A man has been arrested on suspicion of common assault yesterday after tenant activists stormed the National Landlord Investment Show.
It is unclear if the arrest involved a delegate or activist.
A City of London Police spokesperson said: “We were called at 10.30am to a protest at the National Landlord Investment Show. Officers arrived and arrested a man on suspicion of common assault. He has been brought into police custody.
“The protestors dispersed and the show continued as planned.”
SHUTDOWN
A statement from tenant protest groups ACORN Lambeth and the London Renters Union claimed to have shut down the conference and said members stormed the entrance to the venue before occupying the conference floor.
Activists said they were protesting the “exploitation of renters” and called for rent controls.
Videos from the event showed protesters calling for renters rights.
ACORN and London Renters Union said: “We immediately faced hostility with conference attendees attempting to snatch banners and venue security trying to block protesters’ progress.
“On the conference floor, our microphone was snatched and stolen and a protester was shoved to the ground.
“Despite the intimidation and confrontation, members made statements from the conference stage about the exploitation and abuse they have faced from landlords.”
UNFORTUNATE PROTEST
Organisers from the National Landlord Investment Show, which include industry commentator Kate Faulkner, said in a statement to Property Soup: “The disruption caused by a small number of protesters at the 100th National Landlord Investment Show in London was unfortunate.
“The fact that the protesters chose to use force to express their opinions, rather than engage in reasoned debate, only served to undermine any case they felt they had and demonstrated how counterproductive their actions were.”
Organisers highlighted that the show’s core objective is to provide a platform to support the professionalisation of the private rented sector and to ensure those who provide roofs over people’s heads across all tenures of housing are professional in doing so.
The statement says: “The people who attend our shows attend to stay informed, educated and compliant with an array of changes within the sector.
“The Renters’ Rights Act has been introduced to protect tenants, and our shows are committed to helping our audience understand its myriad complexities by offering free training, seminars, and access to expert guidance, helping landlords stay professional and compliant when providing roofs over people’s heads.
“While the disruption was regrettable, it did very little to affect the day’s schedule, and the show has continued with the full agenda of panel discussions and seminars from leading experts across the sector, providing ample opportunities for education for those in attendance.”
