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Security guard in Tesco Extra Reading roof protest | Security guard in Tesco Extra Reading roof protest |
(35 minutes later) | |
A security guard who claims he was "sacked for no reason" from Tesco has spent the night protesting in the supermarket's roof space. | A security guard who claims he was "sacked for no reason" from Tesco has spent the night protesting in the supermarket's roof space. |
He has been on the girders above the checkouts in Tesco Extra, Reading, for more than 16 hours, live-streaming on Facebook. | |
Shoppers were told to abandon their trolleys and leave the store as he climbed to the roof yelling. | Shoppers were told to abandon their trolleys and leave the store as he climbed to the roof yelling. |
Tesco said it was "assisting police with the matter". | Tesco said it was "assisting police with the matter". |
In his online videos, the man claims he was falsely accused of stealing by the supermarket chain. | |
He said: "If Tesco think I'm going to walk away from this, they've got another thing coming." | |
In the latest video, he says he has been denied water for the past 12 hours and also apologised to shoppers. | |
"Sorry for some of you that are supposed to come here shopping in this store," he said. "It's inconvenient, sorry for that people but it's something I have to do. | |
"I've been protesting for the past six months and they [Tesco] know about it. | |
"Today, Tesco needs to come up here, and explain to me why I lost my job." | |
The man's wife is outside the Portman Road supermarket supporting him. | The man's wife is outside the Portman Road supermarket supporting him. |
She told BBC Berkshire reporter Nick Johnson "he will not be coming down willingly" and they are prepared to "accept the consequences". | She told BBC Berkshire reporter Nick Johnson "he will not be coming down willingly" and they are prepared to "accept the consequences". |
The store's management team is also outside but refusing to comment. | The store's management team is also outside but refusing to comment. |
The protester is understood to be in a long-running dispute with the supermarket and security firm, TSS. | |
He is believed to be the same man seen outside the supermarket for several months with banners. | |
The store was evacuated just after 18:00 BST on Thursday after Thames Valley Police received reports concerning the "welfare of a man". | |
Customers reported being told to abandon their shopping when the man began "yelling" from the ceiling of the store, although they could not understand what he was saying. | Customers reported being told to abandon their shopping when the man began "yelling" from the ceiling of the store, although they could not understand what he was saying. |
A Tesco spokeswoman said the company was still establishing the circumstances of the incident but believed the man had not been directly employed by Tesco but was a member of security staff. | A Tesco spokeswoman said the company was still establishing the circumstances of the incident but believed the man had not been directly employed by Tesco but was a member of security staff. |
A statement said: "We're aware of an incident at our Reading West Extra store and are assisting police with the matter." | A statement said: "We're aware of an incident at our Reading West Extra store and are assisting police with the matter." |
TSS has been contacted for a response. | TSS has been contacted for a response. |