Athens: Solidarity action for the evicted squats

In the morning hours of April 19th we attacked with fire the Ministry of Culture in Exarchia. This attack was pitched, because Clandestina, the squat housing migrants, which was evicted in the morning of 18 april, is owned by the Ministry of Culture. That same morning the anarchofeminist squat Cyclopi was evicted as well. A few days ago, squats housing migrants such as Azadi, New Babylon and Arachovis 44 (with single men) were also evicted.

As for Exarchia, the strategy of gentrification has already started and the evictions (or the demolitions) of squats, the ban for anti-authoritarian events at Strefi hill, the AirBnB’s that keep popping up, the upcoming metro station in the area, the green economy that is spreading rapidly, the cops that are permanently guarding the area overall, are parts of the visible part of the “invisible” war that has been declared by state and capital.

In the network of the metropolis the most totalitarian human tendencies are expressed through relationships. Only target: the accumulation of capital from every possible production field, from every “innovative” consummation field. And Exarchia couldn’t get away from this plan. The capitalist invasion is war. And this war, besides the consciously- politicized subjects, aims the people that are not considered productive and exploitable, such as migrants without papers, “illegal” street vendors, expropriators and substance users. We, by practically showing our solidarity, take position in this war, choose to stand by to every oppressed person and to remind the state that no attack and no eviction will stay unanswered. [Read More]

Zagreb: Social center BEK, new call for volunteers

Dear everyone, a year has passed already since BEK collective opened a new squat and social center in Zagreb, Croatia. It was a year of different struggles and challenges, some things changed and some didn’t, and we are still in process of learning and developing our social space. The basic ideas of a drug-free, free entrance and socially aware space are still on and will be on. Recently our old facebook page and riseup email had been hacked and a lot off misinformation sent around, so we apologize for confusion that was maybe made by that and are trying to fix it. Please note that the internet drama was made by people who are not part of the collective and heavy accusations and dramatic information in the text is all made up with purpose to discredit us, and here is everything in its ordinary function. As spring arrived, we are continuing to upgrade our gardens around the house, as well as other old projects like public kitchen, movie nights, rehearsals space and art studio, library, freeshop… [Read More]

Athens: Protest camp in front of Greek parliament after 4 evictions in 8 days

Yesterday [April 18] Greek police evicted the Clandestina refugee squat [pictured] and the queer feminist Cyclopi squat. One week before cops evicted the Azadi and Babylon refugee squats. Yesterday afternoon refugees have build up a protest camp in front of Greek parliament at Syntagma square to protest against the evictions.

The cops came in the very early morning hours to evict Clandestina refugee squat yesterday. At the same time they evicted Cyclopi. With 4 evictions in just 8 days, more than 300 people are homeless now.

Yesterday afternoon a group of about 70 refugees went to Syntagma square in Athens and started a protest camp in front of Greek parliament. The refugees demand housing, many of them are homeless after the evictions of the past 9 days.
[Read More]

Berlin: Squatted Bizim Bakkal store violently evacuated without eviction title

Today (April 6th 2019), after the Mietenwahnsinn (rent madness) demonstration, the empty Bizim Bakkal shop was squatted, which had been empty for 4 years. Berlin police evacuated without a valid eviction title, without contact to the owner and using massive force against activists, journalists and parliamentary observers.

Last year, we occupied several houses, apartments and shops, all of which were evicted by the Senate and the Berlin police except one apartment in Großbeerenstraße. We see ourselves as part of a movement that is defending itself against Berlin increasingly developing into a city for the rich. A city in which social participation and place of residence depend on income and in which every square centimeter is used. The city is losing its open spaces, and Berlin’s neighborhoods are increasingly shaped by tourism, consumption and property speculation. Despite many promises regarding housing policy, the Senate is only watching or even actively helping in this process of displacement.

Today, 40,000 people took to the streets in a demonstration against rent madness and displacement. How have the demands, which were also supported by parts of the Berlin Senate, been put into practice and how have we begun to get our neighbourhood back? Many demonstrators joined this project on the spot in Wrangelstraße. [Read More]

London: Squatter’s Digest: The Fight To Remain

No, no, not that fight to Remain. You’re here for the squatting right?

Well if you read last month’s entry (this is something of a journal I guess, rather than journalism), then you’ll be pleased to know that I write to you from the comfort of my squat, the same one as before. With 30 fellow squatters outside the barricaded front door, serving breakfast, tea and coffee, and a free shop to the public, the resistance to our eviction was handled with ease. So, here I remain.

Further resistance to the bailiffs was seen within a few days time in London, this time in the south, in Deptford. Expecting a somewhat firmer attempt from the bailiffs, people gathered from 7 in the morning to barricade (although some were still up from doing this the night before) and to protect the entrance-way. High court bailiffs arrived, and it seemed like it was on. However, despite the posturing of the initial few enforcers, and the entrance of another half-dozen reinforcements, the bailiffs had no success in removing the squatters. With the squatters being an integral part of local campaigns such as the oft-mentioned Tidemill Garden, scores of local residents and campaigners came down to show their displeasure at the attempt, and the police and bailiffs caved to the pressure and retreated. [Read More]

Amsterdam: Het Kløkhuis wins court case

It was yesterday April 1st but it’s not a joke! We, the Kinderen van Møkum (Children of Møkum), were told yesterday that we won the lawsuit against the State. On February 22nd, the Klokhuis, building squatted by the Kinderen van Møkum on sunday september 30th 2018, received a letter of eviction from the public prosecutor. This despite the fact that the building has been empty since the beginning of this century, has been squatted several times and the owner would continue speculating if we were to leave. To fight this, we filed a lawsuit against the State and went to court with more than thirty young people. Here we have argued for a complete ban on eviction and this has been granted to us! Hooray! The Kløkhuis Amsterdam may stay! Big thanks to everyone who supported us!

Kinderen van Møkum, Het Kløkhuis
Zeeburgerpad 22, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://squ.at/r/6ixz [Read More]