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| Topshop's flagship London store hit by tax protest | Topshop's flagship London store hit by tax protest |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Campaigners against tax avoidance by big business forced Topshop's flagship store to close temporarily as they took action in 21 towns and cities. | |
| They blew whistles and chanted at the Oxford Street store, while in Brighton some glued their hands to windows. | They blew whistles and chanted at the Oxford Street store, while in Brighton some glued their hands to windows. |
| Topshop boss Sir Philip Green's wife, the firm's direct owner, has been criticised for living in a tax haven. | Topshop boss Sir Philip Green's wife, the firm's direct owner, has been criticised for living in a tax haven. |
| UK Uncut says Topshop's parent firm Arcadia was its main target. Nobody from either company has commented. | UK Uncut says Topshop's parent firm Arcadia was its main target. Nobody from either company has commented. |
| Protest organiser UK Uncut said it also targeting Boots, HSBC, Barclays and Vodafone. | Protest organiser UK Uncut said it also targeting Boots, HSBC, Barclays and Vodafone. |
| 'Direct action' | 'Direct action' |
| 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. |
| In Brighton, where police made 18 arrests, eight demonstrators superglued themselves to the inside of the shop's windows. | In Brighton, where police made 18 arrests, eight demonstrators superglued themselves to the inside of the shop's windows. |
| Sussex Police say they were all arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass, plus one for assault. | Sussex Police say they were all arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass, plus one for assault. |
| Nine others were arrested outside for public order offences, and one for possession of a bladed article, police added. | Nine others were arrested outside for public order offences, and one for possession of a bladed article, police added. |
| Meanwhile, some 30 protesters also targeted a Vodafone store and a Topshop in Oxford, UK Uncut said. | Meanwhile, some 30 protesters also targeted a Vodafone store and a Topshop in Oxford, UK Uncut said. |
| Smaller-scale protests were staged in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leicester, York, Bristol, Portsmouth, Southampton and Cambridge. | Smaller-scale protests were staged in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leicester, York, Bristol, Portsmouth, Southampton and Cambridge. |
| Other companies | Other companies |
| 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. |
| But one female shopper in London, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't care what they are protesting about. They purposely picked this weekend to cause as much inconvenience as possible. | But one female shopper in London, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't care what they are protesting about. They purposely picked this weekend to cause as much inconvenience as possible. |
| "People are desperately trying to do Christmas shopping. This is my only free weekend and I can't go to the one place I wanted to." | "People are desperately trying to do Christmas shopping. This is my only free weekend and I can't go to the one place I wanted to." |
| 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. |
| 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. |