Police and Westminster City Council officers have dismantled a tent encampment outside Apsley House, the Grade I listed London home of the Duke of Wellington. The site, located on the southeast corner of Hyde Park, had been occupied by migrants from Eastern Europe and Africa for about a year.
The operation saw dozens of officers removing makeshift shelters and tents. Occupants were reportedly 'very shocked' when told to move on, with one local resident describing them as 'very unhappy' and surprised by the eviction. The encampment had been growing steadily since it first appeared.
Police have made several arrests at the site in recent months. Last month, a 23-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill other tent dwellers. In a separate incident, a 48-year-old man was found in possession of a knife and a piece of glass, and a 33-year-old man was detained for fighting and making threats to kill.
Westminster City Council said the encampment is part of a wider national homelessness crisis. Westminster records the highest number of rough sleepers in London, with 2,612 people seen sleeping rough, more than double the next highest borough, Camden (975). Since 2023/24, most boroughs have seen an increase in rough sleeping, with Hillingdon experiencing a 66% rise.
Similar tent encampments have emerged in other parts of central London, including Adelphi Terrace in Westminster and outside Warren Street station in Camden. The council has been managing small numbers of encampments since the Covid-19 pandemic, with new rough sleepers arriving daily.
