Member Article

Shoreditch’s Cereal Killer Cafe targeted by anti-gentrification mob

Shoreditch saw hundreds of anti-gentrification protesters take to the streets to fight against unaffordable housing and the perceived social cleansing, or ‘gentrification’ of London, this weekend.

The Cereal Killer Cafe on Brick Lane saw the brunt of the attack with graffiti and verbal attacks from the crowd.

The cafe owners, who opened the speciality cereal venue late last year, said they were terrified when protesters wearing pig masks and carrying flaming torches attacked the shop in the trendy London borough.

Co-owner Alan Keery, 33, said: “They see us as one of the biggest symbols of gentrification in the area.”

“It’s bullying at its best,”

He added: “We started a business to deliver an experience to cereal lovers, and have been thanked by local businesses for bringing tourists to the area.

“The mob won’t win, wearing masks with pitchforks and torches, it’s 2015.”

A Met Police statement said: “On Saturday, 26 September, police officers dealt with disorder arising from a pre-planned even in the Shoreditch area.

“From around 20:00hrs, a criminal element within a group of several hundred people threw missiles and caused criminal damage to shops and other businesses in and around Brick Lane, E2.

“One officer suffered a minor injury to his face as a result of a bottle thrown.

“One person has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.”

The demonstration was organised by a group called Class War, which was protesting against unaffordable London housing and social cleansing in the city.

A statement on their website reads: “We don’t want luxury flats that no one can afford, we want genuinely affordable housing… we want community.

“Working class people are being forced out of our homes but we won’t go out without a fight.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .