What are the challenges and possibilities of popular self-organisation to reclaim our lives, our homes and our cities? At this years Dublin anarchist bookfair Jenny and Zoe looked at recent occupations in Dublin, including the Grangegorman Squat in Smithfield where resistance to eviction is ongoing [Read More]
Dublin: Grangegoman Eviction, report from after baliffs chased off
Interview with a Grangegorman resident shortly after their successful resistance to the attempt to evict them yesterday. Details what happened from when the bailiffs started attacking the defenders with poles, knocked them off the gate and then drove a van into them.
This level of escalation turned out to be too much even for the Garda who finally intervened to bring the non court mandated eviction to a halt. A deal was negotiated by which all the bailiffs, their vehicles and the construction workers would leave the site.
The resident also talks about how uplifting all the solidarity they received from other people living in the area was, which even included small businesses and social justice organisations that help the homeless.
Dublin: Interviews and footage from the attempted eviction of Grangegorman occupied complex
“Our photographer was woken this morning by a text message telling him friends were getting evicted. So he grabbed his cameras, got down to the eviction and recorded this shocking footage and interviews that show a complete disregard for the people whose homes were under attack by both the Garda and private security.
The people living here mostly have low paid insecure jobs. They don’t have friends in high places. Contrast what you are about to see and hear with the very different treatment of the ‘bog standard house’ at Gorse Hill. And what you will see was recorded with the Garda and security knowing they were being recorded, imagine their behaviour if the cameras were not there. [Read More]
London: Southwark Council smashing up homes
This is a video someone made on Thursday evening (5 February) when the police and Southwark Council came and smashed up 8 homes and welded them up to prevent the occupation spreading.
You can hear loud banging and breaking of glass inside the flats that are blocked off by police. This is them smashing the toilets and sinks, and the windows, to make the homes uninhabitable. Here is a picture of a bathroom after being smashed by the council.
There are around 18,000 people on the Southwark council housing waiting list. [Read More]
London: Aylesbury Estate empty flats revitalised
Aylesbury Estate Occupation: 77 – 105 Chartridge, Westmoreland Road, SE17. Map here.
You probably heard but people have opened up a few of the decanted and empty flats in Chartridge House on Aylesbury Estate in Walworth. The occupation came at the end of the March for Homes on Saturday 31st January which ended at City Hall at Tower Bridge. About 150 people marched back to the Aylesbury and helped support the flats that had been opened up earlier on. Right now (Monday night), the occupiers have released a statement of why they are doing this and have set up a website to keep people informed.
Istanbul: Caferağa Neighborhood House Evicted by police
While police evicted Caferağa Neighborhood House, an occupied house in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district, in the early morning, activists started a passive resistance, calling for action outside the house tonight. Started in the early morning, the eviction was completed by 10:30am local time. After the eviction and retreat of police forces, activist went back to the street of the house, but decided not to enter the house again as they agreed to have a “passive resistance”. The number of activist is around 100 despite early morning. [Read More]
London: Grow Heathrow, “You can’t evict an idea”
Nearly five years later the group has cleared 30 tonnes of rubbish and runs a popular community space called Grow Heathrow with a bicycle workshop, food-growing club, renewable energy courses, and an art space.
On Friday the 15th of August, after a three year court battle, bailiffs arrived for the first time to evict the group and were met with nearly 200 people supporting Grow Heathrow to continue the project.
The bailiffs will be returning soon and the members of community garden are preparing with various resistance tactics. The group are trying to negotiate with the owner to buy the land with the support of John McDonnell MP and the Sipson Resident’s Association. [Read More]
Thessaloniki: The Orfanotrofio was resquatted and reevicted; mass detentions
On Saturday morning, September 28th, 2013 a group of comrades reoccupied the evicted Orfanotrofio squat in the district of Toumba, Thessaloniki. Shortly afterwards, they released a collective communiqué about their action, and went out on the rooftop of the building unfolding a banner reading “RESQUATTED.” In the meantime, solidarians on the street were kettled by heavy police force. The squat was eventually raided at midday. All squatters were detained chanting “The passion for freedom is stronger than all prisons!” [Read More]
UK: Why did the Bristol Stokes Croft Riot Happen? A Community-Based View of Events
Why did the Bristol Stokes Croft Riot Happen? A Community-Based View of Events (April Bank Holiday, 2011)
We attempt to tell the story of what happened through the eyes of local people building up a picture of the chain of events which led to a riot close to the centre of Bristol. As well as testament filmed over the subsequent days we also include footage from the unrest. We also hope this will help in the understanding of why it happened.
https://vimeo.com/22968797
Geneva (Switzerland): Squat video
Here’s a video of a symbolic attempt to squat in Geneva.
Since 2 months there were two demos (1000 and 3000 people), and that is the 4th squatting try!
Geneva wakes up! [Read More]
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