The recent developments in Athens are marked by a retreating state, overwhelmed by the task of implementing the EU-Turkey deal as well as the obligatory provision of accommodation and nutrition to ~57,000 ‘persons of care’. In the city of Athens, the everyday subsistence of people, who planned to merely pass through Greece on their way up north, has largely fallen back on self-organised autonomous structures aided by anti-state activists and non-state volunteers. Various squats (occupied empty buildings, most of which are owned publicly) with different organizational features and political aims have popped up on the map. Some serve the need of accommodation as housing squats, others function as social centres, with its activities ranging from the free (re)distribution of goods such as clothing and food items and housing self-organised kitchens-crews to the creation of spaces for political organizing and (legal) info-points. Most of these squats can be found in the neighborhood of Exarchia, with its history of autonomous self-organisation and a strong anarchist movement. But there are exceptions to this rule (e.g. City Plaza Hotel) and the following is an attempted short overview about the numerous squats. Some are well-known, others might be completely unheard of outside of Athens, some have opened up recently in the last few weeks, others have been running for months. It is neither an exhaustive list nor a complete and detailed account of events, but rather an attempt to communicate the very basics about different squats and solidarity-projects and their usefulness vis-à-vis the substandard and insufficient government-run camps. [Read More]
Greece: Refugee-Squats in Athens
Berlin: Rigaer94 under siege; Kadterschmiede evicted; hot days ahead…
Comrades are currently mobilising in the streets to make the eviction as expensive as possible for the cops and the Berlin Senate. Below is today’s announcement by Rigaer94.
This morning, June 22nd 2016, at around 7.30am, approximately 300 cops, private security and construction workers came to our house in Rigaerstrasse 94. First, the construction workers cut out our doors and removed them. After securing their place in the house, the cops, construction workers and security, took position in the garden, the yard and on the roof, as well as in the staircases. Construction workers and cops joined together to carry out all movable objects they could find in the yard – bicycles, a bike shed, fridges, trailers etc. Our doors were removed and the frames knocked out, the phone and internet connection was cut. Only after our lawyer got access to the house, we were informed about the reason for the police action.
Ljubljana: Interview on the defense of the Rog factory squat
In cooperation with Crna Luknja, the anarchist radio show on Radio Student in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, we produced the following interview on the ongoing struggle against the attempted eviction of Rog, a former bicycle factory and an active squat for 10 years now. The interview focuses on the resistance against the attempts of eviction by the city as well as Nazi attacks and also on the political framework right now in Slovenia.
Greece: Queer feminist squat evicted in Exarcheia
A privately owned building on Anexartisias street, Exarcheia district, was occupied by a queer feminist group since May 28th until today (16/6/16). The police evacuated the squat and proceeded to the arrest of many activists while supporters held a solidarity rally at the Attica Police Inspectorate. Below is the announcement of the squat as published on Contra Info:
”This morning Women*Squat, a queer feminist squat, which began on May 28th in a privately owned building on 13 Anexartisias street, was evacuated by cops and 6 people were arrested (3 adults and 3 children). The purpose of the squat was to provide a shelter to women with/without papers in a space we would all organize together. Updates will follow.
We call for a solidarity rally at the Attica Police Inspectorate at 13:00.
Immediate release of all the arrested activists
Women*squat”
(via Provo.gr, translated by BlackCat)
https://insurrectionnewsworldwide.com/2016/06/16/greece-queer-feminist-squat-evicted-in-exarcheia/
Athens: Kleous 96 squat in Exarchia raided by cops; 3 arrested; house re-squatted
A privately-owned building located on 96, Themistokleous Street in the neighbourhood of Exarchia was squatted just a few days ago. On June 14th 2016, the new Kleous 96 squat was raided by cops. Three squatters were arrested and taken to Athens police headquarters. Later the same day, the building was re-squatted.
Statement by KLEOUS 96 Squat
We are a group of people from around the globe with a variety of different backgrounds. Some of us with papers and some without. But we are joined through our beliefs and a common desire to build a collective based on principals of self-organised assemblies and self-governance, with the long-term goal of expanding this way of life and being part of a global movement that will overthrow this destructive and barbaric system. A system that creates racist borders in order to defend resources and wealth gained through profiteering and warmongering.
We have chosen to occupy an empty building in the neighbourhood of Exarchia in Athens, which has been vacant for some years and is in need of repairs. Together we plan to bring this old building to life and not only live in it but also open it up to the community and make it into a safe space where nation states, borders and documents are not recognised and self-empowerment and self-development can be achieved through education and creativity. [Read More]
Maastricht: Squatters are victorious in first step of eviction case!
Since february this year a group of squatters in Maastricht has moved into an old garden center with multiple greenhouses and a house on the premises. Occupying a huge piece of property belonging to a Belgian based supermarket corporation which had been unoccupied for 9 years.
As soon as the owner contacted us after police informing them about our occupation, we handed over our proposition for a user agreement to which they did not agree. When we still didnt leave after they cut the power and gas to the terrain and sending us threats that we should leave within 8days etc. They hired a specialised Dutch lawyer and we we’re summoned in court. In the subpoena they stated that we we’re the cause of lots of noise complaints and garbage on the terrain while the opposite was true. In those 9 years they had visited only once and never cleaned up anything, the terrain was a notorious illegal dumping site. [Read More]
Ljubljana: Public statement of the assembly of the Rog Factory users
The question of the Rog Factory is a political question. After Monday’s morning, it is in our interest, as well as in the interest of the municipality of Ljubljana, to calm the situation down. However, in contrast to the municipality, we are in full control of the situation. The Rog Factory is today a de facto autonomous area and we, the people of Rog, are also controlling the entry. Before Monday’s aggression by the security sent by the municipality, the entry was under the control of the security company Valina. After Monday’s brutality, Valina is not welcome in the Rog Factory anymore. We will be protecting the entry by ourselves.
The municipality was the one who provoked the tensions by sending payed violent securities upon us. The mayor is personally choosing the violent means, we are only responding defensively. On Monday we proved that we are successful in doing so. It is of most perversion that the mayor, Zoran Janković, is now avoiding taking responsibility for the acts of his own securities. No one will carry out violence against us and we hope that Mr. Janković knows that. Every arbitrary step taken by the municipality made us stronger, and the farce that they performed on Monday forced us into full action. The movement is alive and well organized; it includes new and organized structures and is composed of more than one hundred individuals. We are prepared for new attempts of interventions into our community and we are convinced that we will ward them off successfully. [Read More]
Balade in Saint-Henri loots expensive grocery store
A balade for de-gentrification took to the streets of Saint-Henri on the evening of May 28, 2016. About 30 people, all in black bloc, strolled down rue Notre-Dame and looted the yuppie boutique grocery store “Le 3734”. As most of the crowd held down the street outside the store, a few people went inside and filled duffel bags with fresh and dry sausages, cheese, maple syrup, and other items. Meanwhile, the storefront was redecorated with graffiti reading ‘Fuck Empire’ and wheatpasted posters that communicated some of the intentions behind the action. After throwing smoke bombs ahead of and behind the crowd on Notre-Dame, people dispersed via the train tracks before police could arrive, and no arrests have been made. In the days that followed, we re-distributed the food to people in the neighborhood who wouldn’t regularly have had access to it. The poster left behind read as follows:
With the arrival of the condos in Saint-Henri, a multitude of expensive businesses, hipster restaurants, and bourgeois grocery stores followed. Nevertheless, despite this affluence of food, the neighborhood remains practically a food desert for people with little money. Such a paradox it is to live in a world that produces so much food, but that isn’t accessible for those who are hungry!
May 28th, we tried to recalibrate things a bit, to the extent of our means. We put on masks to protect our identity, we entered one of these extravagant businesses, we took everything we could and we left to redistribute the goods joyously in the neighborhood. Inspired by the recent actions against the police in different neighborhoods and knowing that they were going to show up to protect the property owners, we brought what we needed to protect ourselves.
Everyone deserves to eat well and there is enough food for everyone! It is with great pleasure that we organized this pillaging, which is a slap in the face to the forces that impoverish and starve us. We invite everyone to do the same!
Long live de-gentrication!
Tonight is the great banquet, we celebrate complicity and abundance!
Koper (Slovenia): Defend the factory ROG!
We all know that the factory Rog is being threatened with demolition by the mayor of Ljubljana, which was planned for June, 14 2016. Today, June, 6, an attack was carried out at 3:15 AM. A bunch of security guards used severe violence on people and the police that was also present there, allowed it. Now there are barricades in front of the main entrance.
A PROTEST AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF ROG is being called for at Petkovškovo nabrežje (the rear side of the factory).
We urge all those of you who care for autonomous spaces to join us in defending Rog. Your presence will help, so come whenever you have the time, up until June, 14.
Together we will defend ROG!! [Read More]
Tijuana, Mexico: Opening of the Mauricio Morales squatted social centre
The inauguration of the Mauricio Morales Squatted Social Center took place on May 21 and 22 in the city of Tijuana, where like-minded compañerxs had a gathering of ideas-actions. In the okupa a presentation along the same lines took place, activating in our combative memory El Punky Mauri, our fallen compañero who died for his ideas, and continuing to show that the offensive has not forgotten you.
[Read More]
Ljubljana: Barricades in Autonomous Factory ROG
Today in the morning (3:30) the city mayor of Ljubljana with security forces and police attacked the autonomous factory ROG that is squatted since 2006. They tried to evict the place and start to demolish the place. People reacted fast and soon after the initial attack few hundred people successfully resisted the violence, eviction and demolition. Barricades were lifted and after few hours security forces and police were pushed out of the factory. The space is since morning again under the control of the people. Different activities are planned for next days since the situation is unclear. [Read More]
São Paulo (Brazil): Presidency office building occupied during homeless movement protest against government.
Last Wednesday, hundreds of people occupied part of the Presidency’s regional office, in the centre of São Paulo, during a protest organized by the MTST (“Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Tetos” – Homeless Workers Movement) against the current government. The action has taken place on Avenida Paulista, the biggest street in the centre of the city, with hundreds of protesters. It was organized against austerity policies and the interruption of the national program of public housing construction. It was also opposing the eviction by the police last Sunday of dozens of homeless activists who were camping in front of the current (Michel Temer) President’s residence as a way of demonstrating against his government.
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