Exclusive: SOAS are evicting the Hare Krishna free food stall

Any London student worth their salt has at some point had a free lunch from the Hare Krishna group based near the entrance of SOAS. Normally a vegetarian curry made out of food donated by supermarkets, they come six days a week in part to promote a vegetarian diet but mainly to give students a free, healthy meal.

However, the Hare Krishna people, who have been giving away food for the last fifteen years may not be around for much longer. For the last two months, authorities from SOAS and the University of London have been trying to push the group away from the campus and even told students that they weren’t allowed to queue on their property.

One of the Hare Krishna guys, Preme Hare, has been serving food at this stall for the last nine years. On average, Prema reckons 700 students from all around Bloomsbury come everyday to eat the food.

He admitted that the future of free food for London students didn’t look good. Speaking to The Tab, he said:

“We’ve been serving food here for the last fifteen years and without any problems or complaints. Then two months ago, people from University of London showed up with security guards and told us to move off their property.

The Hare Krishna guys, Prema is in the orange jacket

“We were happy to compromise and move out of their way so that we’re not blocking anything- we don’t want any confrontation. We asked if they wanted to talk so that we could find a solution but they never got back to us. We aren’t criminals we’re just trying to help”

“We still don’t really understand why they want to kick us off campus but it all started after they finished the new Senate House building. We think they want us off their campus because we are taking business away from the nearby cafeterias”

“Now we are a Camden problem, so we might get in trouble with the council for blocking the pavement. Also we’re on a main road now, so it’s dangerous for students to queue here because they are so close to the traffic. However, SOAS aren’t even allowing students to queue on their property.”

Some of the UoL guys who have been trying to get the Hare Krishna guys to go elsewhere

“The food is good, healthy and free and only trying to help students here.We never preach or ask people to convert, we respect everybody here as human beings. We are totally tolerant and welcome all  faiths.

“Students also have problems, very expensive rent and tuition fees. If you ask any student, they’ll say that this is helping them.

“Now we face a totally uncertain future, so it’s not good”.

The queue is currently next to a main road

Biological student, Peter McCann saw University of London officials “harassing” the Hare Krishna guys from their stall two days ago. He said:

“These guys from the UoL [University of London] plus a bunch of security guards were harassing the Hare Krishna people. People were queueing into SOAS and UoL told people to move outside of the Soas. They’ve complained about Hare Krishna taking money from the cafes, so they’ve been telling them to fully get off uni property.”

At the time of writing SOAS has been approached for comment but has yet to reply.

A petition to save the Hare Krishna food stall has also been started.