It was almost like Thunderbirds down on Madeira Drive yesterday morning, near the Steve Ovett statue. But instead of International Rescue it was Specialist Group International, a world-renowned provider of 24/7 specialist rescue services. More than a dozen red-helmeted operatives in riot gear spread out along Madeira Drive and Marine Parade with one objective: squat shut down!
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Specialist rescue teams, enforcement officers, and bailiffs gathered on Brighton seafront yesterday to clear a makeshift squat from the decaying Madeira Terraces. The operation, which had been planned for some days, targeted a section of the closed-off terrace where an individual had been living for several weeks surrounded by tents, furniture, and other domestic items. By the time the teams arrived, the occupant - who had been advised of the raid by the council - had already left the site.
Although there was an open gate giving access to the upper terrace, the structure between the gate and the squat was judged unsafe to walk across. So, to reach the location, two members of a rope access team abseiled down from the upper promenade, watched by colleagues and not a few passers-by.
On Madeira Drive itself, several red vans marked ‘Specialist Rescue’ from Specialist Group International stood ready, flanked by enforcement officers in black body armour. Once the rope team had secured access, bailiffs entered the squat and began removing its contents. Furniture, bedding, and assorted possessions were thrown down into the fenced-off section of Madeira Drive, out of public reach but in full view from the pavement.
The local Argus newspaper ran a live blog on the raid. It reported that Alistair McNair, leader of the Brighton and Hove Conservative Group, had slammed the council for being so ‘heavy handed’.
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