He said: “It was an angry mob throwing paint at the windows”.
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There were many eye rolls, some excitement about trying American cereals, and quite a lot of people generally grumbling about “bloody hipsters thinking they can charge loads of money for a bowl of cereal”, made worse by that painfully awkward Channel 4 interview in which news reporter Symeon Brown questioned the fairness of opening such a café in Tower Hamlets – one of the poorest boroughs in London. “The staff were absolutely terrified”.
A café which serves only breakfast cereal was targeted anti-gentrification protesters wielding sticks, stones and flaming torches and wearing pig masks.
Gentrification is described as the “arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district”.
An angry mob of anti-gentrification activists did the damage.
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But pictures from the event show chairs being thrown at a branch of the Marsh & Parsons estate agent in Bethnal Green Road.
Trouble broke out as hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against unaffordable housing, with some holding banners calling for a class war.
A picture of the café was shared with the words: “Cereal cafe”. £5 for cereal when people are starving. Fuck gentrification. Fuck cutesy boutiques and coffee shops.
“London is our home and worth defending against this onslaught of dog-eat-dog economics”.
An officer suffered a minor injury to his face as a result of a thrown bottle.
“One person has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage”.
A Met police spokesperson said: “On Saturday, 26 September, police officers dealt with disorder arising from a pre-planned even in the Shoreditch area”.
Police say “missiles” were thrown and a “criminal element” in the group cause damage to shops and businesses around Brick Lane.
Co-owner Alan Keery, 33, said: “They see us as one of the biggest symbols of gentrification in the area”.
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The group continued to move around the Shoreditch and Brick Lane area until around 12.30am.
