A housing campaign group has barricaded the main door to Foxtons’ office in Shoreditch for two and a half hours on a busy afternoon as part of its Global Day of Housing Action.

London Renters Union (LRU) said there were similar protests taking place around the world involving tens of thousands of people who are demanding ‘rent controls and homes for people, not for profit’.

After marching around Shoreditch, around 100 of the protestors then targeted Foxtons with an LRU spokesperson telling The Morning Star reports that it was because it plays a key role in the build-to-rent market and is a ‘major site of profiteering for international private equity.’

We are doing this to show the global elite who we are.”

The group stacked boxes covered in slogans against the main entrance in Curtain Road and held an impromptu rally, with one speaker telling the crowd: “We are doing this to show the global elite who we are. We will not stop until we bring them down and there is global housing justice for all.”

Another speaker attacked the Labour Government, saying: “They don’t care about us. They don’t care about renters”, and he called for the pressure on them to be ramped up.

Business as usual

Fortunately, as staff were still able to use the fire exit, The Neg understands it was business as usual inside Foxtons’ branch, with viewings uninterrupted and, despite some bangs on the window, a meeting was held with some applicants.

The police were called and did quickly attend, but as the protestors weren’t blocking the highway, they were unable to act, although they did eventually persuade the protestors to remove their boxes.

The Neg has approached Foxtons for comment but has yet to receive a reply.