A GROUP of squatters who have been occupying a large four floor building for weeks were evicted as one man protested from the roof.

Around 20 to 30 people who were using it as a "DIY social centre" were forced to leave the old University of Brighton building in Circus Street, Brighton by several bailiffs at around 7am this morning.

There was one man on the roof of the building talking through a megaphone about the "monetary roots" of the issue of homelessness and the power banks have over society.

He could be seen ripping up a £20 note and scattering it from the roof.

A female squatter, from Brighton, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "The bailiffs came this morning and forced entry to the building, smashing glass windows as they went.

"There were police around but they didn't enter at the time.

"Some of us still have possessions inside the building so it is quite harsh that they weren't allowed to collect their stuff.

"I was in there for two weeks and we were doing some really positive activities and providing help and advice to the community about homelessness and housing.”

Two fire crews arrived at the scene to assist police at around 11.30am, before attempting to bring the man down using a ladder on the back of a fire engine.

The attempts failed and the man was soon brought down through the inside of the building and arrested by police, before swiftly being taken away in a police van.

Daniel Harris, 33, a housing campaigner, from Brighton, said: “I started raising awareness of housing policies after being homeless myself.

“What the Government’s policies are doing is criminalising homeless people and rough sleepers.

“There were even university students inside this building because they can’t afford to house themselves due to the cost of attending university.

“A woman with a psychology degree who was a member of the Armed Forces was inside, so there really was a diverse demographic of society within the building.

“I understand the authorities have a job to do but at the end of the day, these are people who are vulnerable and need help, which they are not currently receiving in any way.”

Some of the squatters who were living there were there every day for the past few weeks, where as a number of others would use the building during the day but wouldn't stay overnight.

The university’s application for a possession order was granted by the court and demolition, scheduled to begin on May 2, will go ahead.