Shocking moment police check migrants at illegal camp are OK instead of evicting them

This is the shocking moment a group of friendly police visited an illegal encampment on London's "billionaires' row" to carry out welfare checks despite a court ordering eviction. Suspected migrants have been living in tents and makeshift shelters on land at one end of Park Lane after having been moved on from the opposite end of the exclusive central London thoroughfare last year.

Transport for London (TfL) in May was granted a possession order to remove the camp, which is opposite the Hilton Hotel and yards from Hyde Park. But people were still there when the Express visited the camp on Tuesday (June 24). When asked why they were still there, one woman said she had been sleeping on the streets and was waiting for a home after spending a month at the camp. She then told the Express to "F*** off".

The Express saw some of the camp's inhabitants gambling with money, then swiftly hiding their game and stashing the cash out of sight as Met Police officers arrived. One officer told the publication they were there to do "welfare checks" because of the hot weather before the police got back into a van and drove off.

During the visit, some people at the camp swore and screamed at the Express while others hid inside their tents. One man threw a lump of wood in our direction.

Scotland Yard has been approached for comment. TfL said it has been trying to resolve the issue "compassionately and safely". A West End councillor said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's failure to remove the camp was an "embarrassment".

TfL took enforcement action to regain possession of the site twice last year, but people returned with tents and other belongings. It has been granted a possession order and is "working through the next steps".

But local councillor Paul Fisher told the Express: "It is a stain on the reputation of our city and an embarrassment to the capital that TfL, the mayor and Westminster are yet to remove this illegal camp.

"The delays just encourage future camps not just on Park Lane but across the city because fundamentally these people know the authorities will take months to take action."

It comes just days after an Express investigation revealed asylum seekers have been working illegally outside a migrant hotel in central London.

And when Express investigations editor Zak Garner-Purkis tried to talk to the asylum seekers working illegally as delivery drivers in the capital, one migrant threatened to "bust" his head.

A TfL spokesperson said: "No one should be faced with sleeping rough on London's streets.ParkLaneis a busy part of the road network that is not a safe place for people to sleep rough and our focus has always been on the safety and welfare of everyone involved.

"We have been working closely with Westminster City Council and other partners over many months to try to resolve the issue at Park Lane compassionately and safely."

A Westminster City Council spokesperson said: "We've always said that central reservation of Park Lane is not a safe place for anybody to live and we're concerned about both the welfare of those sleeping there and the impact this site has on the local community.

"The anti-social behaviour associated with this encampment is unacceptable. The council is working with the police and other partners to clamp down on those who have gamed the system and welcome the Government's announcement of new powers that may assist here."

The spokesperson said the local authority has supported TfL with previous site clearances and wider enforcement action. They said TfL is working to obtain the legally necessary writ of possession through the courts.

Westminster's spokesperson continued: "We'll work with TfL to make sure this happens as quickly as possible to enable the clearance of their site."

They said the site has seen issues for almost a decade and the council has been clear with TfL that the local authority needs to see a safe, long-term resolution, which TfL is committed to.

The spokesperson said: "Many people living on the street have a complicated back story and it's important we continue the engagement effort which helps identify and support those genuinely in need. This work saves lives.

"However, many people found at this site are resistant to outreach which is why enforcement action has taken place to clear the site and will again as soon as it is approved by the courts."

The Mayor of London's office has been approached for comment.