In order to aid in the eviction of squatters, security turned SAS at this precise time and abseiled off the roof of a luxurious Grade II London home.
At 4.30 am, the group of ex-special forces veterans dramatically roped off the front of the magnificent 5,521 square foot Bloomsbury Square property.
They were required to barricade the windows to prevent squatters from leaping out as bailiffs surged inside the Victorian-era house through the front door.
Squatters have established themselves in the chic, historic structure, which features stunning rooms on the ground, first, and second levels, as well as a grand staircase that runs down the middle.
The abseiling team from “Specialist Group International” was requested for the early-morning job today.
The police hire SGI, a team of former members of the special forces, fire, police, and military, to safely evict protesters and recover evidence in challenging circumstances.
The outfit has previously removed protesters from oil rigs and even underground. They are equipped with £3 million worth of equipment, two dogs, trucks, and even a helicopter.
By using zip ropes to drop from the roof, the SGI, who had been hired by bailiffs Veritas, carried out an early-morning raid on the squatters.
The operation, according to SGI group leader Peter Faulding, 59, who is renowned as the “human mole” for his ability to fit through any space and travel anywhere, went “safely.”
The activities of Peter’s squad were always intended to remove people securely and politely, according to the former Parachute Regiment veteran from Sussex.
He said that after the removal, the squatters in the building had “trashed” the house.
“We’ve always developed a nice connection with protestors, and in all the incidents we’ve dealt with, we’ve never had an accident or aggression,” the father of three children said.
‘These people in this building were squatters, so it was a different approach, but despite it being a ‘raid’ we try to be kind and respectful.
‘We were brought in by the bailiffs because we’re the group that deals with situations other people cant deal with.
‘This incident was a private removal, so not a police matter, but I’ve dealt with every major protest since the Newbury bypass protests in 1995.
‘We’re the only specialist protester removal team in the UK.’
Peter thinks the greatest strategy is to offer them a coffee and be compassionate when dealing with people in tense or uncertain situations.
You only need to be kind, treat everyone equally, smile at them, and assist them in leaving the building safely. As a result, we’ve never had any issues.
While the raid may have resembled the Iranian Embassy Raid of 1980, Peter claims that the objective is to enter carefully rather than aggressively.
It probably resembled the siege, he said, in his explanation. But like anything military, safety comes first. This wasn’t about going in hard; it was about preventing injuries because that’s what we do.
The major goal of this tactic is to keep people from climbing up onto the building’s roof or balcony.
When they are there, bailiff attempts to remove them always fail because the situation is too dangerous. They might trip and harm themselves.
We were hired a few weeks ago to start the operation because of our 100% safety record, and we practiced the strategy beforehand under comparable circumstances.
Additionally, Specialist Group International has received training in search and rescue, firefighting, and evidence recovery.
Aston Rose chartered surveyors are currently renting out Bloomsbury House, which was previously used as a venue for events.
‘This wasn’t about going in hard – it was about making sure people didn’t get injured, that’s what we are about.
‘The main reason for that strategy is to prevent them getting onto the roof or balconies of the property.
‘Once they are on there bailiffs operations always fail because it becomes too unsafe to try and remove them. They could fall or get hurt.’
‘We have 100 per cent safety record though, so we were contracted a few weeks ago to launch the operation and rehearsed the plan before hand in similar conditions.’