Protestors hung banners from the old Inland Revenue Offices on Westgate Street at 2 pm today announcing that the building is now ‘occupied’. The long empty building was squatted by activists earlier in the week who said their aim was ‘to raise awareness of the huge numbers of buildings left empty by the government which should be made available for the benefit of the community’.
A spokesperson for the group who have dubbed themselves ‘The Great Tax Invasion’ said:
“Things are hotting up in this city… we now have an Occupy Cardiff camp on Cathedral Road, the long derelict Tredegar Pub on Clifton Street being transformed by squatters into a cultural centre and now we are reclaiming the Old Inland Revenue Offices as a community centre. On Wednesday 30 November many of us will also be joining thousands of striking trade unionists marching through the city. It’s about the needy vs. the greedy, the have-nots taking on the have-yachts!”
“At Occupy Cardiff 11.11.11 the police were armed with tasers, this was not a healthy safe environment to protest peacefully. We object to the government neglecting state buildings such as this. We intend to maintain and repair it. Squandered by the state – Squatted by the people ‘Occupy Cardiff… The Great Tax Invasion’ will be a drug and alcohol free community space, an open forum, creative think tank, arts space, information point and media hub for all those who oppose the government’s cuts and austerity”
Asked about the choice of the old Inland Revenue building for the protest, she added:
“This is not a recession it is a robbery. The government is making cuts while allowing big business and the rich to dodge up to £120 billion in taxes every year, we hope our occupation of the old Inland Revenue Offices will send out a clear message about Tax Justice that poor people must not be made to pay for an economic crisis caused by the rich and bankers”.
