It’s not an illegal eviction, it’s a legal resistance. Archway squatters successfully resist an illegal eviction attempt by infamous Stamford Hill slumlords, corrupt security and incompetent cops.
Activists, squatters and community members successfully resisted an illegal eviction attempt at a 2-year old squat in North London this Wednesday night (October 14th). A call-out was made on the No Evictions London Squatter’s Network after residents of the building took to the roof to protest the 1-hour notice they were given to leave – a completely illegal and unfounded method considering that the residents had been in contact with the owner over the 2 years and had been granted license to stay.
Members of the Advisory Service for Squatters, Eviction Resistance Network and the NFA Queer Punx attended from around 9pm on Wednesday and were presented with a number of self-professed security guards who refused to display their SIA badges, despite this being a legal requirement for anyone claiming to be engaged in security work such as preventing people from entering or leaving a building. A number of constables were in presence, but were singularly uninterested in investigating the criminal offences being committed by unnamed and unidentified ‘security officers’ in attendence.
Around 30 people gathered to protest the illegal eviction attempt and in solidarity with the residents who were resisting on the roof. The people claiming to be security guards escalated the situation by bringing an obviously disturbed and distressed dog into the building and threatening those in attendance with it. Their have been accusations of violence and threats being made by security guards on those inside. The escalation lead to police in attendance drawing batons and threatening to disperse the crowd – a threat which was strongly resisted, and the police were forced to back down.
More constables arrived around 10pm, and they attempted to make arrests of those in resistance and to protect the ‘bailiffs’ and ‘security’ from being forcibly removed from the area by protesters. Despite the cops’ efforts to riot and cause violence, anyone they grabbed was immediately de-arrested and police were forced to retreat from the area. Several members of the resistance received injuries from baton strikes during the melee, and several cops were thrown into cars. Eventually the police were forced to withdraw, leaving the protesters to deal with the ‘security’ themselves.
Those in resistance then managed to contain those claiming to be ‘security’ in a room downstairs while members of the ASS applied to the High Court for an N244 injunction that commanded those attempting to illegally evict to cease and desist. Members of the resistance held the roof for over 2 hours whilst awaiting the papers to be served.
The injunction was served upon those claiming to be ‘security’ at around 1am, and they immediately vacated the property. Territorial Support Group officers arrived in the area, supported by a police helicopter, but failed to arrest the people who had been committing a crime – namely those who had attempted to evict and the North London landlords who had been trying to force people illegally from their home.
We call on all squatters, tenants and activists to resist all eviction attempts – legal or illegal – during the current pandemic. Now more than ever the opportunity to seize back housing and claim buildings is great.
Fuck living on the street, in hostels, in submission, and fuck relying on the State for hand-outs and false charity in this time of social, ecological and economic collapse. Fuck scab bailiffs and working class traitors who sell out their class for a cheap buck when people are starving on the streets and the world burns. Fuck capital and fuck the laws that oppress our movement. The time for solidarity is now. It must become unacceptable for members of our class to participate in evictions, criminality and violence on the most vulnerable in our society. The rich must be resisted in their attempts to dominate and control our lives. The State has failed and those who would bully and violate our existence need to be resisted by any means necessary. Through the laws that defend our rights and by direct action street resistance let us fight for our homes, our future and our planet.
Freedom is delighted to report that this is the fourth legal resistance in the last month, and despite the morally bankrupt ineptitude of the police and the opportunistic attempts of landlords and their cronies, four more buildings continue to be occupied.
BIG UP THE ARCHWAY MASSIVE!
BIG UP THE SQUATTERS!
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!
FUCK EVICTIONS!
Groups in London: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/city/london
Events in London: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/city/London
Groups in UK: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/GB
Events in UK: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/country/GB
Freedom News, October 18th 2020 https://freedomnews.org.uk/its-not-an-illegal-eviction-its-a-legal-resistance/
