LOCALS on a posh street have said it’s been ruined by aggressive protests every day – forcing them to live in fear.
Residents on Dunraven Street in London said protesters block their homes on a daily basis and scared kids have to be smuggled into their own homes.
The area, close to Marble Arch in the capital, appears at first glance to be a beautiful and posh street.
But the reality is very different – and it’s due to a high profile resident on the street.
Protests take place in front of Avenfield House, which houses the family of the former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, on the fourth floor.
Demonstrations are said to take place ‘virtually every day’ as anti-Sharif groups call on the politician to move out, MyLondon reported.
One resident, who asked not to be named out of fear of being targeted, said: “They are aggressive and intense protests. It has become very unbearable since last summer.”
Another added: “The man said that sometimes the demonstrators are separated by nothing more than a thin line of police officers.
We have had people come and ask us if they can use our toilet!
Anonymous resident
He went on to add his daughters have had to be smuggled into the house when protests erupt while they’re at school.
Another resident chimed in: “We have been verbally abused in the street and shouted at merely for living on the same street as Sharif.
“Our cars have been damaged because people sit on them and we’ve had our front doors blocked by protestors.
“The noise is insane. Usually, someone turns up with a loudspeaker to make as much noise as possible. They once brought a noise system on the back of a truck….
“There have been occasions where people have broken into houses to get into Sharif’s premises. It is completely berserk and it all gets worse in summer when the weather gets better.”
Jo Redway, who runs Avenfield House for MEPM (JR), said the protests have been difficult for everyone on the street.
She said: “These demonstrations are about one family that just happens to live here and I think there is a real misconception that they own the whole building but they don’t. They only own a little bit of it.”
Jo went on: “When the demonstrations are on, a lot of people feel trapped in their own homes. There have been eggs thrown at the building’s stonework.
We have had the gates broken and broken glass and a lot of people living here are frightened by it.
Jo Redway
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to ten years in prison in July 2018.
He was forced to resign as prime minister and disqualified from office.
He was also fined $10.6 million (£8.5 million) on corruption charges linked to 2016 Panama Papers leaks about his family’s properties overseas, the Investigative Consortium of Investigative Journalists reported.
He is in ‘self-imposed exile in London’ after he failed to return to Pakistan following a trip to the United Kingdom on medical bail.
As a result, protests are a near-daily occurrence in this affluent area.
Westminster Councillor Paul Fisher said: “‘A meeting with residents, the police and the council was held a few weeks ago at my request. I am confident that we are moving towards a solution and that this is being taken seriously, but I will be keeping up the pressure to make sure that the politics of Pakistan doesn’t lead to anti-social behaviour on London’s streets.”
A spokesperson for the Met Police said in terms of lawful protests, officers will always look to balance the right of protestors with those of the community. They said any local residents with concerns should speak to officers at the location or call 101.
Sharif’s family were approached for comment by MyLondon but declined.
