On the 30th of september 2014 a diverse group of people has squatted a historically important builiding near the center of Greifswald, north-east Germany.
A citizens’ initiative is fighting an ongoing struggle against the demolition of the builiding for 1 ½ years. The houses „Brinke 16/17“ became a meeting point for the neighboorhood since there are several initiatives like a „community supported agriculutre“ group, an organic food shop, a café and some empty flats. The complex is 158 years old and art historicans describe it as a good example for the suburbian homes of the 19th century. The idyllic charming two-leveled building adds to the character of the street, which is changing at the moment with newly build concrete ugly high-price architecture. [Read More]
Greifswald (Germany): Community supported squatting
London: Victory to Focus E15 Occupation
The fight for council housing in Newham and London continues
Despite Newham Council’s attempt to evict us, we can today confirm that the E15 Open House occupation will continue until 7th October as planned.
[Read More]
Amsterdam: Response to UvA board threats to legal action
As many of you have probably noticed, the media have reported that we’ve received a letter from the UvA in which they threaten to take judicial action against our use of the Spinhuis. Firstly, we want to take away any fears by declaring that we will stay open for at least the next few weeks. If the board of directors of the UvA do indeed decide to follow up on their threat it will take a while before we will be evicted from the Spinhuis. In the meantime we we will continue offering a full programme (to be found below), especially because more and more people and groups come to us to organize events. [Read More]
London: The E15 Mums
“Did you hear the water’s been cut off?”
“No”
“Newham Council say it wasn’t them, but they were photographed out there with their van. They have broken the water mains”
This was the news I was met with when I arrived yesterday to visit the E15 Mums in a squatted social centre in the Carpenters Estate, Newham. Sprawling onto the streets is a hive of activities: kids painting, a free shop, free food and banners that read ‘social housing not social cleansing’. People are chatting, planning meetings, attending workshops, playing guitars and discussing community issues. Why would the local council try to sabotage a property occupied by a community of vulnerable single mothers?
[Read More]
San Francisco (USA): Police clear 16 squatters from building
People that had squatted a house that was allegedly worth $2,610,000 were evicted on September 27th. The house was located near the corner of Fulton St and Masonic Ave, close to Golden Gate Park. Here is a report from the mainstream media:
London: Enough is enough, #stopMIPIM, deliver the housing we need
Diverse housing action groups in London have called for protests against the real estate fair “MIPIM UK”. Hashtag for the campaign is #stopMIPIM. Here is a flyer from the the “radical housing network“.
MIPIM, the world’s biggest property fair, is coming to London, October 15-17th.
MIPIM proudly describes itself as the world’s largest property fair, attracting around 20,000 investors, developers, local authorities, and banks each year.
It usually takes place annually in Cannes, France. This year will see the first MIPIM UK, to be held at London’s Olympia 15-17 October. Billed as ‘the 1st UK property trade show gathering all professionals looking to close deals in the UK property market’ – a gathering of professionals and elites looking to profiteer from UK land and property.
Join affected communities, the Radical Housing Network, the European Action Coalition for the Right to Housing and the City, Defend Council Housing, trade unions and a range of other groups to demand a City for People, not for Profit. [Read More]
London: East End mums occupy empty council homes in protest over housing policy
A group of housing campaigners and local residents occupied a four-flat block on a largely empty east end estate yesterday in protest over the sell-off of council housing to private developers while former tenants are priced out of the city.
The action on Stratford’s Carpenters Estate marked the anniversary of local campaign group E15Focus Mothers being set-up to fight for the right to stay in the borough after Newham Council proposed housing the group of single mums outside of London. They had previously being living in a hostel that was to be closed by the housing association that ran it. [Read More]
London: Grow Heathrow, another legal challenge
In the four and a half years since Grow Heathrow project started it has significantly grown in size and scope. The original abandoned plant nursery site where the project began is right next to another piece of derelict Green Belt land, that contains the ruins of several more glasshouse frames.
In the spirit of the original occupation, these have been gradually occupied and incorporated into Grow Heathrow, providing additional venues for activities, including the straw bale house that was built with the help of many willing volunteers and has been a prominent feature of the project since it was finished.
The occupiers of the Grow Heathrow site have been fighting a legal battle to retain the use of the land that the project is situated on, but that has so far been limited to the boundaries of the original site. The land bordering this, known in our community as the “Backlands”, is owned seperately by Lewdown Holdings Limited, a faceless company registered in Guernsey. After years of peaceful occupation, they have now decided to begin legal proceedings to remove anyone associated with Grow Heathrow from their land. [Read More]
Sydney: Squatters evicted from Millers Point
They had stocked the kitchen with food, hauled in crate-loads of belongings and even brought their tortoiseshell cat.
But the two-month long rent-free bliss enjoyed by a group of squatters at Millers Point ended abruptly on Tuesday, as the state government pushed ahead with its plan to empty the harbourside suburb of vulnerable residents.
[Read More]
London: Among the property guardians
Pic from protest at Rectory Gardens in 2012.
Rectory Gardens, a residential mews in Clapham Old Town, is being emptied, one household at a time. Henry, who has lived in the street since 1985, is among those waiting to be rehoused. When he leaves, Lambeth Council will probably hire Camelot, a ‘vacant property management’ company, to install ‘guardians’: people who pay the company for the privilege of staying in disused buildings and keeping out squatters. There are several property guardians already living on the street.
[Read More]
London: Grow Heathrow in Court next Week
We have just been served a court hearing for the backlands at Grow Heathrow. Tuesday 23rd September, 11am, Uxbridge County Court.
Please come along to court to show your support, or come along to the Grow Heathrow site in the day to get involved in cooking some delicious food and all the rest…
We will try and pursue every avenue to prolong our stay on site – keep your eyes peeled for any upcoming news. More information to follow soon. PLEASE PASS IT ON. [Read More]
Madrid: Fierce Resistance as nazi MSR opens ‘white Spanish only’ occupied center.
Series of big anti-nazi demos against fascist squatters… Anti- fascists seize ‘white Spanish only’ food stall and distribute to all.. Fascist squatters may have owners permission… Squatters movement disowns fascist squat… Police turn blind eye to nazi ”okupas” in Tetuan barrio…. Fascist thugs from MSR squat injure local youths.. Media equates nazi’ Social Home’ with long existing popular and anti racist Squat center ‘La Enrededera’ to demand its eviction.
Thousands of neighbours have come out against the nazi squat.