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Grow Heathrow squatters to be evicted Grow Heathrow squatters pledge 'peaceful' resistance to bailiffs
(about 2 hours later)
Bailiffs are expected to attempt to evict squatters later from land they are occupying near Heathrow in protest at the airport's expansion. Squatters occupying land near Heathrow in protest at the airport's expansion say they will "peacefully" resist bailiffs.
About 15 families moved onto a derelict site near Sipson in 2010, creating a garden they called Grow Heathrow. About 15 families moved onto a derelict site near Sipson in 2010, creating a garden they call Grow Heathrow.
The land is privately owned and after a lengthy legal battle, the High Court ruled in favour of the owner and ordered the protesters to leave.The land is privately owned and after a lengthy legal battle, the High Court ruled in favour of the owner and ordered the protesters to leave.
They say they will "peacefully resist" the bailiffs. The protesters were due to be evicted on Friday morning.
Paddy Reynolds, a member of Grow Heathrow, said: "We plan to peacefully meet them with a barricade of music and dancing and singing.Paddy Reynolds, a member of Grow Heathrow, said: "We plan to peacefully meet them with a barricade of music and dancing and singing.
"If they were to get past that and go inside the actual site, they'd find there's lots of people there prepared to not very easily be moved from the site, in a very peaceful way.""If they were to get past that and go inside the actual site, they'd find there's lots of people there prepared to not very easily be moved from the site, in a very peaceful way."
'Community asset' BBC London 94.9's reporter Richard Main, who is at the scene, said the owner of the site, Imran Malik, had entered and left the site after taking a letter from local Labour MP John McDonnell.
'Sympathetic' treatment
The MP for Hayes and Harlington has been trying to arrange for the protesters either to buy or rent the land.
Eddy Charles, who has been a resident at the site for one year, said: "The owner and the bailiffs have arrived but I can't imagine they will do anything today now.
"We are not feeling nervous any more. It's been warming to see such great numbers turn up and try and protect this space. I think everyone is feeling very upbeat and empowered."
Earlier protesters had locked the gates and barricaded themselves in, before later opening them.
The local authority, Hillingdon Council, is opposed to the airport's expansion, but its deputy leader David Simmonds said he could not condone any illegal action.The local authority, Hillingdon Council, is opposed to the airport's expansion, but its deputy leader David Simmonds said he could not condone any illegal action.
"We'd like to see them treated sympathetically, and we've been very grateful for the support that they've provided in that local campaign which has helped in the recent past to persuade the government that expansion shouldn't go ahead," he said."We'd like to see them treated sympathetically, and we've been very grateful for the support that they've provided in that local campaign which has helped in the recent past to persuade the government that expansion shouldn't go ahead," he said.
Local Labour MP John McDonnell said he "wholeheartedly" supported them. Mr McDonnell said he "wholeheartedly" supported them.
"These are people who not only helped us fight off the third runway, they've actually occupied a site which would have been the sixth terminal for the expanded Heathrow Airport."These are people who not only helped us fight off the third runway, they've actually occupied a site which would have been the sixth terminal for the expanded Heathrow Airport.
"They've helped us not just in that campaign, but they've become part of the community and they've turned what was a derelict site into a real community asset and they're at the heart of our community.""They've helped us not just in that campaign, but they've become part of the community and they've turned what was a derelict site into a real community asset and they're at the heart of our community."
He added that he was trying to negotiate with Imran Malik, the owner of the site, for the group to be able to rent or buy the land.
BBC London 94.9's reporter Richard Main, who is at the scene, said Mr Malik, had entered and left the site after taking a letter from Mr McDonnell, the MP for Hayes and Harlington, into protesters.