Utrecht: Appeal results

On November 18th, the appeal of the nine Ubica arrestees concluded. Everyone has been sentenced to imprisonment for one month and 120 hours of community service (or alternatively 60 days in prison). In addition, there will be a compensation of € 12,000 to be paid.

The judge sentenced eight of the detainees to one month in prison and the other to six weeks. Together they have to pay compensation of € 14,750. The prosecution demanded a sentence of two months for all detainees and also the same compensation. The written judgement follows later.

In addition to this, there is still the civil proceedings brought by the police and the municipality of Utrecht, in which nearly € 50,000 in compensation is asked for.

Roughly translated from https://www.indymedia.nl/node/20048

Donations to http://ak-utrecht.nl/ubica

Utrecht (Netherlands): The Ubica-eviction, a report

Ontruiming_Ubica_Utrecht_2

Suddenly, they came storming out. They were about ten or fifteen. Black clothes and balaclavas. They had a fire extinguisher, a ladder and some tires on them. And gasoline. The great final act of the sad drama of the fall of Ubica was unfolding.

Up to about eleven o’clock the tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Nobody knew what was going to happen, except three nervous nail biters on the terrace of a café on the Ganzenmarkt, the square on which the Ubica is situated, the place that offered the best view of the spectacle that is the Ubica eviction, last Friday. It seemed like such an ordinary Friday night for the beer drinkers on the Ganzenmarkt. Another workweek gone by, another night consumed away. Nothing’s out of the ordinary, tomorrow is day like any other. But those three visitors knew better. They had heard that the squatters would not just give up their autonomous space after 21 years. “Not without a fight“, was announced on Indymedia. But of course no time was specified so it came down to nail biting and suspenseful waiting. One thing was certain: in a little while the town hall would receive a make-over. [Read More]

Utrecht (Netherlands): Eviction Ubica

2013-05-24_Utrecht_eviction_Ubica

Saturday May 25th at 3pm, the last squatter of the Ubica was removed from the building. Since Friday evening 11pm, police and riot police were busy evicting the building on the Ganzenmarkt in Utrecht.

After nine month procedures, the higher court decided on Friday that the squatters had to leave the building by Monday. The squatters, on their side, decided not to wait until Monday. “The authorities choose the confrontation. Vloet (owner of the buildings, red.), the judge and the City have chosen this path. If that’s what they want, well they can get it”, according to a statement made by the squatters.

By attacking the City Hall and setting on fire car tires on Friday night, the squatters gave no choice to the police but to react. Fireworks were lit and police officers and police vehicles were targeted with paint. Ten people barricaded themselves in the 13th century old house, some of them were chained in lock-ons. This ensured the eviction would take such a long time. [Read More]