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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 took 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 where they claim more stores were forced to shut for a time. | Protest organisers UK Uncut have been providing updates on Twitter where they claim more stores were forced to shut for a time. |
| 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. | 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 16 arrests in the city, where protesters glued themselves to the windows of a Topshop store. | |
| 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. | 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. | "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." | "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. | 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 | 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. | 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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | "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. | Saturday's action follows similar protests in October when UK Uncut picketed entrances to Vodafone, which has also been accused of avoiding tax payments. |