Sweets Way Estate, Barnet, North London. Activists defend the rights of a disabled resident from eviction by bailiffs and off-shore property developers. In a wider context social cleansing is the moving of the poor and disadvantaged out of sight, out of mind and in so doing making way for an aspirational urban class who will pay higher property prices. It is an idealogical choice, echoing that of the politics of austerity which has little authentic interest in community and social responsibilty. This series shows the alternative eco community that had developed on the estate, as they anticipate intervention from bailiffs.
"F••king Scum" were the words shouted from a passing car, outside what had been unofficially named Sweetstopia. It was clear that not everyone was in support of the resistance I was witnessing. In twelve hours bailiffs were due to return. The activists were not going to move.
I was welcomed inside.
The resistance next morning was successful. However at the end of September 2015 bailiffs returned and forcibly evicted everyone from the estate, including original residents.
Please see: https://www.rt.com/uk/316318-housing-eviction-clashes-police/
Below is a message from one of the former residents:
"As a parent you are teaching your child as your parents taught you, to help people especially those in need and to stand for what’s right, yet especially today where a few people who did exactly that (by standing with solidarity with disabled father who has been so mistreated and was facing eviction to make room for greedy tax exile investment), are going to court. Maybe we should teach our children the ugly reality – that if you stand for what’s right and decide to help those in need you will face jail and fines…
We do live in ugly world indeed. Since February we were fighting outrageous behaviour of Barnet Homes towards hard working people of the amazing community of Sweets Way. We fight to save much needed homes and the future of neighbourhood. My kids met beautiful people who committed their lives to changing the world, very inspirational people. So what I will teach my kids is very simple – helping others and making changes for better in this world is risky, and you might end up with criminal record or in jail, but making changes is much needed in this world and standing for those in need is essential. The system we live in is design to bully weak and support greed. So dear children, follow your heart, not the rules of the broken system."
The activists who did not face prison have moved on to other sites. Further details can be found at:
https://sweetswayresists.wordpress.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=wd8MNYA2A9E&app=desktop
(The second link is coverage from Channel 4 News)
I would like to continue covering similar stories. Sweetstopia was an alternative and self sustaining community, off the grid but very much on the radar. For that reason I see the project as ongoing. I am in touch with former members of the community, one of whom is currently studying permaculture at college.
In the context of the politics of austerity, this is a direct example of the cruelty which is effecting much of the population of Europe in the 21st Century. As the writer and artist John Berger has said in a recent exchange with Naom Chomsky, "profit is their religion....the landmark or metaphor I would use to describe our time is that of a prison..."