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| Police raid ex-Rastafarian temple | Police raid ex-Rastafarian temple |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Twenty-three people have been arrested in an armed raid on a former Rastafarian temple in south London. | Twenty-three people have been arrested in an armed raid on a former Rastafarian temple in south London. |
| About 250 officers targeted the 32-room property in St Agnes Place, Kennington, in the early hours. | About 250 officers targeted the 32-room property in St Agnes Place, Kennington, in the early hours. |
| Police said the site, seen as the focal point for the UK's Rastafarian community, was receiving up to 600 visits a day, mostly for drugs. | Police said the site, seen as the focal point for the UK's Rastafarian community, was receiving up to 600 visits a day, mostly for drugs. |
| Kilogrammes of cannabis, some crack cocaine and ammunition were found inside, said police. | Kilogrammes of cannabis, some crack cocaine and ammunition were found inside, said police. |
| The search of the property is expected to take up to three days. | The search of the property is expected to take up to three days. |
| This is not an attack on our Rastafarian community - this is an attack on drug dealers and criminals Steve Reed, Lambeth Council href="/1/hi/uk/6549515.stm">Anger amid Rastafarian temple raid | |
| The site had been under 24-hour surveillance for the past six months, police said. | The site had been under 24-hour surveillance for the past six months, police said. |
| Lambeth Borough Commander Martin Bridger said there were different rooms for different drugs. | Lambeth Borough Commander Martin Bridger said there were different rooms for different drugs. |
| "If you were there to buy cannabis, you were probably directed to one room," he said. | "If you were there to buy cannabis, you were probably directed to one room," he said. |
| "If you were there to buy crack cocaine, you were directed to another room." | "If you were there to buy crack cocaine, you were directed to another room." |
| Ch Supt Bridger said he had not witnessed drug dealing on such a scale in all his 30 years as a police officer. | Ch Supt Bridger said he had not witnessed drug dealing on such a scale in all his 30 years as a police officer. |
| Evidence was gathered against a core of about 12 people suspected of drug dealing since the operation began last October. | Evidence was gathered against a core of about 12 people suspected of drug dealing since the operation began last October. |
| An explosive which goes off with a large bang, was used to distract those inside the premises as officers filed in. | An explosive which goes off with a large bang, was used to distract those inside the premises as officers filed in. |
| It made some residents believe they had heard gun shots, but a police spokesman said no weapons were used. | It made some residents believe they had heard gun shots, but a police spokesman said no weapons were used. |
| Worshippers | Worshippers |
| Reggae legend Bob Marley is believed to have been a frequent visitor to the temple, thought to be London's oldest squat, in the 1970s. | Reggae legend Bob Marley is believed to have been a frequent visitor to the temple, thought to be London's oldest squat, in the 1970s. |
| "It was a place of worship," said Commander Bridger. | "It was a place of worship," said Commander Bridger. |
| "It's the headquarters for the Rastafarian community for the UK, let alone Lambeth, and we're proud of that. | "It's the headquarters for the Rastafarian community for the UK, let alone Lambeth, and we're proud of that. |
| "But the temple's managers said it had been taken over by drug dealers and was no longer being used as a place of worship." | "But the temple's managers said it had been taken over by drug dealers and was no longer being used as a place of worship." |
| Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed said the building was due to be demolished and worshippers would be offered an alternative site. | Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed said the building was due to be demolished and worshippers would be offered an alternative site. |
| "I would like to make it clear that this is not an attack on our Rastafarian community - this is an attack on drug dealers and criminals," he said. | "I would like to make it clear that this is not an attack on our Rastafarian community - this is an attack on drug dealers and criminals," he said. |
| He said the police operation marked the launch of the borough's "get tough" policy on drug dealing. | He said the police operation marked the launch of the borough's "get tough" policy on drug dealing. |
| "We're going to name and shame people who are caught buying drugs on our streets," he said. | "We're going to name and shame people who are caught buying drugs on our streets," he said. |
| "We will write to their employers, we will publish their pictures in the local newspapers." | "We will write to their employers, we will publish their pictures in the local newspapers." |