Amsterdam: We Are Here people stay in Havenstraat

By: fawda - May 31st, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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Most of the members of We Are Here currently living at the former prison in the Havenstraat in Amsterdam had to leave the building past June 1st. Which they didn’t and following to that the city subpoenaed everyone. The case will take place coming Friday, June 13, 13.30h. at the court of Amsterdam, Parnassusweg 220. The lawyer Pim Fischer is preparing for a strong plea for access to human basic necessaries for everyone.

The group of establishers “We Are Here” are decided not leave the government building , Havenstraat. “Here is the place to know our destiny clearly” We signed agreement in vluchtkantoor for two things:
1/ Those of who can lead their life in Nederland must clearly confirmed and told.
2/ Those of who can go back and will go back must be clearly assisted and taken to their country ! [Read More]

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Calais: The Occupation Continues

By: fawda - May 30th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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Tomorrow, the occupation of SALAM by the inhabitants of the three camps evicted yesterday will enter its fourth day. They arrived early Tuesday morning, in anticipation of the destruction of their homes, at the food distribution center, which is normally closed except for an evening meal (and lunch on the weekend). They were looking for a safer space to stay, protected from the wind, the rain and the police, but also for a place to take a stand, to demand access to basic services and political consideration from the government, locally and across Europe. [Read More]

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Lockdown Defends the Albany Bulb!

By: pinkxedge - May 29th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News

From Earth First!

A lockdown at the Albany Bulb ensured defense of the land for one more day yesterday.

Activist with the IWW Environmental Caucus and EF!er, Elliot Hughes, explained, “Today, I locked down to a backhoe and negotiated with Albany police that the Amber’s house and the two barricaded roads leading to it would not be demolished for the day after hearing cops threaten to demolish her house early in the morning. We need support to stop the eviction of the Albany Bulb ASAP!.”

[Read More]

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Calais: Camp Evictions met with Occupations and Resistance

By: fawda - May 29th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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Today more than 300 police descended on Calais to evict three tent camps in the city centre which have existed since last October: the «Syrian camp», which was set up following the occupation of the port, the «Eritrean camp» under the bridge, which was established after the eviction of their squat, also in October, and a smaller camp close to the food distribution. Together these places were home to around 650 people in Calais. The state has tried to disguise this police operation as a humanitarian intervention, citing scabies and poor sanitation to justify destroying people’s homes without providing them with any alternative solution. They neglect to mention that these problems exist only because they have forced people to live in very crowded conditions without regular access to toilets, showers, or places to wash their clothes and bedding. They legitimize the paternal intervention of the state by painting a picture of migrants as diseased and unable to care for themselves, rather than accepting responsibility for creating the circumstances which have caused these problems. [Read More]

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Riots in Barcelona after Can Vies eviction

By: pinkxedge - May 28th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News

DAY ONE

[Days two and three below]

On Monday, May 26, police from the Mossos d’Escuadra evicted the 17-year-old squatted social center Can Vies, starting at the atypically late hour of noon, perhaps due to heavy morning rains. Can Vies had an open eviction date, but the choice of day was to be expected as Sunday was elections for the European Parliament (which, incidentally, saw a sharp increase in the presence of far right and far left parties). The party in power never wants to start unpredictable conflicts in the weeks before an election, and the day after an election, the media is full of related news.

[Read More]

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Dublin: Eviction attempt defeated in Grangegorman

By: fawda - May 26th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News

Wednesday 21st saw another successful defense against an eviction in Dublin. This time in the Stoneybatter area. We put out an alert after we were told that a gang of 3 men with crowbars “came this afternoon and broke in to one of the houses. About 40-50 people showed up outside to show support, then 5 Garda showed up. People inside resisted and argued until the alleged owners and Garda left the house and left the street to a large round of applause.

Everything is cool now. The street was closed off and there was lots of music, food, fun, and we managed to get the support of many parents and school children on the way home from school. [Read More]

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Calais: Now or never!

By: fawda - May 26th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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*Everyone come to Calais May 27th or in the night of the 26th!!!!*

The authorities have decided to destroy the three main camps, which shelter around 700 people. The only prospect for the inhabitants: a pill against scabies and life in the street! There can be no question of repeating the events of 2009, when the eviction of the Afghan jungle resulted in the arrest of hundreds of migrants, their detainment all over France and attempts to deport them to Afghanistan. There can be no question, after five years of persecution, of starting all over again from zero, while the machine of repression gears up once more. Never again! [Read More]

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Amsterdam: VluchtMarkt Eviction Notice

By: fawda - May 26th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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8 weeks letter to Ten Katestraat 61-63

A few days after the civil court case initiated by the owner of Ten Katestraat 49, also the squatted buildings on Ten Katestraat 61 and 63, owned by Rochdale, are under threat. The officer of justice Otto van der Bijl has sent the 8 weeks notice, which means that not the owner, but the state itself is taking initiative against the refugees. It is the first time that a ‘We Are Here‘ squat is treated with the criminal law. According to local politicians, Rochdale still seems to have no plans and no permits to renovate the properties, while the people occupying them have spend many weeks re-building the spaces (including toilets, showers, electricity, floors and ceilings) and made them safe and liveable. The group has 1 week to start a proceeding to defend the squats in court. If the case will be lost, also women and babies will be again on the street. [Read More]

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Calais: Emergency situation, all squats and camps will be evicted in the next few days!

By: fawda - May 22nd, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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On May 27th, the three main camps of Calais will be destroyed by the police. More than 600 people live in these camps, which were won through constant migrant struggle after a long series of evictions. No solution has been proposed for the evicted migrants. Moreover, a social center and two further squats are up for eviction starting on May 30th. All told, more than 800 people will be put on to the street.

In this stopping point on the way to England, squatting is the only housing solution that exists. It is also a tool of resistance for migrants to protect themselves from violence and police harassment in the camps and in the city. Today, the mayor of Calais’s fight against squatting has reached a new low. This time she has proposed a law which would change the 48 hour period in which squats must be evicted (which is not officially set down in French law). We know very little about the content of this law, only that it will attack the right to housing for all. The entire future of squatting in France is endangered by this law. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: Court Case VluchtMarkt, Ten Katestraat 49

By: fawda - May 21st, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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‘We Are Here’ protest in court

Today, May 21st, the owner of Ten Katestraat 49 brought the ‘We are here‘ group to court. The company, Batavia B.V, intends to rent the property to another company, W.M. Honselaar Onroerend Goed B.V.. Their plan is to build yet another hotel, that will ‘contribute’ to the massive gentrification project that is taking place in the Kinkerbuurt. The hotel will be a ‘special concept’, so called ‘City Hub’, where tourists can drop their luggage and their dead bodies after one night party.

The space is currently used by undocumented migrants both for housing and as a social, cultural and political centre, where different groups of people can encounter and mobilise for further political action. Undocumented migrants are criminalised everywhere, in each space of European society. Thus opening a social and political centre was a step further in our struggle, as what is needed is not only a roof for surviving, not only basic human rights, but also the possibility of living a decent life, wich includes the possiblity of socialisation, communication, and recreation. [Read More]

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Seattle (USA): Condo Excavator Sabotaged

By: xxx - May 16th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News

About a little over week ago we snuck into a condo development in Seattle and poured a gallon of bleach into the gas tank of an excavator. This was a small but easily reproducible attack against the expansion of gentrification in Seattle. [Read More]

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Calais: Squat Evictions Planned for May 30th

By: fawda - May 16th, 2014  Filed under: Communique, News
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We are a group of people from different countries and different political backgrounds who are fighting for the right to housing for everyone , whatever their origin. Since the end of February we have held three empty public buildings, abandoned by the DPO of Calais on Rue de Vic, Rue Auber and Rue Massena. Although there are no plans for these houses, the DPO has engaged in legal proceedings and the court has ruled that the buildings are to be vacated on 30th May

Since the end of February, in the three squats, lives have been created and many links with neighbors have been built. These are temporary places, but necessary. Solidarity and housing are crucial for survival in daily life.

We demand that the sub-prefect do not send the police or intervene on May 30 or the following days, to forcefully evict these three occupied buildings. [Read More]

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