Amsterdam: Klokkenhof squatters’ stronghold

September 28, the OCCII is hosting a benefit event to help the Klokkenhof squatters prepare for a court case and other expenses:

Towering over Surinameplein stands the monumental Klokkenhof flat. Originally built in 1962 with the purpose of housing single working women, now its current owner, property investor Vesteda, plans to renovate the building and charge returning renters higher rent, and is continuing the longstanding trend of investors driving low income workers, students and elderly people further out of the city. Where there used to be 144 social housing apartments, there will be very few left after the renovation.

Vesteda has for years been trampling on renters’ rights and creating a lot of uncertainty amongst them. Renters are being asked to find alternative housing in a market that’s in the worst shape it has ever been in, and then return to their homes which will cost them hundreds of euros more to live in. [Read More]

Rotterdam: Catullusweg stays!

We are really grateful to everyone that has helped out and stood by us, it truly means a lot!!
On the 22nd of august we got a letter for a speed court case for the eviction of Catullusweg 11.
In the morning of august 23rd we went to court, and we’re happy to announce that we won!!!
Even though we don’t have anything nice to say about the judicial system, we feel a weight taken off our shoulders knowing that in the coming time there won’t be any attempts of eviction by the state and its servants.
Now that this squat has more stability, we will put even more time into setting up a social space including a library, free shop, cinema/theater, community kitchen etc.

This is a callout to gather and organise together. Come by share your ideas and don’t don’t hesitate to join in on the fun! We’re looking forward to your ideas and initiatives. [Read More]

Utrecht: No Border Camp 2024

Update from August 20, 2024:

This morning, No Border Camp 2024 started with the occupation of a terrain in Utrecht (a meadow on the Mercatorlaan (directly opposite P&R Papendorp), next to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal at the Prins Claus Bridge). Until Sunday, several hundred people from the Netherlands and abroad will gather on this terrain to resist the current migration policy through actions, workshops and culture.
Saturday 24 August, there will be a demonstration, starting at the No Border Camp towards the city centre of Utrecht.
Tomorrow afternoon, from 5 p.m., a noise demonstration against the detention and deportation of refugees will take place from the camp at the Judicial Complex Zeist (Kamp Zeist, Richelleweg 13, Soesterberg), where refugee families with children, among others, are locked up.

Kamp Zeist has been a location for many years where refugees are locked up, awaiting deportation or being thrown back on the streets. The site includes a special prison for families with minor children. This is where children such as the recently in the news Mikael (11 years old) and his mother Gohar, who are at risk of being deported to Armenia, are locked up. “Kamp Zeist has been the target of actions against the inhumane refugee policy for years,” says Sasha, spokesperson for the No Border Camp organization, “and tomorrow we will be there again to support imprisoned people and to make a clear voice for the abolition of borders and for freedom of movement for everyone.”

The No Border Camp targets both the increasingly repressive Dutch migration policy and developments at European level, where militarization of borders, pushbacks and other human rights violations are the order of the day. The new Schoof cabinet is adding plans to lock up more refugees, deport more people, make asylum applications more difficult and severely restrict the right to legal assistance.
MiGreat, the Bond Precaire Woonvormen, SOS Humanity, the Transnational Institute (TNI) and Stop Wapenhandel are among those contributing to the camp with workshops. Connections with climate change, racism and women’s and trans struggles are also on the programme.

Previous No Border Camps were held in Rotterdam (2013 and 2022), Wassenaar (2019) and Groningen (2023). [Read More]

Rotterdam: former school squatted on Catullusweg 11

We are not gone, we are still here! After the many threats and an attempt at eviction by the police, they decided to leave because we were ready to resist the eviction with a lot of people. We are still here the next day, and we are not planning on leaving.

Join us in the struggle against capitalism, the state, and all forms of oppression!
Yesterday, we revealed that we have been living at the unused school on Catullusweg 11.

Aside from being a living space, it will also be a space to gather, meet each other, share and sharpen skills, and host events. It will be a place to learn outside of institutionalised education.
We want to create a space where everybody can feel safe, no matter the colour of your skin, sexual orientation, gender, class, or any such characteristic. Our house and common spaces are vegan, because we are also against the oppression of other species.

This is an invitation to come by and organise! [Read More]

London: Practical Squatters Evening at a local squat!

By squatters for squatters!

Join us for evenings of practical squatting knowledge, skillshares, and meeting squatters new and old. Whether you’re looking to join a crew, looking for more people to join your crew, or just coming along to skill up, we hope that Practical Squatters Evenings can provide something for everyone, and bring together people in the squat scene in London.

After a recent meeting, the Practical Squatters Network has decided on some changes to make the network and monthly sessions more useful to people looking to know more about squatting or to share and improve their skills in many of the aspects of squatting life.

The Practical Squatters Network has been operating for countless years running regular sessions to introduce people to squatting, and to help those already squatting to meet others and share skills. The frequency of meetups along with the content has changed over years according to the changing landscape of squatting in the UK, but currently runs once a month on the 3rd Monday. It fluctuates between being hosted at Decentre, above Freedom Bookshop, and on alternate months in a local squat. [Read More]

Turin: On the eviction of the occupied Ex-Lavatoio

At dawn this morning – July 9, 2024 – the former occupied wash-house in Corso Benedetto Brin 21 in Turin was evicted and subjected to a search. During the eviction, various materials were seized for investigative purposes.

Bombastic media fanfares communicate the eviction of the “den of violent anarchists” and the politicians on duty congratulate themselves on the umpteenth eviction, while workers at the service of the police and the municipality wall up and smash the building, giving it back to abandonment and oblivion.

The Ex Lavatoio was occupied on December 9, 2022 as part of a citizen mobilization in response to the eviction of the Edera Squat. In those months, many considered it essential to claim and practice the instrument of occupation – certainly not that of municipal bargaining and co-planning tables – so, in solidarity with the comrades of the Edera, three occupations were born one after the other (Ex-Lavatoio occupato, Polisportiva Occupata Iris Versari, Circolo Occupato La Crepa). [Read More]

Ghent: Wondelmeersen occupied

Since June 20, the summer solstice, the Wondelgemse Meersen have been occupied and declared an autonomous zone!

This nature reserve, 14ha large, is the last continuous piece of wilderness of what was once a vast swamp area in the north of Ghent.

If it were up to transport company De Lijn and politicians such as Zuhal Demir (N-VA) and Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), the Wondelmeersen would be destroyed to make way for a so-called “green” depot for buses and trams. But a “green” depot you don’t build at the expense of valuable green nature. [Read More]

Utrecht: two buildings squatted after 10 years of vacancy

28 June, Utrecht – This morning, a group of squatters announced that they had squatted two houses on the Burgemeesters Reigerstraat. The squatters have been in the buildings next to the Wilhelminapark since Wednesday, they said in a statement. Due to the current housing crisis, the group feels justified in reoccupying the vacant houses. According to the squatters, the houses have been empty for more than ten years.

Banners with the slogans “attention, vacancy prevention” and “three times is the right to live” have been hanging on the facades of the buildings since this morning. “Apparently, there have been two attempts to squat these buildings before,” says Sander, spokesperson for the group. “These houses have been empty for so long now and we are in the middle of a gigantic housing crisis. It is therefore inconceivable for us that we will be evicted and put out on the street.” The young group of squatters indicates that they have been looking for a home for a long time. With the campaign, they want to show that squatting can offer a solution to rising house prices and the growing housing shortage. According to the group of squatters, several local residents have already indicated that they support the squatting action. [Read More]

Athens: Call for internationalist solidarity for the Community of Squatted Prosfygika

We call for international solidarity from all of our comrades from different places around the world in this moment that the state is trying to provoke the community of squatted Prosfygika. Our answer should be resistance, solidarity and militant defense.

We need to defend our liberated ground, our values and our freedom! [Read More]

Dijon: a look back at the public meeting to present the agri-cultural park of the Maraîchers ecocity

Press releases from the assembly of the Quartier Libre des Lentillères.
First press release distributed before the public presentation:

The Quartier Libre des Lentillères reaffirms its willingness to dialogue with the city of Dijon!

Since 2010, hundreds of people have been cultivating the land, organising cultural events, offering markets and meals on donations, self-managed on the 9 hectares of the Quartier Libre des Lentillères. We are still united by the desire to collectively continue the project we are carrying out for this district.

A dialogue began 18 months ago at the initiative of the city council, and we have taken an active part in it. We want to consider all possible forms of sustainability for the Quartier Libre des Lentillères, its activities and its uses, including in the form of legalisation. [Read More]

Amsterdam: Squat on Rokin evicted after celebration of one year of Takland

Takland is a year older and we celebrate! With resistance in the form of squatting a new building. After a year full of action, discussion, movies and parties, this new addition to the alley will be the revolutionary art of Amsterdam again. The new squatted building (ground floor Rokin 104) on the corner of Taksteeg/Rokin had been vacant for years and has the same owner (Axel P Nielsen BV) as the already squatted Taksteeg 6.

The police didn’t want to hear anything about it, after promising at 19:00 on Friday that they will not evict, they came later in the evening at 23:30 during our festival with 10 riot cops vans, dog brigade, popo on horses and BraTra to show their teeth. An illegal eviction in Amsterdam, which has not happened since the squatting of the Waldeck Pyrmonkade in January 2022. [Read More]

Wageningen: Community and eco-squat ‘De Achtertuin’ squats a vacant lot

13 June 2024, Wageningen – Since Tuesday 11 June, Veerweg 121 has been inhabited by the community and eco-squat ‘De Achtertuin’ (The Backyard). The Wageningen group, together with dozens of activists, has squatted this new terrain to argue for a sustainable and socially just living model. This action is a direct response to the ongoing housing crisis, environmental crisis and growing social inequality in the Netherlands.

Squatting is legit

The squatted lot has been vacant for at least 17 years and is currently owned by a property developer. In the latest plans, which have not been approved, a construction project of expensive owner-occupied homes was proposed. To this day, there are still no concrete and accepted plans for the site. The activists therefore consider it justified to establish their right of residence on this vacant lot. [Read More]