Arrested For Making Art, What Next?
The Antepavilion art studio that was caught on camera being violently raided.
You may or may not know, but last week there was a violent police raid on an art studio at Hoxton Docks. Why, you might ask? We’re asking the very same thing. Luckily, there's CCTV footage of the event.
Antepavilion is an art and architectural charity that promotes independent people within the arts. It's known for its annual competition where artists can send in proposals for new installations which are built on or near the studio. This year two winners have been named, one being Project Bunny Rabbit whose piece, “All Along The Watchtower”, seemed to cause upset amongst the police.
Project Bunny Rabbit was supposedly born from the environmentalist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) and so anyone inside the Antepavilion building must then be breaking the law, apparently. Five riot vans filled with officers made a total of eleven arrests and seized multiple pieces of artwork. One including a pink bathtub… Good going London Met, have fun with ya new bath!?
The arrests, according to the London Met Office, are for ‘conspiracy to cause a public nuisance’, in apparent connection to the XR peaceful protest for this weekend.
It is no secret that Priti Patel hates protesting, peaceful or not, as evident by the new crime bill. Therefore, is she behind this unlawful and damaging raid? Probably.
Antepavilion is no stranger to fighting against the law. Hackney Council have hit them with one court case after another and forcibly removed multiple art pieces. The council have done this as “they claim that the installations don't respect the architectural quality of the 1960s warehouse of Columbia Wharf and have branded them ‘unacceptable in terms of their size, location and design’.” – a quote taken from the Antepavilion website.
Next Up, Risking Lives To Prosecute Activists
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