At 10.55am, noting the large police and security presence, I walked into Top Shop’s flagship store in Oxford Circus. After a few minutes of pretending to be interested in expensive jeans and shirts made in sweatshops, I heard the whistles. People converged just inside the store, shouting “pay your tax!” and banging saucepans, while minor scuffles broke out as journalists were (wo)manhandled by security – Laurie Penny was carried out by four guards.

So it seems Boots was closed in Oxford Street, along with Dorothy Perkins. And there was a mass sit-down protest outside Top Shop. Today was December 4th…. a day of action against tax cheats! Great atmosphere, vibrant, lively, loud, dynamic with young people leading the struggle.

At 11.02am, someone blew a whistle, the action began, and the abundance of security they'd drafted in for the day launched on us. I was swiftly handed a bunch of A4 signs to hand out, and soon after I was pushed out by security. I went limp, so three of them had to drag me out. I waited five seconds, then went back in for another go.

What a clever, well-targeted protest. When the whistle blew and the protesters emerged from among milling shoppers perusing handbags and hats, it took just a few hundred people to shut down Philip Green's flagship branch of Topshop, in London's Oxford Street – and 22 other stores in his empire around the country. Summoned by Twitter, the UK Uncut movement brings together an instant army, peaceful, good-natured and witty in its songs and chants. For a while they stopped Green's tills ringing on the year's busiest shopping Saturday.

Some shoppers stopped buying, and sat with us on the pavement. Others cheered us as they walked past, or came up to express their quiet support. And one fantastic man bought a vast pile of pizzas to feed us all as we sat in the doorway to Top Shop.

Me and my 23 month old son, Edgar, came down to Top Shop today. Absolutely brilliant! I'm self employed, I'm always being chased up by HMRC to ay my taxes on time.Of course its a pain but I do it. My taxes paid for my uni education, it wasn't 'free', but Edgar when he grows up will have to pay his taxes and goodness knows what on fees. Philip Green is a spiv and a crook, today felt good, we were hurting him in the one place he hates to feel the pain, in his pocket.