Slovenia: Autonomous spaces under attack, support the struggle!

201701_Inde_Plataforma_KoperCall for solidarity actions for INDE squat in Koper, Slovenia

In the last few years we have seen new autonomous spaces emerging in Slovenia, joining the struggles of older squats all over the country. Along the Slovenian coast, two enormous buildings were occupied until recently. The occupations brought radical politics and different social relations to their environment. Both squats were always open to a variety of projects and initiatives, but had strong anarchist presence and activities as well. The spaces used to be factories, which were destroyed by the brutal privatization.

Right after New Years, ARGO squat in Izola was forcefully evicted. Eviction was preceded by a series of harassments from police and security company, that in some cases resulted in serious bodily injuries and fines for comrades there. The second coastal squat, called INDE, got an eviction notice just a few days ago. We are supposed to leave the premises on January 30. [Read More]

Koper (Slovenia): Statement about the police attack on ARGO activists

Argo_IzolaC.P. Inde strongly condemns the violent police attack on comrades from Argo, which happened on Friday 28/10 2016. Recently we have witnessed repeated attacks on several autonomus communites in Slovenia (Rog, Sokolc, Metelkova). It is clear that with any start of collective creative and critical thinking, there also appears repression. Izola has for long years lacked autonomous cultural venues and has just recently got its own Autonomous Zone Argo. This kind of space is necessary for the development of an active society. Argo is a young collective that still hasn’t blossomed and come to life in full, because power structures immediately cut down the first germs of critical thought. Oppressive authority brutally stamped down on basic human rights of two activists who suffered serious injuries. Both had to seek medical help that the police even refused to provide. Sometimes the fight for a better world has such high price as head concussions and internal bleedings.
To Argo we express the broadest solidarity, because the attack on them is also an attack on every other autonomous community. Only solidarity and mutual aid can bring about a better tomorrow. At the same time we have to fight against the media, which grasped the corrupted story of policemen and demonized our comrades. It has become increasingly clear to whom they serve. Certainly not the people, but rather the capital and power. We must condemn the police violence that has crippled our comrades and we must not remain indifferent or turn the other side. We express our full solidarity with the Argo Collective and we send them a message that in this fight they are not alone. We also strongly condemn any violence against autonomous spaces and communities! They shall not pass! [Read More]

Izola (Slovenia): Slaba Bank and Izola police attack activists of Autonomous zone Argo

Autonomous_zone_ARGO_Izola_SloveniaThe events in Izola/Isola culminated today after several days of harassment in the form of unprovoked visits of the police and criminal police officers during which they verbally threatened the community of autonomous space Argo. Today 28th October 2016 two members of the collective went for an innocent walk to bring water and instead were subjected to violent harassment from the police officers – a real case of tyranny of power. It all happened at around 1pm when two people wanted to bring water supplies for the place that is the last fed days being frequented by more and more people, also in response to these pressures and threats with eviction.

But instead of water to clench our thirst we were served with an abundant dose of violence, name-calling and threats. Two members of the collective are seriously injured: one will have to spend the night in the hospital because of head injures, the other is at the moment of writing also still in the hospital and is under strict observation due to suspicion of internal bleeding. [Read More]

Koper (Slovenia): In Anticipation of an Indean Summer…

Pocasnik2_naslovnica_napisWhile most of us turned our brains off and connected ourselves to solar charging, the second issue of the community Inde’s newspaper Počasnik was very quietly released into the world. It outed in mid-August, and you can grab your copy at the premises of The Creative Platform Inde, as well as around town … at different places – in libraries, at faculties and other educational houses, and if you ask nicely, maybe even your neighbour can lend it to you…

In it you can find a range of articles that were written by co-workers and colleagues of our newsroom. The topics discussed in Počasnik# 2 are among others: a presentation of the (Istrian) game pandolo, a biography of the life of the coastal skater community, reflection on the events from the time of the defence of the autonomous space Rog Factory, an interview with Mladen Jovičič from the Union of Crane Operators in Luka Koper, an illumination of what is hapenening with the Trieste’s polluting giant Ferriera, a presentation of the practice of urban gardening, a column, which is not that, and much more …

The media platform Inde is slowly getting its shape. Contractions before the birth of the second baby were at times jerky and painful, but we heard that this is always the case. Because things that are too easy, do not settle in the heart. We hope we have weighed well the weight of our words; when we haven’t, let’s not forget – we are all learning. [Read More]

Slovenia: Autonomous spaces will be defended

During the night between 27th and 28th of August 2016 another one of a series of attacks organized by neo-Nazi groups took place in the autonomous area of Metelkova City in Ljubljana. The Nazis attacked by throwing bottles, pyrotechnics, stones, and shouting fascist slogans which resulted in a few people being hurt, one of them seriously. The police came to the scene and sadly even tried to treat the hurt people as criminals. We stand in solidarity with all the injured and join them in a clearly handed down: “They shall not pass!”

The antimigration discourses that have recently escalated through sensational reporting of the profit-oriented media apparatus, and which are constantly also the agenda of political elites to achieve their populist goals, are creating fertile ground for seemingly isolated and sporadic attacks on autonomous spaces. From our analysis and experience from the field we understand that states as institutions through their antimigration policies, systematic discrimination and racism do not allow to breathe neither to the autonomous spaces nor to people seeking refuge. So it is obvious that we cannot place our trust and hope in these and similar formations. We are aware that in order to fight the ideologies of exclusion the responsability rests in all community members, always and everywhere. [Read More]

Ljubljana: Massive graffiti on Autonomous Factory ROG

The Rog Factory is a squat in Ljubljana, Slovenia, occupied since 2006. During June it resisted a brutal eviction by the municipality and a neo-nazi-shit attack during the night. [Read More]

Ljubljana: Interview on the defense of the Rog factory squat

In cooperation with Crna Luknja, the anarchist radio show on Radio Student in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, we produced the following interview on the ongoing struggle against the attempted eviction of Rog, a former bicycle factory and an active squat for 10 years now. The interview focuses on the resistance against the attempts of eviction by the city as well as Nazi attacks and also on the political framework right now in Slovenia.

[Read More]

Ljubljana: Public statement of the assembly of the Rog Factory users

20160606_Avtonomna_Tovarne_ROG_LjubljanaThe question of the Rog Factory is a political question. After Monday’s morning, it is in our interest, as well as in the interest of the municipality of Ljubljana, to calm the situation down. However, in contrast to the municipality, we are in full control of the situation. The Rog Factory is today a de facto autonomous area and we, the people of Rog, are also controlling the entry. Before Monday’s aggression by the security sent by the municipality, the entry was under the control of the security company Valina. After Monday’s brutality, Valina is not welcome in the Rog Factory anymore. We will be protecting the entry by ourselves.

The municipality was the one who provoked the tensions by sending payed violent securities upon us. The mayor is personally choosing the violent means, we are only responding defensively. On Monday we proved that we are successful in doing so. It is of most perversion that the mayor, Zoran Janković, is now avoiding taking responsibility for the acts of his own securities. No one will carry out violence against us and we hope that Mr. Janković knows that. Every arbitrary step taken by the municipality made us stronger, and the farce that they performed on Monday forced us into full action. The movement is alive and well organized; it includes new and organized structures and is composed of more than one hundred individuals. We are prepared for new attempts of interventions into our community and we are convinced that we will ward them off successfully. [Read More]

Koper (Slovenia): Defend the factory ROG!

201606_Autonomous_Factory_ROG_LjubljanaWe all know that the factory Rog is being threatened with demolition by the mayor of Ljubljana, which was planned for June, 14 2016. Today, June, 6, an attack was carried out at 3:15 AM. A bunch of security guards used severe violence on people and the police that was also present there, allowed it. Now there are barricades in front of the main entrance.

A PROTEST AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF ROG is being called for at Petkovškovo nabrežje (the rear side of the factory).
We urge all those of you who care for autonomous spaces to join us in defending Rog. Your presence will help, so come whenever you have the time, up until June, 14.

Together we will defend ROG!!
[Read More]

Ljubljana: Barricades in Autonomous Factory ROG

Today in the morning (3:30) the city mayor of Ljubljana with security forces and police attacked the autonomous factory ROG that is squatted since 2006. They tried to evict the place and start to demolish the place. People reacted fast and soon after the initial attack few hundred people successfully resisted the violence, eviction and demolition. Barricades were lifted and after few hours security forces and police were pushed out of the factory. The space is since morning again under the control of the people. Different activities are planned for next days since the situation is unclear. [Read More]

Ljubljana: Call for support for Autonomous Factory ROG

The autonomous factory Rog is under threat of being evicted and destroyed by the municipal authorities which are pursuing their project of renovating the area into a centre for creative industries. Municipality plans to demolish 4 buildings at the end of may or beginning of june and then – depending on their financial capabilities – continue with the removal of all additions to the main factory building. For now, only one atelier is under threat of being demolished, but once the construction yard is established, the authorities can easily remove the skate park, a gallery, concert hall, circus space, social centre and other places. The municipality does not possess the financial means for the overall renovation and is pushing with demolition works only because the building permit issued for demolitions will expire on the 14th of june, 2016. We call for support for the autonomous factory Rog as much as you are able. You can help us in various ways: [Read More]

Slovenia: Reutilization of abandoned industrial buildings

Inde_KoperIndustrial archeology

Built structures often outlive their original purpose. In addition to historical buildings such as castles, this also applies to industrial buildings. Abandoned mills, mines, factory halls and warehouses are in most cases doomed to collapse, but sometimes they get saved, refurbished and revived with new content. In Great Britain the evaluation and revitalization of industrial plants started in the fifties, because a lot of the buildings were destroyed during the war. In 1955 the British historian Michael Rix coined the term industrial archeology and the beginnings of revitalization of this architecture date back to this period. Today the Unesco’s list includes a large number of buildings that belong in the category of industrial heritage as evidenced by the agreement on the importance of these historical legacies that bear witness to a time of great social and technological change. However, few qualify as monuments of national importance. [Read More]