Note: This page will be continually updated as events unfold.
The school is now in its 10th day of resistance! Scroll down to the bottom for latest news.
Latest updates on twitter and ticker
From Contra Info:
Tuesday, June 24th, 2014, at midday — the squatted school at Ohlauer Street is being evicted right now. On-site support is still needed; at 7pm, there will be a spontaneous demonstration starting from Kottbusser Tor, Berlin.
At 10am, menacing looking undercover cops entered the schoolyard. Later on, 900 cops surrounded the school. The district authorities had lied to the refugees, promising not to evict the building itself. District and church people try to create a rift between the refugees, as well as to force them to move out of the school under the threat of a martial police force. Some refugees and families have left the school, but many more are still inside and refuse to go out. Some of them stand on the roof shouting slogans; petrol was spilled inside the house; cops evicted a sit-in at the entrance door; several hundred people are protesting in front of police barriers. Refugees are threatening to jump from the roof if they are evacuated. Roma families moved out when they were promised that there will be new accommodation for them, but now they stand on the street. So the situation is tense, and the livelihood of many people is threatened. The district administration, the Green Party of Kreuzberg and the Senate of Berlin are held accountable for this situation.
At 7pm there will be a spontaneous demonstration at Kottbusser Tor. It is possible that by that time the eviction will still be underway, so the demo will end in front of the refugee school. Come to Kreuzberg! Show your solidarity!
Raw updates from anti-eviction demo in Kreuzberg:
At around 20:00, comrades report that the cops have attacked the demo against the eviction of the squatted school at Ohlauer Street, storming against people from all sides since the very beginning. The protesters are several hundred (nearly 500). Cops are present in masses in all of the area (Kreuzberg). Comrades are trying to verify if the violent eviction has already started and what the situation of resisting refugees inside the building is. It is highly possible that there are detentions of protesters, since the police attack was brutal.
Shorty afterwards, cops kettle a big part of the demonstrators at Kottbusser Tor. There is no way to see what kind of operation they are launching against the refugee school because they have blocked all nearby streets.
At about 21:25, the bloc of demonstrators that was kettled at Kottbusser Tor finally managed to march. Nevertheless the cops are in large numbers and have taken full control of the area. A small group of people attempted a sit-in on Wiener Street in order to block the bus that was carrying some of the evicted migrants (it is not yet clear if there are still people resisting in the building) but the sit-in was quickly dispersed by police units. People are running up and down trying to avoid getting busted. A group of around 200 demonstrators is gathered outside the Tempest Library (with ghetto blasters from the refugees playing music, and continuously shouting slogans).
At around 21:40 scuffles and small-scale clashes occurred at the corner of Ohlauer Street with Wiener Street. People managed to break the line of metal barriers placed by cops. Police are using light-blaster against the crowd. Amid unrest, with people running back and forth to avoid the blinding light and regroup however they could… a cop’s helmet went flying.
It seems the night will be long. But cops are also prepared for this. There is a need to support people on the streets with food and water.
Fuck the mass media, fuck the social media. Support counter-information.
Solidarity is our weapon!
Video of the eviction and demo available on YouTube here.
According to @15Mbcn_int on twitter, the remaining refugees resisting eviction on the roof have set up an improvised media center.
Update: At 10:00 there will be a press conference of the refugees still on the roof, who have made it through the night without police action.
Update 25/6: Following the brief occupation of the German embassy in Brussels, Supporters occupied the offices of Kreuzberg’s district mayor.
As of 18:10, refugees still occupy the roof. Calls have been made for a spontaneous demo starting at 19:00, from Oranienplatz in Kruezberg.
20:59 Update: Around 500 people joined a spontaneous demo in support of the occupied refugee school in Kreuzberg.
There was also a solidarity demo in Hamburg (left), made up of about 60 supporters, as well as in Hannover (right.)
Another call has been made for a spontaneous demo in Berlin at 22:30 tonight. From Contra Info:
Solidarity with the squatters of Ohlauer Street’s school and all other refugees! Come all to Kottbusser Tor in Kreuzberg, and bring many banners and fliers with you! Let’s show the Berlin Senate, the District and the Green Party what solidarity means and what we think of their relocation measures. The aim of the spontaneous demo is to reach the school, either indirectly or directly…
No nation, no border, fight law and order!
No border, no nation, fight deportation!
In the late hours of June 24th, we smashed the windows on the ground floor of a new luxury building in Simplon Street, as a (much too) small response to the fucking eviction.
Those who are exploitable under capitalism may have a place in the capitalist city, but all others – whether homeless or refugees – are not supposed to have any space at all.
We’re not okay with this; strength and love to the squatters who are still inside the school!
Solidarity now; right of abode for everyone and everywhere!
Cops into the Spree River!
During the earlier demonstration, police grabbed at least one person, with unconfirmed reports that two were arrested. Multiple people report ID checks being conducted by police around Kotti, where the unauthorized demo was set to begin at 22:30.
20:56 Update: Five people were arrested by the police outside the occupied school. Lots of supporters showed up and the situation has calmed down. The refugees are still on the roof.
There was also a solidarity demo in Marburg
02:37 (27/6) Update: The refugees that remain on the roof have issued the following statement:
We say it clear: We don’t leave the building until we obtain papers for everyone in the building.
As soon as we get our right to stay, we are ready to leave the school peacefully.We don’t want too much talk, we want clear results and garantues:
This is the cost of bad experiences with the negotiations with the Senat and the Bezirk.
Senator Kolat has promised a transfer of the asylum cases to Berlin
A six month Duldung, access to the job market, to education and German lessons.
Currently, none of these five points have been reached and ten people who are on the list of the Oranienplatz agreement are facing deportation. Two month after, no one got the transfer and the Duldung is ignored by the Ausländerbehörde. This is why we don’t accept no negotiations anymore and put the German and Berlin authorities in front of their responsibilities.
The Senat has lied the District is lying:
People who were registering on Tuesday have been refused a place in the new Lagers!
Cleary, they free themselves from any responsibilities in case something happens. But they are all responsible now: Henkel, Herrmann, Kolat, Panhoff.
So the district should respect the people struggling inside the school and let them exercise their basic political rights (freedom of speech) and let the press come in until Henkel and de Mazière give us the documents:
Both are able to give us a residence commit §23 Aufenthaltsgesetz
We are everywhere! Support and solidarity come from all around the world. Demonstrations have been made in 6 German cities and in Istanbul. For solidarity banners has been hanged up on the surrounding buildings and even one in New York. All the streets around the school have been blocked by the supporters to hold the police cars back. We are kept isolated no press, no internet, just enough food for one day and no medicines go through the police check point. They block anybody entering with internet stick. Their intension is to criminalize us and to show the public only their own perspective. This is why they prevent us from talking to the press. They need to make us look like terrorists. Some inhabitants of the school who want to access the entrance are also still blocked at the gate.
SAY IT LOUD SAY IT CLEAR HENKEL BRINGS US PAPERS HERE!Freedom of media is not respected though it is the most basic form of democratic society!
The journalists has been refused at the negotiations between the Senat and the Bezirk. Is this the German democracy? We say it clear to Henkel! We will take untill tomorrow 3pm to discuss and analyze his offers with our lawyers and our answer to it will not be given without press.
Refugees also claim that the police have been shining lights on them from neighboring buildings.
In the neighborhood of NeuKölln in Berlin, an aggressive demo took place, catching the cops off guard. Windows were broken, barricades set up in the streets, and people dispersed before police arrived.
The refugees plan to hold a press conference on Friday 15:00
19:27 Update: Three more people were detained as supporters and police continue to clash outside police barriers.
A courthouse in Kreuzberg was attacked with molotov cocktails in solidarity with Ohlauer.
Three refugees were permitted to leave the school for the press release under the condition they be let back in. They spoke about how they had nothing to lose, and would jump from the roof if the police continue with the eviction. They also said the police did not take their negotiations seriously.
Video of the full press conference here.
Protesters that marched to Brussels with the March for Freedom have had their bus accommodations back to Berlin cancelled by the German federal police. It’s assumed that they are worried the activists will join the supporters at Ohlauer.
People continue to resist police action as refugees continue to live on the roof. A solidarity banner was dropped by a neighbor.
2:15 (29/6) Update: On Saturday, there was a massive authorized demo in support of the refugees resisting eviction and against the police occupation of the neighborhood. The march started out with approximately 3000 people, but by the time it was over it was claimed to have amassed 7500 participants. It was briefly kettled, but eventually dispersed relatively peacefully.
Video of the demonstration here.
People in the area continue to be arbitrarily arrested by the police. Cops are checking people’s IDs in the neighborhood and even escorting them home, prompting many to refer to the area being under police occupation. Earlier in the week, it was reported that the local Green Party offices were vandalized in response to the eviction.On July 1st, schools and universities will be going on strike in solidarity with Ohlauer. Read the callout below:
On the 1st July, the Refugee [Schools and Universities] will take the streets together with thousands of pupils and students, to have a big demonstration fighting for the rights of refugees. Also we are welcoming the activists of March for Freedom to Brussels who will be back in Berlin
from their month-long protest march. Right after the Demo there will be a little festival at Oranienplatz with concerts, sun and politics. Drop by and be part of it!
“During the day the police insulted as in racist ways. They were watching us from another roof and waving, not only with handcuffs, but also with bananas.” – STATEMENT FROM THE REFUGEES ON THE ROOF OF THE FORMER GERHARDT HAUPTMAN SCHULE
June 30
The squatters are still there and neighbours have broken through the barricades to bring food.
In Berlin residents and activists are up against the cops at #Ohlauer, they are about to evict cops after 7 days and 7 nights of resistance and amazing solidarity with 23 refugees in danger of being arrested and deported for having no papers: cops failed to get their pray. The 23 refugees, who defied racism and disobeyed injustices in their struggle to be recognized as free human beings, are still on the roof and thankful for all the support they got from activists who were beaten, injured, hospitalized and arrested so that cops don’t get to them.
Earlier 100 residents broke police lines and barriers and headed towards the school to show two things: they want the cops gone, and they want the refugees to stay and be safe from them.
Now at Ohlauer, residents and other supporters – also children – dancing to music; there’s music and dancing on the open air roof too, played by refugees.
A form of mocking the cops is using their fences as net for badminton, cops cracked down a game yesterday and now streets are turned into playground.
Currently there are 1720 cops – when the standoff began, there were 900, some had machine guns.
Cops terrorized the refugees every night – by not letting them sleep- and expressed their racism, also they lied that these people are “criminals” and suggested they even wanted to kidnap journalists – which of course was utterly unfounded. #ACAB
July 1
Solidarity demo picture
14.39 1/7 Eviction may be immiment – liveblog
Updates July 2, 9th day of resistance
Refugees’ condition to accept discussions was that cops retreat. They have not, on the contrary, there are more cops coming in. Still refugees accepted to discuss with district government and green party officials; while rumors have been spread – probably by politicians – that an agreement has been reached.
@peaceofsudan messaged that there is NO agreement. “Don’t trust the police”, she said.
It looks however that politicians have taken a decision, and the increased number of cops deployed suggest it is not in favor of the refugees.
The credible source about what is happening is the refugee account @peaceofsudan; not the politicians.
[but right now this account does not seem to exist]
More cops local time 18:25
Updates July 2, 9th day of resistance
Demands of roofugees:
We will go on with our protest on the roof and 3rd floor of the second building.
Therefore we want a list of people (handed later) to be able to go in and out freely during the construction.
This implies that the people living here will get a legalisation of the occupation with a polizeiliche Anmeldung.
We will chose together which projects will be allowed entering the school.
We will occupy the roof until all the refugees get a residence permit.
We require a written guarantee that we will not be evicted from this home until our demands are fulfilled.
The district is allowed to proceed to construction. Under the condition that the police will not use it to evict us.
All the files of the roofugees of the school shall be transferred to Berlin. The district will better support in this concern.
We will go on our nogociations with the Senate and the district. The district will offer support in the concern to negociate with the senate.
The people staying here will get the same conditions as the ones who left: money for accomodation, food and all other things.
The people will get social benefits according to AsylLG, including health insurance according to AsylLG.
The cash money will either be payed by Landesamt und Gesundheit und Soziales or the district.
The district will ensure that the money will be bayed or by LaGeSoz or the district.
The district will compensate the costs of the house (garbage, electricity, etc).
Living room:
The people can stay and live in the south wing 1th floor, 2nd floor, third floor.
They also will live in the second floor (under the aula).
They will use the aula. Projectrooms will be apart. The hole pavillion will be used for Project Rooms.
Toiletts & Showers 1st + 2nd floor of South – wing (till the next weekend)
————————————————-
Latest updates on twitter and ticker
Context here.
Revolution News coverage here.
