PROTESTORS occupying a council estate marked for demolition have said their eviction by Barnet Council was ‘unlawful’.

Residents of the Dollis Valley estate near High Barnet have been facing eviction from their homes since last year when the council set out plans to demolish 400 council homes.

The Dollis Valley Resist Centre group have led efforts to preserve the estate and stop it being replaced by a mixture of private and social housing.

The protestors, some of who have lived near the estate all their lives, hoped to inspire residents to join their resistance to the plans by occupying empty premises in a block along Dollis Valley Way, including a former off-license.

After seven months of occupation, they were removed by bailiffs at 9.30am yesterday (August 24) by bailiffs who were supported by police officers, on possession orders for the properties from the council.

However, the group said their eviction was illegal because one of the orders was actually against the original owners of the off-license at 39-40 Dollis Valley Way, not against squatters or other occupiers.

Bushi McIntyre, who is the group’s legal expert, said: “We have long contested the council’s attempts to gentrify the Dollis Valley estate.

“The area has been used as a sinkhole for a long time, dumping people here in temporary accommodation when the council demolishes their homes around the borough.

“We have a legal right to protest which the courts have acknowledged.

“We accept the legality of our eviction from most of the premises, our eviction from 39-40 was a deceitful, illegal move from the council.”

Mr McIntyre was later arrested for continued trespassing and verbally abusing a police officer, which he disputed.

Barnet Council condemned the protestors and disputed any claims the evictions were unlawful, saying possession orders were obtained for every occupied property in the block.

Councillor Dan Thomas, Deputy Leader of Barnet Council, said: “Yesterday’s eviction of the Dollis Valley squatters was legal and carried out in accordance with the terms of the possession order granted to the Council.

“The eviction will allow us to continue with the Dollis Valley regeneration scheme which will provide much needed new homes in the borough.

“We are pleased to have possession of the site and will now be able to continue with the next phase of the regeneration scheme which will see 67 new homes being provided to existing secure tenants living on the estate.”