Madrid: CSOA La Gatonera evicted

First of all, we want to thank all the people who have shown their support and solidarity, especially the collectives, spaces and individuals of the neighborhood. Thanks to the support, we have managed to resist more than 24 hours at the door and hold a demonstration and a parade that hopefully has made it clear that we are still here and will continue to fight.
It has been at least a year since the beginning of threats and coercion by the new owner and his watch dogs (private security companies). There were threats to get an eviction squad after refusing to accept their money (15.000 euros) to leave the building. Seeing that they couldn’t bend us, they started the legal way to evict us. The sentence for the usurpation trial was not favorable to them, and they were still in a situation of appeal. [Read More]

Bologna (Italy): social center XM24 supporters face down national agenda to close self-organized spaces

The autonomous public space XM24 in Bologna is one of the latest organizations to come under pressure from Italian authorities aiming to evict and disperse them. National politicians such as Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a leader of the far-right Northern League (Lega Nord) and collaborationist municipal governments have cracked down on multi-purpose, autonomous social spaces across Italy.

Bologna has a long history as a “red city” with substantial leftist and anti-authoritarian organizing, with the oldest university in Europe dating to 1088 and continuing political influence by communist and socialist parties. Partisan fighters (partigiani) carried out guerrilla warfare against Mussolini’s fascist forces during World War II in the surrounding region. A popular armed uprising aimed at social revolution finally liberated the city on April 21, 1945, a day now commemorated every year.

From World War II to the present day, antifascist groups maintain a strong presence in Bologna. The cover photo above is from an April 25, 2019 antifascist demonstration that passed by XM24, marking a national day of liberation from fascism. The yellow banner says “Against all fascisms. Against racism, sexism and exploitation.” [Read More]

London: Squatter’s Digest, Festivals and Frontlines

As the riot police continued to batter the last of our barricades, blasting through the structural brickwork of the back entrance to our squat I knew it was time to go. I tried to lug my bookshelf down the stairs to safety, but sadly was forced to leave it behind as I was dragged past the lines of helmets and shields to await my fate in the outside world. Sorry for the delay, but welcome back to Squatter’s Digest. Stick around as I try to rattle off all the comings and goings in the squat world over the last couple of months.

So we were finally evicted from our squat in East London, overwhelmed by the riot squad, local bobbies, and high court bailiffs. Two of our number were arrested, although have since been released. In the words of the rossers themselves “apparently it’s okay to assault the police these days” (you can taste the bitter sarcasm with which such words were offered). It may be just coincidence, but it does feel like there has been a push by councils in east London (particularly Newham and Tower Hamlets) to rid the borough of squats. In fact at the time of writing there were no less than four squats either going through court or due to be evicted in the week. [Read More]

Germany: Aachen is squatting again!

During the international climate strike today, we occupied the Bastei. Those who live in Aachen for a bit longer, probably know the Bastei. Between 1930 and 1990 it hosted a lot of different kinds of pubs and bars. Since 1994 the Theater K played shows there. 2014 the theatre moved out, since then the building is empty. According to the local press, during this time the Bastei was owned by the architect and investor Hans Kahlen. Although Kahlen was one of the main initiators of the Aquis Plaza shopping mall. More ore less 29.000 qm of living places were destroyed for this project and many little shops had to close or to move.

All over Germany its the same system: cheap living places get sold to private investors who raise the rents for their private enrichment. If there are new building projects, it‘s expensive flats for the rich or bullshit like the Aquis Plaza. While the ecological base of our lives is getting destroyed faster and faster, there is enough living spaces for all of us. Its just not well shared. Because our economical system is not based on the needs of people but on consumerism. It aims for a constant growing, while the fossil resources are not growing with it. So why should we build new houses, that again destroy landscape and need a lot of resources, if we can just move into the ones already existing and kept empty? [Read More]

Bern (Switzerland): Brunnmattstrasse 46a evicted

On Wednesday morning, 19 june, the occupied house on Brunnmattstrasse 46a was evicted by the police. After ten days of animation, the announced program can unfortunately not be carried out. Solidarity with the occupants and stay on your guard! The ideas live on! [Read More]

Amsterdam: SADC demands eviction Lutkemeerpolder

This thursday june 20th, there will be summary proceedings on the Lutkemeerpolder (at 9.30 am, Parnassusweg, Amsterdam). On that day, the project developer, (employed by the municipality (*), who wants to turn the expensive Lutkemeerpolder into a grey business park), filed a lawsuit. It is demanded that the Gardens of Lutkemeer be evicted and that no one be allowed to enter the site for two years.
This is the next step towards starting the construction activities. When those building activities begin – by driving trucks with construction sand out of the polder, it will become permanently unusable for (organic) agriculture. So even if they then decide not to cultivate the polder, irreversible damage will have occurred. Moreover, there is a motion from the city council that they may only start preparing the land if there are also demonstrable customers for the piece of land in question. [Read More]

Amsterdam: Apartment squatted on the Da Costastraat 137!

On sunday 9 june, the apartment on the Da Costastraat 137H was squatted. This apartment was empty for many years and is owned by a person who has 22 properties in his own name. There is also a company that is registered on his name which has another 99 properties.
The main reason that we have taken this action is to provide ourselves with housing. We would rather rent the house for a reasonable price. Nevertheless, there are still a number of points that we would like to raise.
In Oud-West (Old West), the waiting time for a social housing is up to 14 years. Oud-West is therefore one of the districts where the number of social housing has since long dropped down under 35%, the boundary where there is a mixed district. Unfortunately, this is already a reality in large parts of the city. For example, this lower limit has already been passed in large parts of the Centre, West, South, and Ijburg. In West, in addition to Oud-West, the Baarsjes are also important. This is something we are worried about.
A poignant example is the wasteland on the Jan Pieter Heijestraat, where the 35 social housing units were demolished in 2009. Instead of new houses coming back to replace the demolished ones, it turned out to be for the construction of a hotel. Now, 10 years later, this plot is still vacant. [Read More]

Zaragoza: Communiqué of the Kike Mur assembly

The first thing we want to do is to thank all the collectives and individuals who have shown us their support and commitment in defending the political and social project that is being carried out within the walls of the former Torrero Prison. We do not have words to thank you for the wave of solidarity that has been generated.

That the self-styled “governments of change” undertake an offensive against the liberated spaces is not something new, in Barcelona there are countless squatted spaces that have been evicted with the approval of the government of Ada Colau, in Madrid there are also liberated spaces pending evictions and the scourge of evictions continues to spread like wildfire, all under the government of Manuela Carmena. In A Coruña the “government of change” of Marea Atlántica ordered exactly a year ago the eviction of the CSO A Insumisa, in which there was an unprecedented repression with a large number of injuries and arrests, one of which was imprisoned for several days. [Read More]

Poznan: Call for support from Rozbrat

Does Rozbrat have problems? Rozbrat has friends! Rozbrat stays! [we need your help] Since Rozbrat’s land is about to be auctioned off we’ve started a support campaign which coincides with the 25th birthday of our squat coming later this year. In May the debt collector Bartosz Guzik estimated the value of Rozbrat at 6m zlotys (1,5m euro). The auction might be announced at any given moment. Poznan authorities haven’t made any statements although they would be able to take over the land which was nationalised after World War 2, then it was illegally appropriated during reprivatisation. But we know we’re not alone and many people can’t imagine Poznan without Rozbrat! We will regularly be posting pictures of our friends! What can you do? Write down “Rozbrat Zostaje!” or “Rozbrat Stays!” on a piece of paper or say why Rozbrat is important to you and why it should stay, take a picture or make a video, send it to us and post it on your page. We need your support! Rozbrat – we were here, we are here and we will be here! [Read More]

Bern (Switzerland): Brunnmattstrasse 46a squatted

Today, Saturday 8 June, Brunnmattstrasse 46a in Bern was squatted.

In one world

which is characterized by exploitation and oppression,
where everything is determined by money,
where people work their whole lives to make a living,
in the companies, through the oppression of employees create immense profits,
in which there is an indifference towards the exploitation and destruction that is taking place by these very companies all over the world,
in which socially constructed norms prevail,
in which it is difficult for people to escape the striving for social and financial success. [Read More]

Zürich (Switzerland): Kolibriweg 5 squatted

During the night of 7 june 2019 we occupied the house at Kolibriweg 5 in Zürich. There are too many empty houses in this city and at the same time rents can no longer be paid and many people have and find hardly or no roof over their heads. We have decided not to take these conditions any further and to become active.
Shortly after the occupation, the first cops appeared. We were asked to communicate and then threatened for a long time, lied and tried to put us under pressure.
We have not consistently responded to this game and have decided not to leave the house and defend the occupation. After long and tough negotiations, the cops had to leave again. Negotiations with the owner are sought. From now on we are looking forward to a solidarity visit. Further updates will follow. [Read More]

Poznan: One of the oldest European squats calls for solidarity in face of eviction threat

Rozbrat, an anarchist squatted space in Poland, has called for solidarity in face of eviction threat.

Rozbrat is located in the western Poland city of Poznan. The property was squatted in 1994 and since then it became an alternative politics and cultural centre. It also serves as a home for over 20 people, and is both temporary and permanent shelter for homeless people.

The principal idea behind the space is grassroots organising and self-governing. It is a home to the local Anarchist Federation branch and Food not Bombs among others. The activists involved in Rozbrat have been very much part of the local and beyond projects, including Anarchist Black Cross, the Free Caucasus Committee and Workers Initiative Trade Union. The squat has also been hosting many grassroots initiatives, such as the anarchist library and publishing house, the printing workshop, self-education initiatives, bicycle workshop, a sports club, and a rehearsal space for musicians. Over the years, thousands of events have been organised at Rozbrat, including concerts, exhibitions, theatre plays, lectures, seminars, meetings and workshops. [Read More]