This morning, Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 6am in Montreuil (France), took place the eviction of La Baudrière, anarcha-feminist squat. This place was, since November 2021, a space of habitation, political organization and care, which has seen many people pass by and hosted many struggles. La Baudrière defended itself with confetti and barricades to resist as long as possible, to continue to keep alive the feminist queer autonomy. The people on site held for 5 hours to the assaults of the cops, especially on the roof.
Police resources used were astonishing: more than 100 cops on site, including the Brav-M, the BAC, the BRI, a climbers unit, a private security group, a fire truck, Enedis technicians, 3 drones… The neighborhood was completely cordoned off for half a day.
After more than 5 hours of siege and unsuccessful attempts to force their way in from street level, the barricades were still holding. The police eventually evicted the inhabitants who were dancing and singing on the roof using a fire truck basket. Earlier in the morning, about fifteen people who came to support were run after, then kettled. 14 of them were put into custody. In all, at least 44 people are in custody (including 3 neighbors) in police stations of Montreuil, Rosny, Saint-Denis and Bobigny… Lots of strength to all of them!
All this to make of La Baudrière, and what it carries, another luxurious building, with shops, offices and large apartments. Here, the owner was the Louis-Étienne association, whose president is Cardinal Philippe Barbarin who has covered up cases of pedophilia. In a context where gentrification dynamics are speeding up in Montreuil and throughout the Paris Region, the eviction of La Baudrière is part of a context of repression of activists and precarious people (Kasbarian law, reform of unemployment insurance, pensions, arrests in France of activists in June etc.), more particularly in a context of generalized queer phobia. In the spring, the town hall, racist and queer phobic neighbors and the Montreuil police had even already gathered to reassure themselves and plan the eviction.
Even if La Baudrière has been emptied of its inhabitants, it has not emptied itself of its soul! The links and networks created during these years continue to exist. Let’s continue to keep them alive through all our struggles, tonight at 6pm Place de la République in Montreuil and from Thursday for the Digitales festival à la Parole Errante !
La Baudrière
Montreuil, France
la-baudriere [at] riseup [dot] net
https://squ.at/r/8ibz
https://labaudriere.noblogs.org/
Some groups in Montreuil https://radar.squat.net/en/groups?fulltext=Montreuil
Some squats in and around Paris: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/city/paris/country/FR/squated/squat
Some squats in France: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/FR/squated/squat
Groups (collectives, social centres, squats) in France: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/FR
Events in France: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/country/FR
