City Hall from Guarulhos (PT) block the homeless from get their land
The two thousand families from MTST in Osasco was first deceived by the State Government that had promised a slow and pacific removal but it promoted a violent and hasty eviction. Then they had been forbidden by the Municipal Government of Guarulhos (PT) to enter in the land that the State had assigned to them. [Read More]
About two a thousand families who squatted a land in Osasco (near the city of São Paulo) had been evicted this thursday, December 5th. The land, of fifty hectares, was used as rubbish deposit and clandestine cemetary and it is located in a noble region of the city, to the side of a golf field. After months of negotiation, the coordination of the homeless and the government of the state of São Paulo had agreed with a pacific withdrawal, with the removal of the squatters to a land that belongs to the state located in the city of Guarulhos (also near São Paulo). In the last thursday during the morning, the homeless complained of the absence of trucks and buses that would carried them to the land. Tractors had passed over their houses (that they builded in the squatted land) before belongings of the inhabitants could be removed. [Read More]
| Poland: DeCentrum squat website online |
The De Centrum squat from Poland now has a website (in polish only right now, but an english version will follow).
Here it is: http://www.decentrum.most.org.pl
[squat!net]
| Victoria, Canada, Squatters Crack Arena |
5 squatters have been arrested in Victoria, Canada, and are in need of solidarity. The squatters have multiple charges layed against them for possession of weapons, wearing masks, and “break and enter” (maximum sentence 14 years). Please send messages of support and your organization’s endorsements of the squatters actions. Help defend the squatters! victoriasquatter [at] hotmail [dot] com
More information on http://victoria.indymedia.org
***
On election day Nov. 16, 5 people were arrested and charged with break and enter at the closed down and boarded up Victoria Memorial Arena. And later that evening, in a community support action, five more arrests were made outside the newly re-elected Mayor, and head of the Police Board, Alan Lowe’s Campaign headquarters.
1) COURT NOVEMBER 20, Courtroom 126 at Victoria courthouse.
The first court appearances for the five arrestees is December 20, 2002 at 9 am courtroom 126. Charges include break and enter (maximum sentence 14 years) obstruction of in-justice, and wearing a mask with intent (to what? sleep in a warm, dry place for the night?)
Please come down to court if you can, or write letters, hold forums, and make petitions support our comrades in this struggle for not only social housing, but for the right to make use of empty buildings.
2. !HOMES NOT MULTI-PLEXES!
The Huge building had been boarded up and the interior gutted. Piles of refuse lay on the disused ice rink floor. The seating had been removed. Empty boxes lined the walls. The interior was lit, dry and heated. There were kitchen and toilet facilities. There were many rooms and seemingly infinite space. This building could house every homeless person in town and act as a community centre for the under housed living in cramped over-crowded apartments. It could serve as an office space for community groups, as shelter space for women, a detox centre/safe injection site, art space, day care, free school, food bank, soup kitchen, floor hockey for poor people… This empty building houses endless possibilities.
Instead, it now sits empty and those possibilities have been squashed by the harsh and violent response of the Victoria Police Department.
Instead of allowing us to build this dream of desperately needed services and resources for poor people’s suffering under the Liberal cut cut cut regime, and the City of Victoria’s anti-poor polices and attitudes, Victoria City Council and the police decided a multiplex development is more important.
3) PRIORITIES?
According to City Hall, it is more important to build a sports arena for wealthy patrons who can afford luxuries like minor league hockey and second rate concert tickets. $20 tickets let alone an average of $80 to $200 ticket price is far out of reach for people on welfare or with no income at all.
City Hall prioritizes a mammoth development for tourists over the health and integrity of poor and working class neighborhoods of Quadra/Blanshard, North Park and Fernwood.
Allan Lowe would rather let a city owned building sit empty for months before it is demolished, than allow homeless people to live in it, at least until it is razed to the ground.
4) !HOMES NOT JAILS! an account from the arrestees
“We, five arrestees, were confined in a police van at the police station. One person had been severely pepper sprayed – an entire canister of pepper spray had been emptied into his eyes. We yelled through an air vent demanding our release and immediate medical attention. The fumes from his pepper spray drenched clothes and face were making us all sick. Our shouts ‘this area is chemically contaminated. Let us out now!’ were met with police taunts -‘It’s just like a home!'”
“It’s just like a home” a urine soaked chamber, 6×4 feet square no window, locked inside, crowded with 5 people choking on pepper spray. This is the attitude of the Victoria Police Department towards homeless people and communities fighting for basic needs and rights. They arrest us, beat us, torture us, and imprison us. Then insult our dignity with petty taunts. 1 person was released Saturday, another released Sunday and three people had bail hearing on Monday and were released.
5) ALAN LOWE’S PERSONAL SECURITY FORCE
The evening of the November 16, after ballots were counted and Alan Lowe’s campaign party. The group from the Memorial Arena squat intended to make a statement to Alan Lowe that just because he won with 60% doesn’t mean that he can run ram shod over the needs and rights of the other 40%. People were in jail for addressing the housing crisis in
Victoria in a tangible and reasonable way, squatting an empty building that was set for demolition. The group went to Alan Lowe’s campaign party to demand the release of the 4 prisoners. People were quietly waiting to speak to Lowe, but before they could even say one word, he called in his personal security force, the Victoria Police Department, and arrested us for speaking too loudly, swearing in public (when one person said “this is bullshit” as they watched someone being arrested for no reason) and other bullshit charges. All five were released without charge. One of the arrestees asked “If the bottom line for this ‘new era’ is saving tax dollars, how much did it cost Alan Lowe to have 30 cops arrest and imprison us in order to avoid answering up to his shameful policies?”
6) NATIONAL SQUATTING MOVEMENT
Keep up the struggle, keep fighting and organizing in your communities and organizations. Squatting has become a national movement. Squats have been opened in Halifax, Sudbury, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Toronto’s Pope Squat, Vancouver’s Woodward’s tent city still going! Victoria Pandora Squat and now, the arena.
!TAKE ACTION!
7) HOUSING CHEAPER THAN HOMELESSNESS
“When the costs of housing are included, the data showed that providing adequate supportive housing for these homeless individuals saved the government money.
(From 2001 BC Government publication on the Costs of Homelessness)
“When combined, the service and shelter costs of the homeless people in this study ranged from $30,000 to $40,000 on average per person for one year (including the costs of staying in an emergency shelter).”
“The combined costs of services and housing for the housed individuals ranged from $22,000 to $28,000 per person per year, assuming they stay in supportive housing. Thus, even when housing costs are included, the total government costs for the housed, formerly homeless individuals in this study amounted to less than the government costs for the homeless individuals.”
“Providing adequate supportive housing to the homeless people in this sample saved the provincial government money. Again, this is a conservative estimate since all services and service providers were not included.”
Criminal justice costs for homeless individuals averaged “$11,410 per homeless person per year”.
“These preliminary findings suggest if minimizing government costs is a goal, public policy and service delivery must be focused on the prevention of homelessness.”
SOURCE: The 2001 series: “Homelessness –Causes & Effects”, sponsored by the British Columbia Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security, and the BC Housing Management Commission, with the support of: Ministry of Attorney General; Ministry for Children and Families; Vancouver/Richmond Health Board; and the City of Vancouver. Prepared by: a team of consultants and researchers led by Margaret Eberle, of Eberle Planning & Research (BC)
HOMELESSNESS KILLS
Homeless men between 45 and 64 were more than twice as likely to die as men in the general population, with cancer and heart disease as the main causes.”
victoriasquatter [at] hotmail [dot] com
| Brief account on the situation of squats in Poland |
DeCentrum manages pretty well, with liberated zone around the squat, where nazis are afraid to come anymore. In one month there will be 2nd anniversary of this squat. Just some metres near ,young kids from neighbourhood squatted another building and called it DeCentrum Juniors. They renovated the building, built rooms and meet there every day while DeCentrum squatters help them to do homework and to do renovations. Co-operation goes very good! Czarna Zaba in Warsaw, after some problems with cops and electricity company, now faces problem of eviction. Owner of this area, BP, tries to build there a petrol station ,but they don’t have all permissions so this squat will be there for some time still. In a meantime there were some concerts and meetings. Krzyk in Gliwice is celebrating its 4th anniversary, but very soon it will be evicted, although squatters will get new, legal building from city council.
Taken from WARHEAD
September 2002 issue #17
FUCK ALL GOVERNMENTS
PO BOX 43, 15-662 BIALYSTOK POLAND
e-mail: soja2 [at] poczta [dot] onet [dot] pl
warhead #17
| Valencia : squatters jailed after eviction of a social center |
Last week, 4 anarchists and squatters from Valencia (CSO Malas Pulgas), were arrested after an action against especulation after the eviction of their house, the anti-terrorist law was applied with them and after 5 incomunicated days, when the people await them, they were taken to prison and accused of terrorist organization !! (and the TV says that they are middle-vinculated with ETA, only for one panphlet about basque prisonners !). The 4 are now in prison and the attorney says that it is a 15 years accusation…
We need solidarity now !
Fuck the spanish state !
carlinhusbrown [at] yahoo [dot] es
| Toronto Pope Squat Raided, then retaken ! |
The Pope Squat in Toronto was raided on friday and the 25-odd occupants were forcibly evicted, on the grounds that the building was a fire hazard, and unsafe for human occupation. Even though Parkdale, the area of the city where the Pope Squat is, is riddled with tennement housing which notoriously contravene fire regulations that slum-lord owners neglect to alter. The eviction took place during the first snowfall of the year.
Three residents were arrested.
The following morning, a few hundred (very angry) retook the building at around 11:30 Am, and held it for about 4 hours. Numerous police arrived, along with much media, and after negotiations the building was relinquished, after it was agreed that a meeting would take place monday in which the changes needed to make the building ‘safe’ would be described, and further negotiations would take place. It remains to be seen whether the city is capable of bargaiing in good fith, however, given previous gross dishonesty on their part.
marque <marque [at] wiznet [dot] ca>
| Nation-Wide Squatting Campaign Begins in Canada! |
On October 26, 2002, the cross-Canada “Give It Or Guard It!’ squatting campaign began. Called by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), hot on the heels of their success with the 4-month-old Pope Squat, and after squatting actions in Quebec City, Vancouver, Victoria, and the bulldozing of Toronto’s Tent City squatter camp, OCAP put out the call for a national squatting campaign. The idea is to force governments to either allow homeless people and squatters to take empty buildings, or to spend resources guarding them with lines of police.
Squatters in Halifax cracked open an enourmous empty hospital and barricaded themselves in on the 4th floor. Supporters outside blocked the front entrance to the building with their bodies. On the 27th, police raided the squat and arrested 7 people. A support demonstration outside the jail was held.
In Montreal the Anti-Capitalist Convergence Housing Committee held a march and guided tour of potential squats and chanted against the gentrification of their neighbourhood. The group occupied an old building that is slated to become a luxury condo, dropped a banner from one of its windows, and left the building without any arrests by police.
In the small town of Sudbury, Ontario, the Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty, and the Sudbury branch of the Ontario Common Front held a march for housing, put stickers on abandoned buildings, and briefly occupied an empty school, where they dropped a banner. The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty faced-off against a huge police presence and police attacks on their demonstration in Toronto on October 26. Several potential squats were guarded by lines of police, and at several points bicycle cops and mounted policemen attacked the march, beating and clubbing people. There were 5 arrests for “breach of peace”. Towards the end of the march, OCAP members managed to crack open a building through its back doors, drop a banner from an upper-floor window, and escape through the front doors into the crowd as police broke in through the back to raid the building.
In Ottawa, the Ottawa Coalition Against the Tories held a demonstration and picket of a Home Depot business, in solidarity with the Toronto Tent City squatters who had been occupying Home Depot land in that city and were brutally evicted by Toronto police recently.
In Vancouver, the tent city outside the Woodwards building continued into its 42nd day, and the Anti-Poverty Committee released to the media the addresses of 6 buildings they intend to squat.
The movement continues to grow! Squat the lot!
sabate
| Trouble in Valencia |
The last week, 4 anarchists and squatters from Valencia (CSO Malas Pulgas), were+arrested after an action against especulation after the eviction from their +house, the anti-terrorist law was aplicated with them and after 5 incomunicated+days, when the people waits them, they were taked to the prison and accusated +of a terrorist organization!! (and in the tv say that they are +middle-vinculated with ETA only for one panphlet about the bask prisoners!) the+4 are now in prison and the attorney says that is a 15 years accusation… We +need solidarity now and that the notice will be publicate in your web page. Thank you and fuck the spanish state!!
[squat!net]
| Police evicts a squat in Moscow using brutal violence |
Evgeni Schetov is an artist, to whom Moscow Union of Artists provided a space some two and half years ago. Since then, small space in Armyanskiy Pereulok 1 has become important hub for libertarian revolutionaries in Moscow, in particular for radical ecological movement Rainbow Keepers and Radical League of Artists. This made both city officials and bureaucratic art prats from Moscow Union of Artists unhappy, and during more than a year the space has been under a threat of an eviction. In reply to threats, Schetov has quit paying rents and municipal services – making space the first political squat in Moscow since 1997. Neither the Moscow Union of Artists nor the person who owns the place bothered to go to court to nullify the contract which is in force until October 2004. Instead they decided to use illegal direct action and violence to reach their goals.
Pressure against the place has been growing during last months, with regular attempts of police to break into the place and violent beatings of activists by people from Moscow Union of Artists. Breaking in has not been an easy task since the place is located below ground level and has a heavy door protecting it. However in the morning of Saturday 12th of October police managed to destroy door with axes, and police and members of Union of Artists rushed in smashing all the people on their way. One of the attacked got a brain crash, some others bleeding wounds. 3 persons had to visit hospital. Everyone got arrested. In time of the arrest, Moscow Union of Artists threw all property to street and changed the locks.
Squatters are now launching a campaign against eviction, to get back what is rightfully theirs. Please help us in our campaign, and distribute this message! We are organising a fax campaign for MONDAY 21ST OF OCTOBER to pressure institutions which are responsable for the eviction. Please send faxes Monday 21st of october to following adresses:
Moscow Union of Artists: +7-095-921-86-08
Head Department of Internal Affairs in Moscow (GUVD) +7-095-973-20-41
General prosecutor’s office +7-095-921-41-86
Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow (MVD) +7-095-237-49-25
Best time is the working time in Moscow, which is 6 AM – 14 AM Greenwich Median Time. If you have problems with the schedule, send faxes any other time later in the day or the same week.
Below a a sample letter you may use. Any further edition of the letter on your own is very much recommended!
Please report how much you have send faxes, by whom and to which adresses to dikobrazi [at] lists [dot] tao [dot] ca. Reporting is very important! Write also if you have problems in getting the faxes through.
A Sample letter:
To <Select appropriate among the following:> Moscow Union of Artists/Head Department of Internal Affairs in Moscow/ General prosecutor’s office/Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow
Saturday 12th of October police and Moscow Union of Artists attacked the space in Armyanskiy Pereulok 1.
The place is hosted by Evgeni Schetov and Radical League of Artists, who have worked closely with Rainbow Keepers movement and other left organisations in Moscow. Now the Moscow authorities and Moscow Union of Artists have decided to smash this important centre of Moscow left youth. 3 of the squatters were beaten up and then moved to hospital, others were evicted from space and arrested.
We strongly condemn this attack of bureucrats against autonomous culture. You are not following even your own laws here!
We demand returning the place back to artists, as their contract remains in force until October 2004 and you have not bothered to go to court to finish the contract.
Date, signature
from the caravan99 [at] lists [dot] riseup [dot] net listserv
Since August 30th this year the site of the 800 year-old castle has been occupied by a group of activists known as the “Carrickminders.” They are there in an attempt to stop the extension of the M50 with inclusion of a roundabout that will almost totally obliterate and eventually condemn to memory the site, which is of vast archaeological significance. To date over 30,000 artifacts have been discovered there. Following the original excavation which was forcibly ended on August 30th (upon which the Carrickminders stepped in) certain of the 130 archaeologists were taken from the pits crying over the amount uncovered and that would be left there to be destroyed by the building of the road. [Read More]
Friends of the Woodwards Squat is pleased to announce a text-only info clearinghouse for the current housing action in Vancouver.
The site includes updates, links to audio, video, and photographic documentation of squat activities and the police violence & property destruction on 22 September & 03 October, as well as:
– The Demands from the Coalition of Woodwards Squatters and Supporters
– Information on how to support the squat and legal defense fund
– Information on the eviction of 21 September and arrest of the Woodwards 58
– Contact information for affiliated groups involved in the squat
– Interviews and writing from squat residents
– A chronology since 14 September with links to documents
– A bibliography of commercial print media coverage
– An index to the W.O.O.D.S.Q.U.A.T. newsletter with on-line reprints
– A list of upcoming events
Note: Woodsquat.net is not an official site of the Woodwards Squat nor any of the organizations or individuals involved in the housing action. It is not a subsidiary of any media outlet, commercial or otherwise, nor does it receive any form of state funding, directly or indirectly. Friends of the Woodwards Squat publishes the W.O.O.D.S.Q.U.A.T. newsletter and does not represent the Squat. FWS is a support group that helped with supplies and garbage removal during the occupation & now assists with legal support for the Woodwards 58, the people who were subsequently attacked by police on 22 Sept, and the people who lost their possessions in the garbage trucks after the Sunday night attack. Please direct questions about demands or specific support actions to the Woodwards Coalition or another of the many groups and individuals involved in defense activity.
“Friends of the Woodwards Squat” <violetta_sera [at] hotmail [dot] com>
