London Street Commune

It aimed to highlight concerns about rising levels of homelessness and to house the hundreds of hippies sleeping in parks and derelict buildings in central London.

[1] The commune famously squatted a mansion at 144 Piccadilly on Hyde Park Corner in September 1969, which became a media sensation dubbed "Hippydilly".

Under John's influence, the squatters occupied several squats, including one inside a Church opposite the Oasis public baths on Endell Street.

[6] When the London Street Commune took control of the building, they found to their surprise that it still had running water and working electricity, as well as operating elevators.

The London Street Commune also realised that a dry moat surrounded the building so they built a makeshift drawbridge to control the entrance.

[1] An eighteen-year-old squatter welcomed in the press and made £300 in five days giving supposedly exclusive interviews to the mainstream newspapers about fictional orgies and drugs binges.

The Commune had planned to occupy the building peacefully and argue their need for housing in court, but the attacks from police and skinheads meant that things began to go out of control.

[1][2] The Daily Mirror reported on 18 September 1969 that a High Court Judge had ordered that 144 Piccadilly be returned to the "Amalgamated West End Development and Property Trust".

[7] In response to the court order Dr John declared the London Street Commune would violently resist, and they barricaded the building.

[7] On 21 September 1969 Commanding police officer Chief Inspector Michael Rowling told the occupants that a woman was giving birth and needed assistance, so the Commune lowered the drawbridge to allow access.

[1] In a 2019 retrospective article, the BBC described newspaper coverage of the squat as "negative and sensationalist", with reporters contributing to the event becoming a media circus.