gathered outside their business on Saturday evening.
Footage of the attack filmed from inside the shop and obtained by the Guardian shows a large group of masked protesters shouting outside the shopfront. One man daubs graffiti on the window while another is seen holding a burning stick.
Tonight we were attacked with paint and fire by an angry mob of 200. Riot police are on the scene. pic.twitter.com/GPXLmyMmuNTonight we were attacked with paint and fire by an angry mob of 200. Riot police are on the scene. pic.twitter.com/GPXLmyMmuN
Police said one officer had suffered a minor facial injury as a result of a flying bottle and that one person had been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage during the protests, which took place over a large area of the E2 postcode.Police said one officer had suffered a minor facial injury as a result of a flying bottle and that one person had been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage during the protests, which took place over a large area of the E2 postcode.
Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Keery said: “There were children there – they were terrified. The staff were absolutely terrified. It was an angry mob throwing paint at the windows. They had torches and pigs’ heads. Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Alan said: “There were children there – they were terrified. The staff were absolutely terrified. It was an angry mob throwing paint at the windows. They had torches and pigs’ heads.”
“There were people shouting about gentrification and taking back east London. They’d brought cereal and they were throwing it at the shop.” Gary told the Guardian on Sunday morning: “It’s senseless violence, isn’t it? We’ve had some letters through the letterbox saying ‘die hipsters’ and stuff but nothing to this extreme. It just doesn’t make sense. According to Twitter it was a 1,000-strong crowd that were walking around.
“It was just us that was targeted - it wasn’t as if they were walking past and just happened to stumble upon us. They were deliberately coming here, throwing cereal and shouting ‘gentrification’, ‘anarchy’.”
Alan described how customers barricaded the cafe door closed when the disturbance started, but they then had to be moved downstairs for their own safety.
When police cleared the protesters staff took shelter in the Dark Sugars Chocolates store next door. “These staff are just here to work. There’s customers in and they’re terrified for their lives,” he said.
Related: Can the Cereal Killer cafe, which sells only cereal, really make a killing?Related: Can the Cereal Killer cafe, which sells only cereal, really make a killing?
The cereal café has sparked controversy since its opening in December last year. The brothers were forced to defend their prices after a Channel 4 interviewer asked whether local people could afford £3.20 for a bowl of cereal. Alan said the protesters managed to break into the cafe, throwing a smoke or paint bomb into the hallway and hurling cereal and furniture inside the shop. “If they really believe in the protest, why are they covering their face while they’re doing it? Why are they wearing pig masks?
But Keery said he thought the attacks were “an absolute joke”. He added: “We’re a small business. There’s other big chain places around Shoreditch – me and my brother started a business out of absolutely nothing and we’re trying to grow it. “It’s not just the fact that someone threw paint on the windows - there’s more of a deep-rooted issue that needs to be looked at. You need to look at why they’re attacking us.”
The cereal cafe has sparked controversy since its opening in December last year. The Keery brothers were forced to defend their prices after a Channel 4 interviewer asked whether local people could afford £3.20 for a bowl of cereal.
Gary dismissed the suggestion that his business had become a symbol of east London gentrification: “There’s another Pret at the top of the street here and that wasn’t targeted. We’re an independent business, we’ve got two shops, we’ve only been open months,” he said.
“If you want to talk about gentrification and different classes, you don’t go about attacking independent businesses who are putting their whole life on the line to open a business - you go to the conglomerates and big companies.”
Whatever happened in Shoreditch tonight is making my life exceedingly difficult pic.twitter.com/g2jXaEVpJuWhatever happened in Shoreditch tonight is making my life exceedingly difficult pic.twitter.com/g2jXaEVpJu
“We’re being targeted as the poster boys of gentrification and that’s not our fault. I can’t agree with what they’re doing, the way they are dealing with gentrification. It feels like it’s been taken back to the dark ages – an angry mob with fire – it’s a bit of a witch-hunt. There’s paint thrown at the front and they tried to break the windows. Saturday’s protest was advertised on Facebook as the third “Fuck Parade”, and was apparently organised by the anarchist group Class War. The event page stated: “Our communities are being ripped apart – by Russian oligarchs, Saudi Sheiks, Israeli scumbag property developers, Texan oil-money twats and our own home-grown Eton toffs. Local authorities are coining it in, in a short sighted race for cash by ‘regenerating’ social housing.
“They were trying to bash the door down – the customers had to barricade the door.”
The protest was advertised on Facebook as the third “Fuck Parade”, and was apparently organised by the anarchist group Class War. The event page stated: “Our communities are being ripped apart – by Russian oligarchs, Saudi Sheiks, Israeli scumbag property developers, Texan oil-money twats and our own home-grown Eton toffs. Local authorities are coining it in, in a short sighted race for cash by ‘regenerating’ social housing.
Anti-gentrification tonight in Shoreditch #FuckParade #classwar pic.twitter.com/qK9IWnh5kpAnti-gentrification tonight in Shoreditch #FuckParade #classwar pic.twitter.com/qK9IWnh5kp
“We don’t want luxury flats that no one can afford, we want genuinely affordable housing. We don’t want pop-up gin bars or brioche buns - we want community.”“We don’t want luxury flats that no one can afford, we want genuinely affordable housing. We don’t want pop-up gin bars or brioche buns - we want community.”
A Twitter account that appeared to be live-tweeting the protest shared a picture of the café with the words: “Cereal cafe. £5 for cereal when people are starving. Fuck gentrification. Fuck cutesy boutiques and coffee shops. Homes for everyone.”A Twitter account that appeared to be live-tweeting the protest shared a picture of the café with the words: “Cereal cafe. £5 for cereal when people are starving. Fuck gentrification. Fuck cutesy boutiques and coffee shops. Homes for everyone.”
The Met Police said it had arrested one person in relation to the incident. In a statement, the force said: “On Saturday, 26 September, police officers dealt with disorder arising from a pre-planned even in the Shoreditch area. Scotland Yard said it had arrested one person in relation to the incident. In a statement, the Met said: “On Saturday 26 September, police officers dealt with disorder arising from a pre-planned even in the Shoreditch area.
Due to an impromptu demo, Old Street Roundabout is currently blocked. Expect delays on all approaches. pic.twitter.com/qyRszSWJ68Due to an impromptu demo, Old Street Roundabout is currently blocked. Expect delays on all approaches. pic.twitter.com/qyRszSWJ68
“From around 8pm, a criminal element within a group of several hundred people threw missiles and caused criminal damage to shops and other businesses in and around Brick Lane, E2. The group continued to move around the Shoreditch and Brick Lane area until around 12.30am on Sunday 27 September.“One officer suffered a minor injury to his face as a result of a bottle thrown. One person has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.”“From around 8pm, a criminal element within a group of several hundred people threw missiles and caused criminal damage to shops and other businesses in and around Brick Lane, E2. The group continued to move around the Shoreditch and Brick Lane area until around 12.30am on Sunday 27 September.“One officer suffered a minor injury to his face as a result of a bottle thrown. One person has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.”
On its website, the cafe is described as the UK’s first speciality cereal cafe. “We are obsessed with everything cereal. We sell over 120 different types of cereal from around the world, if we can source it, we will sell it. To create the perfect bowl of cereal you can choose from 30 different varieties of milk and 20 different toppings.”On its website, the cafe is described as the UK’s first speciality cereal cafe. “We are obsessed with everything cereal. We sell over 120 different types of cereal from around the world, if we can source it, we will sell it. To create the perfect bowl of cereal you can choose from 30 different varieties of milk and 20 different toppings.”