London based anarchist bookshop Freedom was damaged in an arson attack in the early hours of Friday morning. Nobody was hurt in the fire which partially gutted the ground floor and damaged the building's electrics.

Freedom Press is Britain's longest running anarchist publisher and traces its history back to the original Freedom paper started by Charlotte Wilson and Peter Kropotkin in 1886.

Firefighters were called to the shop at around 5:00am and had the fire extinguished shortly after 7:00am. Around 15% of the ground floor was damaged by the blaze according to London Fire Brigade.

An unknown assailant forced a broken shutter open and smashed a window before pouring flammable liquid into the bookshop and setting it alight. The filth attended the scene and are treating the fire as suspicious.

As well as selling books, Freedom Press publish a number themselves, produce a monthly paper and provide office space for several radical and anarchist groups such as the Solidarity Federation, Anarchist Federation, Advisory Service for Squatters, Corporate Watch and London Coalition Against Poverty.

Nobody has come forward to claim responsibility for the attack although many believe that the far-right may be responsible as the building was last seriously attacked in 1993 by now defunct neo-nazi terror group Combat 18.

Due to financial problems the press has suffered recently, the insurance on the building had not been renewed and group are requesting financial support so they can continue their work.

Freedom said: “We are setting up a donation page. In the meanwhile, anyone who wants to donate can do so by ordering a book/s through the www.freedompress.org.uk website, and emailing us at shop@freedompress.org.uk to let us know that your purchase was a donation. “

Alternatively, cheques or postal orders made payable to Freedom Press can be sent to Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX.

Photo - Max Reeves

Video - Brian Whelan