Middle of the night book raid on Kensal Rise library by Brent Council

01/13

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Margaret Bailey from the local campaign group talks with Brent Council Property Officer, Richard Barrett as the council removal team strips the library of the contents.

02/13

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A removal team of approximately 15 men from Brent Council remove the contents from Kensal Rise library at 3am. Council security staff and Metropolitan Police were also present.

03/13

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The removal team from Brent council remove computers as Brent council security staff stand by. Murals painted in the 1930s specifically for the library and the plaque commemorating the library's opening by Mark Twain, were also removed.

04/13

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Boxes of books are removed from Kensal Rise library by a team of approximately 15 removal men from Brent council.

05/13

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Council security staff look on as a team of approximately 15 Brent council removal men take the contents from Kensal Rise Library. Removed items include all the books, murals painted in the 1930s and a plaque commemorating the opening by Mark Twain.

06/13

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Brent council security staff and Metropolitan police were present as the removal team stripped the contents from Kensal Rise library.

07/13

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A team of 12 police officers were present as Brent council removed the contents from Kensal Rise library.

08/13

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Local campaign group, led by Margaret Bailey, have asked Counsellor Muhammed Butt if the library could be run by the community. Cllr Mo Butt has stated that he wants to listen to the community and engage with them.

09/13

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Metropolitan Police line the boundary of Kensal Rise library as Brent Council removed the contents at 3am.

10/13

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A police officer observes the empty shelves and debris left in Kensal Rise library after a removal team of approximately 15 men from Brent council stripped the contents at 3am.

11/13

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Police officers leave Kensal Rise library after Brent council removed the contents at 3am.

12/13

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Bookshelves are left empty in the children's section of Kensal Rise library after Brent council removed the contents at 3am.

13/13

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Campaign posters, urging local residents to save the Kensal Rise library, lie torn and discarded after Brent council lock the front door to the now empty library.

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After closing Kensal Rise library in 2011 and numerous attempts to remove the contents of the library, Brent council stripped the library of the contents during a middle of the night raid.