The Guardian: "On Sweets Way, Barnet, the great ignored are finding ways to assert themselves"

"Protests at a London housing estate show dissent is possible against the forces of privilege and finance"

Link to web site

" 'They think we’re a piece of furniture,' Kauthar says, her tone one of defiance and incredulity. 'We're not a sofa or a table, we’re actually human beings.' She oozes determination.

"Along with the rest of her community, Kauthar faces eviction from Sweets Way estate in Barnet, north London, because a tax exile wants to bulldoze their homes to make way for luxury homes. Oh, and 59 'affordable' homes, an Orwellian attempt to rebrand rents only the comfortably off can pay as something else.

"Kauthar is just 13 years old, a year-eight student who is also a resolute, charismatic protester. When her family were booted out of their home, they were relocated to a house with no hot water, leaving them to spend weeks bathing with the help of a kettle. But she isn't broken: far from it. 'We just want them to listen to us,' Kauthar says. 'We want them to come and be in our shoes because if they were in our shoes they would hate it. They’re living out a posh life and they’ve got money, but our parents didn’t choose to be in this situation'."