Protesters occupy balcony of sanctioned Russian oligarch’s London mansion

FOUR protesters surrounded by police on the balcony of a central London mansion owned by oligarch Oleg Deripaska say they have

“made their peace with getting arrested”.

The squatters broke into the property in Belgrave Square at around 1am yesterday and declared that it “belongs to Ukrainian refugees”.

Mr Deripaska, an industrialist who has had close links with the British political establishment, was targeted with sanctions by the Government last week.

The four men, who initially told reporters there were five of them, were sitting on the edge of the balcony, surrounded by police both inside and outside the building, for more than an hour.

The upmarket street was cordoned off, with at least 10 police vehicles and at least 32 officers visible on the scene.

The Metropolitan Police told the PA news agency that the number of officers was part of a “flexible and proportionate response”.

Officers wearing harnesses first tried to deploy a ladder to access the balcony but after the squatters sat in the way to obstruct them, a JCB crane was moved in to lift them up instead.

Police wearing riot gear also used a drill to break open the front door and enter the house.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: “Officers have completed a search of the property in Belgrave Square and are satisfied there are no protesters inside.

“We continue to engage with those on the balcony as we balance the need for enforcement with the safety of all involved.”

Speaking to the PA news agency over the phone, one of the protesters, who refused to give his name but said he was from Lithuania, said: “All our group made peace with arrest because this was always one of the options.

“I’m ready to take the consequences for something I believe.”

He also said they had done “everything by the book” and they had left “no criminal damage” in the property.

The man said that although he did not know what reason the police would have to arrest or charge him he “would like to go to court and prove my point”.

“This house could house 200 people. We have liberated the property for refugees,” he added.