Library protesters mount 24-hour guard

Campaigners fighting the closure of Kensal Rise library have begun guarding it around the clock to prevent Brent council removing books and equipment.

Mothers and pensioners are among those working in shifts as security guards to stop council contractors from trying to strip the library, which was closed last year because of budget cuts.

Mother-of-three Paula Gomez, 35, was one of two campaigners outside the library this morning. Fellow protester Laura Collignon, 35, said: “We will have two people to stop books being taken away until the council talks to us.

We are asking everyone to contact the leader of the council, Muhammed Butt, to say thanks for not removing the books, but we want him to sit down with the group. It’s bizarre that they won’t let the community run their library.”

It comes after ugly scenes yesterday when masked contractors forced their way into the building. They got past around 50 campaigners and started packing up equipment but protesters blocked the doors and the council was forced to back down. A Brent spokesman said: “Due to police concerns, the council has decided not to continue with the removal of books for the time being.”

Author Alan Bennett is understood to be in talks with All Souls College, Oxford, which owns the building, to try to keep the books at Kensal Rise.