2009-03-27

Fat cats in terror after anti-capitalists attack Fred the Shred's home

Their intention is to paralyse the Square Mile by staging sit-in protests and storming financial institutions, with the Bank of England and RBS among the top targets.

Effigies of bankers will be hung from lampposts. Security adviser Dai Davies, a former head of Scotland Yard’s Royalty Protection squad, said: ’Risk assessments will have to be carried out by the police on individuals who are concerned about their safety. If there is cause for concern then appropriate advice will be given and pre put in place.

‘The developments at Sir Fred Goodwin’s home will almost certainly make some other high-profile bankers want to review their own private security arrangements.’

Sir Fred, nicknamed Fred the Shred because of his ruthless cost-cutting regime, is the first top banker to be personally targeted over the financial meltdown. Windows were smashed at his home in Edinburgh’s upmarket Morningside area.

A Mercedes S600 saloon parked in the driveway came in for similar treatment in the 4.35am attack. Sir Fred, 50, a father of two, is abroad and has not been seen in public since giving evidence at the Treasury Select Committee on February 10.

His team of public relations advisers have told him to lie low until the furore subsides over his £700,000-a-year pension deal. Sources close to the disgraced banker said he had been left ‘shaken’ by the attack.

Shortly after the vandalism was discovered, a group calling itself Bank Bosses Are Criminals claimed responsibility in an email sent to news organisations under the name Moira McLeod and the address bankbossesarecriminals@mail.com.

It read: ‘Fred Goodwin’s house in Edinburgh was attacked this morning. We are angry that rich people, like him, are paying themselves a huge amount of money, and living in luxury, while ordinary people are made unemployed, destitute and homeless.

‘This is a crime. Bank bosses should be jailed. This is just the beginning.’

Last night police were urgently trying to trace the origins of the email. Security sources said they had no knowledge of a group using the name ‘Bank Bosses Are Criminals’ but are investigating the movements of known anti-capitalists to see if they are linked to the attack.

It was unclear whether the threat came from a group or a lone operator, possibly someone with a personal grudge against Sir Fred and the demise of his bank.

Asked if the Prime Minister had sympathy for Sir Fred, a No 10 spokesman said: ‘On the specific question of damage to his property, there can be no excuse for it at all.’

Lothian and Borders Police said they were investigating the warning of further incidents.

A spokesman said: ‘The force takes very seriously any planned attack on any individual or their property.’

Police were alerted to the incident after security systems at the premises were activated.

’CCTV footage has been recovered and door-to-door inquiries are being carried out. Sir Fred has been subject to heavy criticism after refusing to give up any of his huge pension.

The former RBS chief executive, who stepped down in October, rejected Government pressure to accept a reduction in his package, insisting that changes to the early retirement deal he negotiated when he was forced out in the autumn were ‘not warranted’.
Enlarge side window of the £100,000 Mercedes S600

The massive payout was described as ‘obscene’ and ‘grotesque’ by MPs and ‘unjustifiable and unacceptable’ by Gordon Brown. Of yesterday’s vandalism, Jim Monaghan, of Tommy Sheridan’s socialist Solidarity Party, said: ‘I am not arguing it is right to do this but people are starting to pay the price for the mistakes of those like Sir Fred Goodwin. Anger is growing.’

He also questioned whether the police presence would have been as heavy if the incident had happened elsewhere. ‘If you lived in a less affluent area, I think you may not have seen the police until later this week,’ he said.

RBS is now nearly 70 per centparalyse owned by the taxpayer after a £20billion bailout. Last month the bank unveiled a record £24.1billion loss and plans to raise up to £25.5billion from the taxpayer.
Glaziers replacing one of the shattered windows at the mansion

It has been reported that RBS continued to pay for personal security for Sir Fred following his departure from the bank, including CCTV monitoring of his home. An RBS spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the incident but it is a matter for police. There are security arrangements in place for Sir Fred, as is normal practice for departing executives.’

Last night one of the organisers of protests planned for April 1 ahead of the G20 Summit confirmed that an effigy of Sir Fred would be among those hung from lampposts by demonstrators.

Chris Knight, professor of anthropology at the University of East London, is organising protests under the banner G20 Meltdown.

He told Radio 4’s PM programme: ‘We are going to be hanging a lot of people like Fred the Shred from lampposts on April Fool’s Day and I can only say let’s hope they are just effigies.

‘To be honest, if he winds us up any more I’m afraid there will be real bankers hanging from lampposts and let’s hope that doesn’t actually have to happen. ‘They should realise the amount of fury and hatred there is for them and act quickly, because quite honestly if it isn’t humour it is going to be anger.’

Anarchists fanning the flames

Within hours of the attack, anarchists across Britain expressed their delight at the damage to the Goodwin property.

One, Ian Bone, wrote on his blog: ‘Top f****** work comrades!’ Sir Fred’s head has been shown superimposed on the blocks of a bloodstained guillotine by an anarchist newspaper.

The image, on the front page of the latest edition of Class War, is part of a campaign to encourage chaos in the City of London when the leaders of industrialised nations meet at the G20 summit next week. A previous edition shows a picture of a group holding burning torches.

The caption reads: ‘How to keep warm during the credit crunch … burn a banker.’

The two images have been used on protest posters and are on display in towns and cities across the country. They are an attempt to galvanise support for a series of anti-capitalist protests in London which begins with a peaceful march by a coalition of environmental groups, charities and trade unions on Saturday.

The march will also be attended by hundreds of anarchists, their faces concealed, carrying their trademark redand- black flags.

As well as heads of state, more than 1,000 officials and civil servants are expected in London on April 1 and 2, including the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Police are preparing to launch their biggest street security operation in Britain since the May Day riots nine years ago, with more than 5,000 Metropolitan and City of London police expected on the streets to maintain public order and protect the foreign leaders. All leave has been cancelled.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1164691/Fat-cats-terror-anti-capitalists-attack-Fred-Shreds-home.html

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