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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man arrested over attack on Tory MP before squatting debate | Man arrested over attack on Tory MP before squatting debate |
| (4 months later) | |
| A man has been arrested in connection with an attack on a Conservative MP as he arrived at a talk on squatting. | A man has been arrested in connection with an attack on a Conservative MP as he arrived at a talk on squatting. |
| Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove in East Sussex, had rocks and tomatoes thrown at him as he attended the event at the University of Sussex, near Brighton, on 14 November. | Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove in East Sussex, had rocks and tomatoes thrown at him as he attended the event at the University of Sussex, near Brighton, on 14 November. |
| Weatherley had been invited to talk about his involvement in changing the law to criminalise squatting. | Weatherley had been invited to talk about his involvement in changing the law to criminalise squatting. |
| But before the debate could begin Weatherley was surrounded by a mob of non-students. Security officials barricaded him and his staff in a room until the police arrived and took him away to safety in a van. One of Weatherley's team suffered a slight injury caused by a stone which had been thrown at him, according to police. | But before the debate could begin Weatherley was surrounded by a mob of non-students. Security officials barricaded him and his staff in a room until the police arrived and took him away to safety in a van. One of Weatherley's team suffered a slight injury caused by a stone which had been thrown at him, according to police. |
| Sussex police said a 24-year-old man from Brighton had been arrested on suspicion of affray and remained in custody. | Sussex police said a 24-year-old man from Brighton had been arrested on suspicion of affray and remained in custody. |
| The Conservative MP has been campaigning for squatting to be criminalised since his election to parliament in 2010. | The Conservative MP has been campaigning for squatting to be criminalised since his election to parliament in 2010. |
| Powers which came into effect on 1 September allow the local authorities to summon the police to arrest squatters, rather than pursuing lengthy civil eviction proceedings through the courts. | Powers which came into effect on 1 September allow the local authorities to summon the police to arrest squatters, rather than pursuing lengthy civil eviction proceedings through the courts. |
| Under the powers, contained in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, councils can arrange to have squatters removed by simply complaining to the police who, if satisfied that the claim is genuine, can arrest the illegal tenants. | Under the powers, contained in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, councils can arrange to have squatters removed by simply complaining to the police who, if satisfied that the claim is genuine, can arrest the illegal tenants. |
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