The state, cops and university lackies decided on 31 December 2021 to realize an eviction that has already been announced the previous months. After unofficial threats for an upcoming eviction of the Biologica squat during the previous years, in September a project agreement was signed and assigned to a contractor, with the aim of “remodeling” and “utilizing” the spaces on the ground floor of the Biology building where the squat used to be. In the plans, of course, they included the squatted area with the intention of demolishing the surrounding walls and turning it into a secretariat room and a waiting room. In New Year’s Eve as in the long gone 1992 – at that time they built the door of the squat – the university campus is surrounded by police forces while underground cops are moving towards the area of the squat. They invaded our liberated ground and after conducting a thorough search, while destroying anything that was in the squat, they took pictures of their “grand” findings and they gave the space to the workers to finish off the first stage of their plan, the demolition of the walls. [Read More]
Ghent: Will the Pand be sold to the highest bidder?
Once…
Twice…
Three times squatted against privatisation!
On 19 December 2021, two weeks after the last eviction, we resquatted the heart of Ghent (Belgium)! Out of political necessity, because once again the voice of the people is ignored and the city and its puppets want to sell the Caermersklooster to the highest bidder.
For more than forty years, the building has symbolised the struggle of ordinary inhabitants of Ghent for the preservation of their public property and right to live in dignity. Opposite them is the interest of private investors and speculators, mainly interested in buying up heritage in order to make a profit. Even more than that, the building embodies the power of the people if they make their voices heard loud enough. In 1980, thousands of inhabitants of Ghent, squatters and sympathisers, took to the streets against the sale of the Pand to the private tourist sector. They won the battle and for more than 25 years the Caermersklooster was used for social housing. [Read More]
Thessaloniki: The eviction of the Biologica steki won’t go unanswered
Open Assembly in solidarity with the Biologica steki, friday 31 december at 3:00 p.m. at the first student restaurant.
Today 31 december, on new year’s eve, the state and the cops evicted the occupied Biologica steki, surrounding the area around the campus, with an increased presence inside the university. The storming and eviction of the steki was chosen to take place at dawn (6:00 am) as they would not face any form of resistance at this time. We do not consider the eviction of the steki to be an exception, as part of the political methods of the state in the form of control and repression to silence any mode of expression and action that deviates from the dominant one. [Read More]
Thessaloniki: 34 years are not enough. Hands off our squat! Solidarity week with Biologica squat
We are reaching out to fellow squats, collectives, autonomous groups and comrades, to inform and raise awareness about the current situation concerning the recent squat eviction wave in Greece, as well as the new “anti-education” laws that allow policing in public education institutions.
As you may already know the “occupied space at Biology school of Thessaloniki”, one of the oldest squats in Greece, is threatened with eviction. We take this threat seriously, as it is based on solid information, that has been published by the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance and is about to be completed within 16 months (from September 16th, 2021), starting with the demolition of walls within 4 months (until January 2022). As christmas holidays are around the corner, in combination with recent targeted statements, by the vice minister of education Mr Sirigos, we consider this period, dangerous for possible eviction and immediate demolition of the internal walls of the squat. In the past, we have witnessed evictions taking place during holidays, as it is a known government tactic to act, when many students and comrades are away from big cities, in order to avoid resistance. [Read More]
Wassenaar: Court Orders Our Ivicktion
Wassenaar (Netherlands) – On Monday Dec 20, Rechtbank Den Haag ruled we must leave Ivicke within six weeks.
We aren’t surprised by this verdict in the owner’s favor, and we won’t just accept it quietly.
The court’s argumentation is that our residency here is in violation of the building’s zoning plan, which designates its use as an office. The judge said he “understands the currently difficult housing market” —does he, really!?—and yet decides to evict for emptiness.
Eviction for emptiness, yes: because there are no concrete plans for Ivicke’s future use. No permits, no costings, no drawings, only Ronnie van de Putte’s word that he wants to use it as an office for his company’s only employee.
This is enough for the judge to claim “ there are no grounds for concluding that the national monument will once again be vacant once the occupants have left.” [Read More]
London: Update from Autonomous Winter Shelter
Good morning everyone, I hope you’re all well. 115 Grays Inn road (an old stmungos hostel, now taken over by one housing and the Riverside group) has been taken over by a group of people looking out for others safety and well-being, in protest to the housing crisis and opened it to the homeless. We have loads of rooms that need furnishing, as well as kitchen equipment of all sorts. Can anyone help please by dropping down any donations? If any groups want to send your guests here for a shower and a bite to eat, a clean change of clothes, then please feel free as that’s why we’re here. Operating on a first come first served basis to keep it fair to all from 10pm to 10am. If no rooms are available, there will ALWAYS be food and a hot drink,clothes and bedding. Thank you any help would be fantastic and greatly appreciated. The work we do is only possible with YOUR help and assistance.
Athens: Call for participation in the defense of the Squatted Community of Prosfygika
We address this call to collectives and individuals from all around the world to join the combative defense of Prosfygika against the imminent repression. The attempted evacuation of our neighborhood must be turned into a central event of resistance and a victory against political power and the gentrification of our neighborhoods in the metropolis.
WHAT WE INVITE YOU TO DEFEND:
The building complex of Prosfygika was built in 1933 for the refugees coming from Asia minor.
In the conditions of the time, a vibrant working class neighbourhood with communal characteristics emerged. Today,it is one of the biggest building complexes in the center of Athens, which is still not gentrified and exploited by big investors or the state. It is a place of strategic significance, since it is located between the two ‘pillars’ of authority – the Supreme Court on one hand and the Police Headquarters on the other.
Within this socio-spatial frame, some militants, who were already living in the neighborhood as squatters, decided to organize. In 2010 they initiated the Community of Squatted Prosfygika, having as its central decision-making political organ the Assembly of Squatted Prosfygika (SY.KA.PRO.). A communal body for everyday life and political struggle. [Read More]
Pertuis: trial of the ZAP, call for support
Pertuis (France) – We are mobilizing against the 86 ha extension of the commercial zone of Pertuis and the artificialization of agricultural land that it will generate.
For 3 weeks, we have been occupying houses, destined to be destroyed, to fight against this project.
We are appearing in court (what an injustice!).
Come and support us this Thursday 16 December at 2pm, in front of the court of Pertuis. [Read More]
Brussels: call out, imminent eviction KBC occupation
Solidarity rally, Monday 13 December, 14:00
Press release of the Collective Zone Neutre, KBC Occupation
Since last July, thousands of refugees are blocked in Belarus at the gates of Poland. Pushed on one side by the Belarusian forces and on the other by the Polish authorities, without any European intervention to put an end to this tragedy. Hundreds of migrants find themselves in the streets of Brussels, without any help or resources from the competent authorities.
In recent years, several organizations have had to file a series of lawsuits against illegal instructions or practices of the Belgian state in terms of reception. While undocumented citizens and activists take care of finding housing solutions for hundreds of migrants, through actions of occupation of empty houses. While political administrators wash their hands of it. [Read More]
Pertuis: The ZAP once again under attack, we will not surrender
Pertuis (France) – This morning Roger Pellenc carried out his threats at the ZAP (Zone à patates), where we are occupying several houses to fight against a project to extend a commercial zone and the capitalist world that engenders it. A shovel escorted by six municipal policemen came to destroy the gate of the common house as well as the fence and the hedge along the street and seriously damaged the reception hut that we had built in the last few days. All this under the hilarious look of the municipal police.
Some people from the ZAP witnessed these actions, a comrade tried to get between the shovel and the gate. The driver of the machine threatened him and continued his work while putting him in danger. Then the police tried to arrest him. In the morning, prolonging the pressure of the municipal police, a helicopter of the gendarmerie turned a lot around the houses. [Read More]
London: Autonomous Winter Shelter opened in former St. Mungo’s hostel
Freedom has received the following communique:
There were over 2688 people recorded to be sleeping rough in London on any one night in 2020.
The temperature at night will be cold enough to cause hypothermia for 23 days this month. That’s 23 days where there’s a real possibility that someone sleeping on the street may not wake up.
It doesn’t have to be like this. [Read More]
Wuppertal: The Osterholz forest and occupation is under threat of eviction and uprooting
Tension is rising in the beautiful Osterholz forest on the city limits of Wuppertal and Haan. The Administrative Court of Düsseldorf has rejected the complaint of local residents against the immediate enforcement of the planning approval process. This means that we have to expect an eviction of the occupation and uprooting of the forest even more.
According to the administrative court, the local residents “are only entitled to file a complaint with regard to their own rights; they cannot successfully assert concerns of the general public, such as the general importance of the forest for the environment,” and it continues: “The avoidance of negative effects on the climate is one of the concerns to be taken into account, but not all other interests must necessarily be subordinated to it.” [Read More]