Ghent: Speculators building squatted in the Lange Steenstraat

By: fawda - July 27th, 2023  Filed under: Communique, News

Since July the 12th, the building in the Lange Steenstraat 6 is back in use. We, a group of young and socially engaged people, have moved in.

In many places in Ghent there are empty buildings. At the same time, there is a housing crisis: high and rising rents, unaffordable housing. By using the building, we avoid the deterioration of the building and we have a roof over our heads.

We stay in the property to no longer be on the street and by taking care the building, we also take care care for others. The building will be a temporary cultural centre. We will organize activities such as: people’s kitchens, movie nights, exhibitions, open space for circus and theater… [Read More]

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Brussels: eviction of a squat of 7 undocumented people by the municipality of Ixelles without alternative housing

By: fawda - April 10th, 2023  Filed under: Communique, News

This Thursday, April 6 at 9am, the municipality of Ixelles evicted a squat of 7 undocumented people, applying an inhabitability order dating from October 2022, without any rehousing solution at the end. The squat located at 20 rue Élise had opened at the end of September 2022, in a building empty since 2017.

They are all ex-hunger strikers of the ULB (2021). This group of people had then lived (with other people) in a building in the See U thanks to a temporary occupancy agreement. But they were expelled at the end of September. So they sought refuge in this empty house. The irony is that they regularly work in the construction sector and have not yet won their fight to obtain papers: [Read More]

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Ghent: The verdict gives Pandemistes 8 days to leave as soon as the City sends the bailiff

By: fawda - March 29th, 2023  Filed under: Communique, News

An expected deadline. Because property rights are greater than the right of residence. Makes sense, right? That is certainly the logic of the rich. For those who do not have a home, this makes less sense. “But that’s their problem.” Among the Pandemistes there are effectively a number of people who will no longer have a home, but fortunately can go somewhere temporarily. This is less obvious to those who are undocumented. “But that’s their problem.”

We might have been able to get a longer term from the judge if we had put more effort into PROVING our positive impact on the neighborhood. But frankly, we much prefer to focus on BEING a positive influence on the neighborhood. By organizing countless events and giving people a taste of the freedom of such a place. [Read More]

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Ghent: The Pandemistes occupy ‘t Vredeshuis!

By: fawda - January 20th, 2023  Filed under: Communique, News

Peace, love and a little revolution.
Since January 2023 we occupy ‘t Vredeshuis!
The government tries to sell our public places without us noticing.
But the Pandemistes are back from never gone! We take direct action and fight against the privatization of our city!
‘t Vredeshuis was a place for international solidarity with a lot of organisations involved. We continue with this mission from bottom up and work together with organisations like Rojava Congres Gent, Woman life freedom, …
The biggest changes in the world came out of small initiatives from big dreamers. We take back ‘t Vredeshuis and welcome everyone to fight
together for what is ours: THE CITY!
Come join this new social-cultural centre! there’s a lot of space for a lot of projects!

Friday 20 january, reception, grand opening: https://squ.at/r/96ld [Read More]

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Liège, Belgium: La Chartreuse – a new ZAD

By: sisulscz - April 14th, 2022  Filed under: Announcement

On 27 March, upon the threat of the concreting over of the Chartreuse Park in Lièg, local residents and activists occupied the area and built barricades to protect the green space from the Matexi real estate developer. This is quick look back at the first two weeks of the occupation and the previous struggle against the development plans.

The Chartreuse is a green wetland in the heart of Liège. The site is protected because it has an important biodiversity (and also protected buildings). Until the early 1980s, it was occupied by a military barracks, with an old fort and other old buildings.
[Read More]

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Ghent: Will the Pand be sold to the highest bidder?

By: fawda - January 11th, 2022  Filed under: Communique, News

Once…
Twice…
Three times squatted against privatisation!

On 19 December 2021, two weeks after the last eviction, we resquatted the heart of Ghent (Belgium)! Out of political necessity, because once again the voice of the people is ignored and the city and its puppets want to sell the Caermersklooster to the highest bidder.

For more than forty years, the building has symbolised the struggle of ordinary inhabitants of Ghent for the preservation of their public property and right to live in dignity. Opposite them is the interest of private investors and speculators, mainly interested in buying up heritage in order to make a profit. Even more than that, the building embodies the power of the people if they make their voices heard loud enough. In 1980, thousands of inhabitants of Ghent, squatters and sympathisers, took to the streets against the sale of the Pand to the private tourist sector. They won the battle and for more than 25 years the Caermersklooster was used for social housing. [Read More]

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Brussels: call out, imminent eviction KBC occupation

By: fawda - December 13th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Solidarity rally, Monday 13 December, 14:00
Press release of the Collective Zone Neutre, KBC Occupation

Since last July, thousands of refugees are blocked in Belarus at the gates of Poland. Pushed on one side by the Belarusian forces and on the other by the Polish authorities, without any European intervention to put an end to this tragedy. Hundreds of migrants find themselves in the streets of Brussels, without any help or resources from the competent authorities.
In recent years, several organizations have had to file a series of lawsuits against illegal instructions or practices of the Belgian state in terms of reception. While undocumented citizens and activists take care of finding housing solutions for hundreds of migrants, through actions of occupation of empty houses. While political administrators wash their hands of it. [Read More]

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Ghent: statement from ‘t Pand! Demonstration 25 October

By: fawda - October 18th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

More than 1800 citizens want us to intervene at the city council, but we were gagged. The city does not call itself responsible for the housing crisis. We received the mandate from these 1800 citizens to ask the city council to speak out against the privatization of ‘t Pand.

We do not intend to remain silent. If participation and democracy are not empty concepts, we must make our voices heard now. Come with us to the City Council. Together we will take the floor and ask:
– Address the housing crisis: no privatization of the property and commons in general
– Through co-creation and participation, provide a public interpretation for ‘t Pand
– Investigate other financing options for commons than the sale of public heritage.

We will gather at ‘t Pand, Lange Steenstraat 16, at 18:00 and then head for our board, the city council. [Read More]

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Ghent: PANDPaRaDe, demonstration on 12 October

By: fawda - October 8th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Judges, the city and the province want the property owners to get rid of the property (‘t Pand) in order to sell it to rich investors.
This is done without any consultation from the former residents and without listening to the citizens of Ghent themselves. The right to property is again more important than the right to a decent and affordable roof over one’s head.
The judge has given us 8 days to vacate the premises. They may be able to sabotage the occupation but that does not end the fight.
More than 1800 citizens want us to intervene at the city council and here too we were silenced. The city does not hold itself responsible for the housing crisis. Therefore, we call on everyone to come out onto the streets with your pots and pans, and together we will make our point:
– tackle the housing crisis: no privatisation of the property and commons in general
– no eviction of the inhabitants
– citizens’ participation in our commons, including on the city council

We gather on Tuesday 12 October at 6 pm at Lange Steenstraat 16 ! [Read More]

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Brussels: Louise Occupation, victory for the squatters

By: fawda - September 3rd, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Mobilization pays off! In May, faced with the threat of eviction from the Louise/Defacqz occupation, the hundred or so homeless people who have found refuge there mobilized. In a few days, several actions were organized. More than 60 associations and 2000 citizens had signed a petition to ask the owners to reconsider their position and to allow the occupying persons and families to stay in the shelter until renovations. Faced with this impressive mobilization, the eviction was suspended. After several weeks of tough negotiations, a temporary occupation agreement has just been signed with the owners and public authorities, for at least one year (renewable). The building has been squatted within the framework of the “Campagne de Réquisition Solidaire” (Solidarity Requisition Campaign) with several groups of homeless or badly housed people, including La Voix des Sans papiers which will manage the building. More than ever, let’s stay mobilized for the right to housing and papers for all! [Read More]

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Ghent: opening of the Blauwhuis

By: fawda - June 19th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Since this morning, the Blauwhuis in Nazareth (Belgium) is open. The farmstead and the land around it belong to the Ghent public patrimony and are sold on the private market. The squatting of the Blauwhuis is an indictment of the privatization of our public housing and land, especially when we see how many people do not have access to (decent) housing and nutritious meals. We give the homes to those who need them and the land to the farmers without land, so that food from the Ghent countryside comes to the city again.
For sustainable agriculture, a sustainable investment policy, food sovereignty and sustainable coexistence.

Against the privatization of public property, against the concept of ‘not growing = dead flourishing’, against hunger and against the housing shortage, against profit maximization at the expense of the citizens of Ghent [Read More]

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Brussels: eviction suspended and doors open to the Louise occupation

By: fawda - May 26th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

The mobilization against the threat of eviction of the Louise/Defacqz occupation seems to be bearing fruit. In a few days, more than 60 associations and 2000 citizens have signed a petition to ask the owners to reconsider their position and to allow the occupying individuals and families to stay in the shelter until the work is done. Thank you for your support!

The eviction has been suspended and the owners could start negotiating a temporary occupation agreement again. Contacts in this sense have taken place with their lawyer and with the alderman for housing of the city of Brussels. The owners have to come back to the occupants in order to, we hope, advance in the negotiations. Nothing is won yet, but things are moving in the right direction. Let’s stay mobilized for the future! [Read More]

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