history · 08 September 1946 · 78 years ago
About a thousand people converged on Kensington High Street in London, England, United Kingdom intent on taking over empty properties for desperately needed accommodation. In a typically British response the Women's Voluntary Service provided hot drinks to the demonstrators while even the police supplied tea and coffee from Kensington Barracks. The Press were sympathetic too as were much of the public, some of whom actively assisted the squatters by passing food and drink through windows. The police picked up and distributed food parcels and blankets, money, food, chocolate and cigarettes were collected for the families. Student from London University marched throughout the streets in support. After Prime Minister Clement Attlee refused to meet with a delegation a frightened government threaten to employ force to evict the squatters, but the protest eventually ended when it was announced that squatters could lose their rights to a place on the Council Housing queue if they persisted in occupation.
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