Only a few days here at 195 and its clear that we seem to be attracting attention from people passing by. I guess its a mix of seeing us grinding hard in the front garden, reading our signs on the gates and quite simply not be able to walk past such a big and beautiful building without noticing it. 195 Mare street really does stand out on the main road. It has been extremely refreshing to speak with people all from different journeys. So far we have received only a positive response from the local community. Sharing ideas feels wonderful and exciting and its always fun showing people the awesome space that we now have for use. We are beginning to visualize what this place is going to evolve into.
Oakland (USA): Stay Away Squat evicted
The StayAway squat in Oakland was evicted by a paramilitary camo-clad SWAT team with assault rifles. A long-time rent paying resident was also evicted and left homeless, all for the profit of REO Homes.
At around 10am, four heavily armored black SWAT trucks turned heads as they rolled down Vallecito Place in Highland. Deterred by the barricades that had been built in front of the StayAway over the previous month of eviction defense, the camo-clad SWAT team packing AR-15s went up 28th street and entered an adjoining property. This maneuver appears to have been pre-planned, as the neighbor said that while the Sheriff did not gain her consent to pass through her yard, she was addressed by name upon stepping outside. Entering through the backyard with no warning, StayAway residents confronted by this paramilitary squad were forced at gunpoint to abandon their possessions and leave their home with nothing but the clothes on their bodies. Two comrades were arrested and at the time of this writing their charges are unknown, although we know they were taken to Santa Rita County Jail. [Read More]
Accra (Ghana): Proud of being a squatter
“What we all want is to live with dignity. This means for me to be able to be proud of who I am – a slum dweller.”
Those are the words of Bright Dzila, a resident of Old Fadama, the largest shantytown in Accra.
Think Africa Press offers a sympathetic account of the decade-long fight this neighborhood of 80,000 people alongside the Odaw River and the Korle Lagoon has been waging to stave off eviction and be allowed to live in freedom and dignity.
[Source: Squattercity.]
Ukraine: Sevastopol military forces evicted squat
In Sevastopol, the Russian military “cleansed” squated cultural center. It seemed to them that the building in which it is found belongs to them.
“Зачистка” Социально Культурного центра
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8VedvgSxTE#at=57
On Saturday, Aug. 10., At 14:00, in Sevastopol held picket. At the date and time of action in Kyiv and other cities, yet lack of information.
Greece: Crackdown against three squatted spaces in the port city of Patras
On August 5th, 2013, at about 6.30am, uniformed and plainclothes cops raided and evicted three squatted spaces in Patras, namely Parartima squat on the corner of Corinthou and Aratou streets, Maragopouleio squat on Gounari street, and the Self-managed Hangout inside the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Patras. All three squatted spaces were evicted and sealed off by police.
The repressive forces, aided by municipal authorities, confiscated various materials from the squats, and even sealed up the entrance of Parartima squat with bricks. [Update: The Patras free radio station Radio-Katalipsi 93.7FM announced that their equipment was NOT confiscated.]
[Read More]
Cracow: We ask for solidarity actions with social centre “Gromada”
Squat “Gromada” was created in the centre of Cracow, near the main railway station, in the district, which is particularly attractive for developers. For many years the building was empty, so it’s condition is getting worse and worse. On the 12th of July group of activists in Cracow announced the official opening of the socio-cultural centre in this building. The event was accompanied with the Cracow Rhythms of Resistance. Activists organized a picnic for neighbours.
UK: Brixton squatters fight back against eviction
Yesterday morning, Lambeth Council, the National Eviction Team and dozens of cops evicted 75 people from their homes in Rushcroft Road, Brixton. After 32 years, Lambeth Council has now decided to sell off the properties to estate agent giant and notorious tax dodger Foxtons. Fuelled by anger at the increasing gentrification of Brixton alongside Lambeth councils continuous failure to provide affordable housing, squatters, residents and locals put up a strong fight against the evictions.
A very excellent eyewitness account of yesterdays events can be found here.
And a Vice magazine article with some good pic’s here.
Santa Cruz, USA : ‘Black Bloc’ Action at Gov. Center Calls Attention to Police Seizure of Homeless Property
Activist Says Property Seizure is Designed To Harass Homeless Out of Santa Cruz.
On July 3, an activist served representatives of the Santa Cruz County government with a written notice stating that the Sheriff department’s policy of seizing the property of pre-trial homeless detainees violates federal code and the United States Constitution. The notice was accepted, and the activist believes that if a lawsuit is brought against the county, the authorities can not assert that they were unaware of the dangers they subject the homeless to. The activist served the notice wearing a face mask, believing strongly that individuals have the right to serve branches of the government with legal papers anonymously.
[Read More]
USA: We’re suing Uncle Sam for HOUSING – here are the photos and press coverage!
The Federal Government is obligated by law to invest money in the National Housing Trust Fund, which should go inro housing for folks hit hard by the financial crisis – as well as folks hit hard by centuries of institutional racism and oppression!
But that money is MIA.
In fact, over $380 million is missing from the trust fund.
That’s why we’re suing the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
And that’s why we had this press conference yesterday.
All of our photos from the lawsuit-announcement press release are here.
A terrific article in the Wall Street Journal goes deep into the background of the suit. [Read More]
London,UK : Please come to Grow Heathrow
We will give more updates as soon as we can, but the short story is that we urgently need people to come to site to help us plan. We’ve just heard that we lost our appeal in the UK’s second-highest court so the landowner now has a live possession order. We don’t know the landowner’s plans, so we don’t know whether or when he will apply for a warrant from the County Court for bailiffs, and beyond then whether or when he might hire bailiffs.
Oakland, USA : National Lawyers Guild Wins Settlement for Occupy Oakland Injuries in Campbell vs Oakland
Twelve people injured by the Oakland police department during Occupy Oakland demonstrations have settled a federal civil rights lawsuit with the city of Oakland for a total of $1.17 million. The physical injuries came as a result of OPD’s violent response to Occupy Oakland on October 25 and November 2, 2011. Plaintiffs to receive compensation for injuries include David Morse, a long-time member of the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (Indybay).
The settlement in the Campbell vs. City of Oakland case comes on the heals of another $1 million settlement still pending final approval, Spalding vs. City of Oakland. As a result of both cases, OPD has agreed to allow the federal court to enforce OPD’s compliance with its own crowd control policy and to negotiate with the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) before making any changes to the policy. The control policy prohibits police from shooting “less lethal” impact munitions or tossing explosive teargas grenades into crowds, and prohibits mass arrests without warning or opportunity to disperse.
San Francisco Tenants protest at Rick Holman’s Home as part of ‘Eviction Free Summer’
Tenants facing eviction from the historic 17 Reasons building by developer and landlord Rick Holman protested outside of his home in South Park in San Francisco this Tuesday. Since the start of the eviction process, Holman has used a variety of tactics such as illegal lockouts of tenants, harassment from security guards, as well as a web of surveillance systems against those paying rent at the building that he wants gone. During a recent block party against gentrification in the Mission District, Holman also worked closely with the police to ensure that the building would not be “occupied” by protestors, and also issued an ‘unlawful detainer’ to residents inside on the day of the event. How many times have we all had landlords come to our homes, walk around, issue demands, and threaten us? Landlords hold great power over our lives and also take massive amounts of money out of our hands that we make by our labors and put it into their pockets. Thus, it’s great to see people taking the fight to their doorsteps and raising a ruckus in their bourgie neighborhoods. Often, most people are too afraid to stand up to the cops, the landlords, and the developers, but we need only keep in mind that are all united in our experiences and our desire to live freely. Hopefully, this is just the start!
Radar Online Agenda
