Squatters move into Gaddafi son's £11million mansion demanding it is 'returned to the Libyan people'



The uprising in Libya has reached a genteel residential street in Britain after squatters occupied a £10million house belonging to Colonel Gaddafi’s son.

A group calling themselves ‘Topple the Tyrants’ said they had taken over the palatial neo-Georgian townhouse belonging to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, 38.

The squatters, some wearing balaclavas, draped a huge white banner across the building’s roof bearing the slogan ‘Out of Libya, out of London’ and showing Colonel Gaddafi’s face crossed with a thick red line.

Occupied: Squatters unfurl a banner on the roof of the £11m property which was on the market until last month

The house in Hampstead Garden Suburb, north London – some 1,500 miles from the Libyan capital Tripoli – has its own swimming pool and cinema, and widescreen TVs in every room.

One squatter, who called himself Montgomery Jones, said: ‘We want to make sure the property goes back into the hands of the Libyan people who deserve it.

Property: Saif al-Islam reputedly owns the Hampstead home which has been taken over by squatters

We’re here for a serious reason, we’re not here to luxuriate. I don’t think what we are doing is legal but I don’t think that’s relevant.’

Another group member, who would not give his name, said: ‘We didn’t trust the British government to properly seize the Gaddafi regime’s corrupt assets so we took matters into our own hands.’

The British government has seized more than £2billion in assets belonging to the Gaddafi family.

Four members of the group had been walking around the rooftop as officers took photos of them.



Police were called after residents in the well-to-do neighbourhood heard the burglar alarm going off.

They said they are monitoring the situation at the Hampstead property - although no arrests have been made.



The extravagant home, in one of the capital's most exclusive neighbourhoods, is fitted with a swimming pool, sauna and cinema.

It was on the market until last month but was withdrawn and instead put up for rent for more than £500,000 per year.

As well as the banner, signs on the property in English and Arabic said 'revolution' and 'solidarity'.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, 38, used to live in the capital when he was a PhD student at the London School of Economics.

His four-level, double-fronted property has underfloor heating throughout and was bought complete with two dishwashers, microwaves, as well as fridges and freezers.

Banners said 'Solidarity' and told the Gaddafi's to get 'Out of London'. The group have said they will stay until the property is returned to the Libyan people

The property is owned by a company in the Virgin Islands and was bought without a mortgage.

Jones added that they had been watching the Al Jazeera news channel inside.

The activist refused to say how many people were inside.

Squatting: A group of three men stand outside the Hampsted home of Saif Gaddafi ahead of the squatters break in yesterday afternoon

Squatters covered their faces as they clambered into the property and refused to reveal their true identities



The property is believed to be part of £300million of assets in the capital belonging to the Gaddafi family which have been seized.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said they were treating it as a civil and not a criminal matter for the time being.

Demo: The squatters clambered in through the window, and then unfurled a banner on the roof

Police presence: Officers were called to the address but they have said they are currently treating it as a 'civil matter'

Deluxe: The cinema room in the house in one of London's wealthiest and most prestigious suburbs