Squatters break-in and vandalise historic South London police station with 'anti-vax' graffiti

Published date18 June 2021
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
The protestors appear to have broken in to the former Tooting Police Station on Mitcham Road some time last week, hanging banners with anti-mask and anti-vaccination sentiment on the building and spraying the word 'dose' on the walls of the old station.

Merlin Fulcher, a local resident, told My London he noticed a "large banner" hanging from the building on Sunday night with the words 'COVID hoax' written on it.

He noticed more graffiti on the building on Tuesday and Wednesday, and said the vandalism is "clearly happening in broad daylight".

He also claims he was told that the vandals were undeterred by the presence of a "security guard with a dog van" next to the police station.

Locals including Merlin are devastated to see the former police station, which was built in 1939 and is said to be a important example of architectural heritage, being vandalised.

Merlin said: "It is sad and disappointing to see graffiti plastered all over Tooting's Grade II-listed police station.

"Vandalism like this is not fair protest it is just destruction of local and cultural heritage."

The former police station was bought by Telereal Trillium in March this year, and Merlin continued: "Considering the enormous investment and potential profits involved in the conversion of a local landmark like this into housing as is expected here -it seems unfair on Tooting and Amen Corner to now leave it in this graffitied state, making the area look bad when actually it is amazing."

Tooting Ward Police Team also tweeted that they are "absolutely gutted" by the...

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