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Topshop's flagship London store hit by tax protest Topshop's flagship London store hit by tax protest
(40 minutes later)
Campaigners protesting against tax avoidance by big business have taken over Topshop's flagship branch and forced it to close temporarily. Campaigners protesting against big business tax avoidance have taken over Topshop's flagship branch and forced it to close temporarily.
Activists targeted the Oxford Street store in London and other UK branches, including Glasgow and Birmingham.Activists targeted the Oxford Street store in London and other UK branches, including Glasgow and Birmingham.
The London protest started at 1100 GMT when protesters started blowing whistles and chanting.The London protest started at 1100 GMT when protesters started blowing whistles and chanting.
Topshop boss Sir Philip Green has been criticised because his wife, the firm's direct owner, lives in a tax haven.Topshop boss Sir Philip Green has been criticised because his wife, the firm's direct owner, lives in a tax haven.
No-one from Topshop's parent company Arcadia was available for comment.No-one from Topshop's parent company Arcadia was available for comment.
'Direct action''Direct action'
Protest organisers UK Uncut have been providing updates on Twitter and they claim more stores have been forced to shut. Protest organisers UK Uncut have been providing updates on Twitter where they claim more stores were forced to shut for a time.
Many campaigners were forcibly removed from the Oxford Street branch by private security guards and police. Campaigners were forcibly removed from the Oxford Street branch by private security guards and police.
In Birmingham, a protest at Topshop's store in the Bullring lasted 30 minutes, before campaigners were ejected by security guards.
Police in Brighton made 14 arrests in the city's Topshop, where protesters glued themselves to the store's windows.
Topshop owner Sir Philip is one of the UK's most successful retailers.Topshop owner Sir Philip is one of the UK's most successful retailers.
With a personal fortune of more than £4bn, he owns the Arcadia Group, whose fashion chains include Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Miss Selfridge.With a personal fortune of more than £4bn, he owns the Arcadia Group, whose fashion chains include Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans and Miss Selfridge.
His wife Tina is the direct owner of Arcadia, and she is officially a resident of Monaco. This enabled her to gain a tax-free £1.2bn dividend in 2005.His wife Tina is the direct owner of Arcadia, and she is officially a resident of Monaco. This enabled her to gain a tax-free £1.2bn dividend in 2005.
Speaking in August about the tax status of his wife, Sir Philip told the BBC: "My wife's not a tax exile - my family do not live in the United Kingdom, it's somewhat different.
"We do pay all our tax in Britain. I think we have paid over the last five years some £300-400m in taxes on profits that have been made on our company.
"I'm a UK taxpayer, I work here every week, we employ 45,000 people in the UK and we have got a £500m payroll."
Earlier this year, Sir Philip was appointed by the government to look into Whitehall efficiency and he produced a report which described "staggering" wastage.
Other companies
UK Uncut says it organised action in 23 towns and cities on Saturday, with Arcadia its main target, along with other companies such as Boots, HSBC, Barclays and Vodafone.
Activist Benjamin Neem, 30, said: "Philip Green is a multi-billionaire tax avoider, and yet is regarded by David Cameron as an appropriate man to advise the government on austerity.
"His missing millions need to be reclaimed and invested into public services, not into his wife's bank account."
Rebecca Davies, 32, said reclaiming unpaid tax was an alternative to the government's planned cuts.
"The tax gap in the UK is an estimated £120bn, £25bn of this down to tax avoidance by extremely wealthy individuals and big business, while the government is barely lifting a finger to stop it," she said.
Saturday's action follows similar protests in October when UK Uncut picketed entrances to Vodafone, which has also been accused of avoiding tax payments.