Utrecht (Netherlands) – Late Saturday evening the police nevertheless proceeded with an illegal eviction to protect the interests of the owner Caron Realestate & Management BV.
Earlier in the day, squatters had announced that they had been using the upper floors for several days.
In response, the police responded accordingly, and an officer of justice explained to the owner that a procedure will be initiated, that he could file a complain and have his arguments for a possible urgent case reviewed by the investigation judge.
This is a new procedure to get squatters out of a property faster that went into effect on July 1, 2022.
From that point on, the owner himself decided to block access to the property, by having some big guys stand guard for the rest of the day in the staircase, which is a common entrance for several business areas, and thus also the entrance for the new occupants.
While the police stood beside them, these men blocked access for visitors, supplies and the residents. This is very contrary to the right of access to their home for every resident.
After hours of almost no communication with the police, the residents were still in a kind of hostage situation. The police returned along with someone from the fire department for a security inspection.
It was clear that the authorities (mayor, justice department & police) were trying all possibilities to investigate whether a speed eviction could not be justified after all.
The fire department, which claimed to be there only for the safety of the squatters, was admitted, but then would not say anything about whether or not it would be safe, or what might endanger the residents.
The answer was that the new residents would hear from the police soon enough, after which they left again.
Several hours later, around 10 p.m., the police suddenly reappeared in large numbers. The street was blocked off and the squat was evicted. This was done without any notice or demand for the squatters to leave the squatted floors.
Some squatters were barricaded on the roof with lockons. The police once again had to pull out all their heavy equipment to serve the interests of real estate speculators, and make people who cannot afford ordinary housing homeless.
It is clear that there is no longer a place for housing in Utrecht, let alone for people who dare to stand up against it.
Some squats in the Netherlands: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/NL/squated/squat
Groups (social center, collective, squat) in the Netherlands: https://radar.squat.net/en/groups/country/NL
Events in the Netherlands: https://radar.squat.net/en/events/country/NL
