THE Cereal Killer Café in Shoreditch, owned and run by Belfast twins Gary and Alan Keery, has re-opened after being attacked at the weekend by a large crowd of anarchist activists.
Gary Keery explained to The Irish Post what happened: “It was around 8 o’clock in the evening, so there were a dozen or so customers still in the café, a few families with kids.
“First thing we knew was a couple of hundred drunken thugs had assembled outside.
“Some were wearing pig masks, and others had bandanas over their faces. They were shouting, playing loud music and drinking heavily. Some of them had flaming torches. It was terrifying.”
Fortunately, nobody was injured in the protest. “A smoke bomb was thrown,” said Gary, “but thank goodness it missed getting into the café."
The word ‘scum’ was daubed on the window outside, and an effigy of a policeman was burnt outside.
Police arrived and eventually dispersed the crowd, with one person arrested.
Mobile phone footage taken by an employee has been handed over to the authorities, and officers continue to try to identify the culprits.
The protest, organised by the anarchist group Class War, was advertised on Facebook as 'F*ck Parade 3', and advised protesters to meet at 7pm in Shoreditch.
The Facebook post gave reasons for the protest:
Stand up to gentrification!
Our communities are being ripped apart — by Russian oligarchs, Saudi Sheiks, Israeli scumbag property developers, Texan oil-money twats and our own home-grown Eton toffs. . . . . . We don't want luxury flats that no one can afford, we want genuinely affordable housing. We don't want pop-up gin bars or brioche buns - we want community. . . . London is our home and worth defending against this onslaught of dog-eat-dog economics. Working class people are being forced out of our homes but we won't go out without a fight.. . . . . We will protest this economic warfare with a street party on September 26th.
The post concluded that the protest could be ‘fun’.
The Cereal Killer Café, a successful establishment, where a bowl of cereal can cost over £4, is seen by some as a symbol of inequality in the area.
Gary Keery dismisses these claims, pointing out that his café brings ordinary people to the area. “Many of the other businesses 'round about are delighted we’re here because it enhances the area. There are loads of independent businesses in the area — like ourselves — so it beggars belief that we should be targeted. We pay our taxes, unlike some multi-nationals. And we come from a working class area of Belfast, so we know what deprivation is all about.”
He added that the incident would not deter them. "I'm not going to be intimidated by a bunch of bullies," he said.
