Is "gentrification" Worth Protesting In This Way?

[AB Editor]

If, indeed, you think it is worth protesting at all.

A march to protest the gentrification of areas like Hackney and Shoreditch culminated in an attack on a trendy "Cereal Cafe".

They make a good point about international money swallowing up chunks of housing in "up-and-coming" areas of London. But is a march like this going to upset the ex-KGB member who is hiding his money in the bricks of London, or the shiek who needs another garage for his lamborghinis?

Or is it just going to annoy the people who are currently able to live in the area?

"Cereal Killer café customer 'terrified' as angry mob 'threatened to break down door' during Shoreditch anti-gentrification protest"

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/shoreditch-antigentrification-protest-cereal-caf-customer-terrified-as-angry-mob-threatened-to-break-a2956521.html

[andy-hughes]

It does appear to be a pointless attack on people who are in the fortunate position of being able to live in a nice area.

The increase in property prices in the capital is not new - and the spread of up-market properly development into previously poorer areas such as Hackney and Brixton is simply a feature of that spread.

The notion of physically attacking buildings because you resent the income of the people inside seems utterly pointless, and does nothing to the reputation of 'class warriors' as they style themselves, except brand them as mindless violent thugs.

There are ways to protest about the fact that property prices are being put beyond the reach of all but the most affluent - but this is absolutely not one of them that is likely to do anything except frighten innocent people going about their daily business.

[jomifl]

Regretably the trotskyite nihilist 'owners' of the street fall victim to economic forces the same as the rest of us. Still 'bricking' windows does provide business for the capitalist insurance and glazing companies.

[woofgang]

politics of envy

[ichkeria]

It isn't politics. It's terrorism

[Ric.ror]

I cannot understand why they targeted the cereal cafe though

The israeli estate agents - probably because they are racist - but a local business?

It doesn't make any sense at all.

[mushroom25]

//The israeli estate agents - probably because they are racist -//

that's a serious allegation ric-ror - do you have any evidence?

[youngmafbog]

Nothing like th R word.

These scum should be arrested and the full force of the law thrown at them.

Still, if lbaour have anything to do with it then this will become the norm. It will just be the treasury bashing the middle class and those that wish to get on.

[AB Editor]

Looking at the video, it appears the police were a little unprepared and certainly couldn't get involved enough to make individual arrests - not without esculating the situation dangerously. They probably did the best they could.

I suppose the question is: do people deserve to live in the part of the world they're born in?

A good way of dealing with this would be doing something about inheritence tax?

[Marshwarble]

Why shouldn't people all live in a terrible area like me? Hurumph.

[youngmafbog]

People have been forced out of the East End for centuries for one reason or another.

Do you deserve to live in the area you live in, no not these days.

[Ric.ror]

Mushroom - I did not mean the Estate Agents were racist - I meant they were attacked because they were Jewish

[mushroom25]

thanks for the clarification R-R.

[jomifl]

/People have been forced out of the East End for centuries for one reason or another./
My parents were forced out of the East End and had to live in rural Essex. I was forced out of rural Essex and had to live in the New Forest, then I was forced out of the New Forest and had to live in SW France.....altogether a good thing, bloody glad I don't live in the East End.

[Ric.ror]

A racist estate agent - the very idea is making me giggle
In my experience an estate agent would sell their soul to the devil himself if it meant little work for them and a commission at the end of it

[woofgang]

No I don't think that people are entitled to stay wherever they were born.

[mikey4444]

No, its disgraceful what has happened.

[EDDIE51]

Shoreditch is the real area of London on which 'Walford' of Eastenders fame was based.