In his usual dim-witted way, ‘Mad Mike’ Weatherley has been making fatuous comments regarding (unnamed) homelessness charities endorsing his campaign to criminalise squatters, all squatters being lifestylists or how Brighton police have never convicted squatters in eighteen years. All these remarks are ill-informed, for example the last – there haven’t been any convictions because it’s not a criminal offence (although the police do often make sure to frame squatters for other alleged crimes).
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Brighton: Facing Up To Mike Weatherley’s Fearsome Gauntlet
Hamburg: 17.12.2011 » access all areas « Day of action against capitalist urban development and gentrification
Cities are the location of economical constraints and repressive policies all over the world. But at the same time they are contested areas characterised by the fight for self-determination and participation. Presently, we are experiencing crises, social protests and new movements. In order to multiply these conflict lines on the city’s terrain, a day of action against capitalist urban development and gentrification is going to take place. The action day is to create an event which has its place wherever you are fighting and living and relating to squatted projects like Rote Flora in solidarity. [Read More]
Cardiff: New Squatted Social Centre
For the last week Cardiff has seen a new squatted social centre, an old derelict pub turned into life and happiness with numerous people and projects setting up. The old abandoned building has been empty for years in a run-down neglected area of Cardiff. The residents intend to open it up for use by all radicals and locals. The support has already been great and the first fund raising gig was held on Sunday.
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CZ: Solidarity with UK Struggles
Yesterday we made a little action in Prague to support the struggle against the criminalisation of squatting in UK and to send our love and solidarity to our friends and comrades from Orange Fence and The Factory.
Our attempt to occupy the British embassy failed but we at least managed to block the front door with our banner and spread some English/Czech flyers.
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Kenya: Thousands left homeless after Kyang’ombe demolition
Kyang’ombe slum which is situated around the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has been demolished. According to JKIA officials, the slum sits in the direct flight path, which poses a great risk to the safety of planes as well as endangering the lives of the slum dwellers.
Muungano Wa Wanavijiji and local residents believe that there is more that meets the eye. The residents were being evicted because private developers with powerful political connections have acquired the land illegally.
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USA: Declaration of Solidarity with Neighborhood Reclamations
Occupy Oakland, in solidarity with the Occupy movement and with the local community, has established the principle of claiming for open use the open space that has been kept from us. We are committed to helping this practice continue and grow. Here in Oakland, thousands of buildings owned by city, banks, and corporations stand idle and abandoned. At the same time social services such as healthcare, education, libraries and community spaces are being defunded and eliminated.
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UK: Squatting in Hackney – Orange Fence
Squatters and protesters fighting against the gentrification plans of Hackney council.
Download Video: Closed Format: “MP4” Open Format: “Ogg”
produced by: http://visionon.tv/
UK: Letter from a squatter to a member of parliament
Mike Weatherly MP for Hove & Portslade has been making lots of noise lately with regards to squatting. Basically he’s keen to make an impact in his first term and sees the victimization of squatters as a vote winner. Much of what he says on the issue consists of misrepresentations, exaggerations and lies. I wrote this letter to him last Wednesday (26th October) taking him to task for some of what he has said, he promised to reply, but he hasn’t as yet.
I’ve never had much time for politicians, but this one stands out as a particularly nasty prick even compared to the rest of them.
Keep fighting, keep squatting.
Amsterdam: Persistent resistance at the 01-11-2011 eviction wave
Today, the 1st of November 2011, there were quite a few squats on the list to be evicted in Amsterdam, including a popular social centre and squats where the owners did not start a courtcase yet.
After the successful “reclaim the hood” manifestation (posting in dutch language, but with photos) the squatters in Amsterdam started preparing for the “eviction circus” on 1/11/11, and that went very well.
It took the cops more than a full 12 hour day to evict more than five squats where people were inside with lockons (photo from webcam). This was a clear victory for the squatters.
Manchester: Sleepout against anti-squatting laws
Around 20 people slept outside the BBC on Oxford Road, Manchester last night to oppose new legislation that would criminalise squatting. An amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which will be read in the House of Commons today, Tuesday 1 November, will make it a criminal rather than civil offence to trespass in an empty residential property.
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UK: Plans to criminalise squatting in residential buildings
Amendments to the Legal Aid Bill announced by Kenneth Clarke (Minister of “Justice”) would make it a criminal offence to squat in residential buildings.
The response to the consultation on squatting came out today and of the 2,200 respondents, more than 2,100 were in favour of NOT criminalising squatting. Showing yet again that the 1% do not give a shit about the 99% (or, ok in this case, to use the real figures, it’s the 4% versus 96%), the Government is simply going to push through the law anyway.
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