Squatters occupying a former police station were today accused of stripping metal from the building, spying on neighbours with binoculars and using a bullwhip to make dogs aggressive.
More than 20 people have been occupying the Grade II listed former Hackney Central Police Station, in Clapton, east London, since April.
They were expected to be turfed out by bailiffs last Wednesday, but no one arrived to remove them.
The station was sold by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime earlier this year and has been earmarked to reopen as the Olive School, a Muslim free school currently housed in a temporary building in Stoke Newington.
Local resident Beryl Jones, 73, said she felt threatened by the squatters since they arrived.
She said: "They got in by climbing a wall and breaking the locks on the side door. They have been up in the windows staring at me through binoculars right into my bedroom.
"I complained to the police and Hackney council but they said they would have to catch them in the act to do anything."
Another resident, Kevin McCreanor, 63, said: "They feel like they are above the law when anyone challenges them. Since they moved in they’ve taken filing cabinets, baths and anything that is metal they can sell on.
"They also have anything left behind by the police. They have three big dogs they keep in the yard at the back of the station and get them hyped up by cracking a bullwhip on the ground.
"I’m assuming it’s to get them agitated and ready to attack.”
One squatter in his mid-20s, who said his name was Lallo, told the Standard: "We will stay until they kick us out.
"We just wanted somewhere to sleep because many of us have nowhere to go.”
The squatters denied stealing metal, spying on people or riling up their dogs.
A High Court enforcement notice to evict the squatters is now is due to be served on them imminently.
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