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Activist group declares victory in fight against anti-homeless spikes

Spikes placed in the doorways and windows outside homes and stores to deter homeless people from sleeping there is a growing trend in London that has many people angry.

By Aileen Graef

LONDON, June 13 (UPI) -- The London Black Revolutionaries are celebrating a small victory after they convinced Tesco to remove their anti-homeless spikes from one of its London stores.

The spikes -- a growing trend in London -- are placed outside windows and doorways of homes and shops to prevent homeless people from taking shelter there. The activist group poured concrete on the spikes with the tag "LBR, Homes Not Spikes" outside Tesco's window where the spikes were placed.

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"We took direct action because we wanted to link the political objection to the anti-homeless spikes to an actual message of attempting to get them removed. We don't go for direct action all the time, but we thought that -- given the outrage against the spikes -- giving a clear message to Tesco that they're not gonna be left alone could be supported by targeting the spikes themselves," the group told Vice.

LBR's actions seem to have worked. Tesco removed the spikes and their spokesman issued a statement saying that they are not anti-homeless.

"Customers told us they were intimidated by anti-social behavior outside our Regent Street store and we put studs in place to try and stop it," said the spokesman. "These studs have caused concern for some who have interpreted them as an anti-homeless measure, so we have decided to remove them."

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The spikes have spread outrage across the city. London Mayor Boris Johnson commented on spikes place outside a luxury apartment building, tweeting that they are "ugly, self defeating & stupid."

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