Biel (Switzerland): Reclaim The Streets against gentrification! Bahnhöfli stays!

By: fawda - November 21st, 2017  Filed under: Communique, News

The last squatted house in Biel, Wahnhof, is in danger of eviction! The property-management-department wants to kick out the squatters before the end of the year, to break down the house without any upcoming construction-projects. so it will be an empty place for many years again…
In the meanwhile we got a visit by the Director of public trade inspectorate. He told us that “Bahnhöfli” can stay for now. How long he couldn’t or didn’t want to say. We are supposed to get it written down.
This doesn’t change much so far. Gentrification is still going on in Biel and everywhere.
Therefore we RECLAIM THE STREETS against gentrification and the destruction of autonomous spaces.
Come all and support the struggle for more alternative spaces.

Saturday 25 november 2017
15:30 at Guisanplatz in Biel/Bienne

Bring banners, instruments, trailers, bikes, skateboards. Be creative!
Defend autonomous spaces!
For more squats and trailer parks! [Read More]

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Manchester: Lessons of Cornerhouse

By: fawda - November 21st, 2017  Filed under: Communique, News

The Cornerhouse is a former theatre in Manchester squatted from January to August 2017 by self-organised homeless people linked to the Manchester Activist Network. This is their story.

As the final pieces of our belongings, donations and clothes were brought out of the infamous Cornerhouse it was time for Manchester Activist Network to reflect back on six months of occupation. From the Loose Space festival and surviving three eviction attempts, to the rough sleepers we housed and three other squats opened over that time, this had been a busy, and at times stressful but productive period that none of us will ever forget.

The biggest thing that came out of the Cornerhouse was a reaffirmation of the need for solidarity when we are faced with big issues. In order to fully tackle rough sleeping and stop the rise in homelessness we all need to be prepared to give a little of ourselves. Not money, but from inside of us. We need constructive dialogues, we need to drop the egos, forget about the “company line,” reflect on what we put our energies into and how we can change as individuals. Only then can we better the systemic problem that is homelessness. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: Defend free spaces – last chance for Bajesdorp

By: fawda - November 20th, 2017  Filed under: News

Upcoming Wednesday (22.11) is our last chance to address the city of Amsterdam: Our message is clear: We want a social city and we won´t move for hotels, speculation and tax advantages.

Come and support us at the Stopera @ 19:00!!!!! Bring a banner, yourself and else….:)
Amsterdam without Free Spaces = Almere

Very short notice: We in Bajesdorp heard today (Monday) that we are on the council agenda upcoming Wednesday. The city council will finalize the ¨bestemmingsplan¨ of the area Bajesdorp is part of) of our area.
Quick update on our situation: The Bijlmer Bajes (the prison) got sold last September to a project developer to realize city expansion. After lobbying within the council, the city granted extra points to developers (there was a competition) who would take us into consideration.
AM won the competition. AM project development made us a ¨part¨ of their plan, even advertising with Bajesdorp festival in 2021. They promised us space within their plans and alternatively, another location for us to be, work and live.
However, in the last meeting we had with them, we were told that the majority of Bajesdorp will be sold off to a third party and that half of Bajesdorp will demolished in Februari 2018 due to tax advantages. That third party will eventually build a hotel on site in 2021, but apparently needs to demolish half of Bajesdorp including our social centre three years prior development.

Upcoming Wednesday (22.11) is our last chance to address the city of Amsterdam: Our message is clear: We want a social city and we won´t move for hotels, speculation, anti-kraak and tax advantages. [Read More]

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Montreuil/Paris (France): Solidarity with the 3 Anarchist Women Prisoners Awaiting Trial for ‘Attempted Burglary’ of an Unoccupied House

By: xxx - November 18th, 2017  Filed under: News

Three women were arrested, detained and imprisoned at Fleury-Mérogis Prison, accused of ‘meeting for the purposes of attempted burglary’ after they were seen near an unoccupied house. A rally has been called for them at 18:00hrs in Montreuil.

On the night of Tuesday 14 to Wednesday, November 15, three women were arrested on a street in Montreuil and taken to the police station. A ‘vigilant neighbour’ saw them near an unoccupied house and called the cops. They were then placed in custody for ‘meeting for the purposes of attempted burglary’. They did not say anything during their interrogation and refused to give their fingerprints and photos, which is why they are also accused of ‘refusal of identification’. [Read More]

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Moonee Ponds (Melbourne): Husk Collective

By: fawda - November 14th, 2017  Filed under: Communique

Statement from Husk Collective, active since August 2017.

We acknowledge that we are occupying land rightfully belonging to the Wurundjeri-willam of the Woiwurrung language and belief group. we pay respects to Elders past and present and would like to express gratitude for the knowledge that has been shared with us. this land is stolen. sovereignty never ceded.
We continue to benefit from colonisation and genocide which are ongoing to this day. we also acknowledge the combined effects of colonisation, racism, patriarchy and the western binary gender system.
We take our lead from the struggles and resistance of Koorie people and invite everyone to join us to work towards undermining colonisation through learning, listening and contributing to the resistance.

We are husk (housing unicorns & solidarity kittens), a noncismen people’s house project. we use empty buildings to provide housing and to create a welcoming social space for noncismen, because unused property is a waste, an injustice and an ongoing tool of dispossession. we are taking the first steps towards ensuring that we respect the true authority of the land we occupy, with the goal of participating in a small way towards the decolonisation project. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: Support with We Are Here against an eviction

By: fawda - November 14th, 2017  Filed under: Communique, News

Solidarity with We Are Here. The residents of the Nienoord 2 (squatted since April 17th 2017) received the police letter announcing their evition: Friday morning 17 November 9:00, their property must be “left empty”. The general meeting of Sunday November 12th has permanently decided: The inhabitants will not leave the house voluntarily. They call all sympathisers of their movement to come in great numbers to their house to support their peaceful resistance. Sympathisers, let us support them and show that we do not accept this degrading policy of deterrence. We are here and we need each other to fight the system that oppresses us all. [Read More]

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Eugene (Oregon, USA): A Conversation with Cascadia Forest Defenders

By: xxx - November 9th, 2017  Filed under: News

Download This Episode.
For a 59 minute long, radio clean version for syndication purposes, please visit the archive.org collection.

Cascadia Forest Defenders

This week, William had the opportunity to speak with someone who works closely with the group Cascadia Forest Defenders, which is based around Eugene, Oregon. This crew has been opposing logging in the Willamette National Forest, and was recently driven out of the camp by forest workers and employees of Seneca Jones Timber Company. We talk about this incident, plus much much more in the way of contextualizing and re-contextualizing forest defense in a time of climate change, plus some important things to keep in mind if you are looking to join established political movements like this. [Read More]

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Porto Alegre (Brazil): “When anarchy disturbs” Library Kaos statement about the prosecution against anarchists

By: fawda - November 2nd, 2017  Filed under: Communique, News

There are many things to say, but we will start with the most urgent. In the 25 of October began an anti-anarchist persecution against FAG [Federação Anarquista Gaúcha] Parhesia institute, Pandorga squat and some individuals who had their spaces and houses raided by cops. If not all, probably a good part of the anarchist diversity was reached and several of them spoke firmly from their agreement against repression. And this is a fresh air that strengthens every one who feels sedition.

It is evident that the aim of the agents of repression also points against us, against the publications we have made or in which we participate. And that is what we are going to say. “The chronology of the Anarchic Confrontation”, the one that collects information from 2000 to 2015, and the one that collects the anarchic trigger of 2016, both are the books that are being exhibited as “evidence” of vandalism, attacks, and criminal acts. Among the many ways anarchism has to search for freedom, these books speak of anarchic informality as an option according to the current domination’s face. Further, we clarify that these books speak of actions but not only anarchists ones. The focus of the books is the diffusion of anarchic actions. To be more precise, it spread actions in which we feel the aroma of anarchy. And between anarchism and anarchy there are differences that may be delicate but which are important. [Read More]

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Athens: Today City Plaza is one and half years old

By: fawda - October 21st, 2017  Filed under: Communique, News

22 April 2016 – 22 October 2017: One and a half years of City Plaza
Today City Plaza is one and half years old.

On April 22, 2016, 250 activists and refugees took over the hotel City Plaza in the center of Athens. A hotel which like many other businesses stood closed for 6 years after the economic collapse and the government’s policies of austerity. This abandoned hotel was transformed into a Refugee Accommodation and Solidarity Space. Since then the solidarity initiative has, for more than 500 days, provided free and decent housing to over 1700 people in the center of Athens, irrespective of their nationality and residence status. These people are housed in the hotel’s 120 rooms, 350-400 persons at a time, a third of whom are children.

There are other ways you can measure what’s been happening here over the past 18 months; with the 385,000 warm meals served by the kitchen group or with the 35,000 working hours spent at security posts by the hotel’s entrance and on the balconies of the building. With the 13,560 hours of shifts at the reception desk or with the more than 32,700 rolls of toilet paper distributed by the warehouse team. It can also be counted in 156 full van-loads of fresh vegetables and meat; or in the countless hours spent cleaning the building, or in the medical center, in the hours spent teaching in the two classrooms, or in the women space and in the playground or with the 18 tons of heating oil used in the boilers and radiators. [Read More]

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UK: Manchester homeless call out council ‘one way ticket’ scandal

By: fawda - October 19th, 2017  Filed under: Communique, News

Following revelations that Manchester Council has spent £10,000 on one-way tickets to push rough sleepers out of the city, activists have been expressing their disdain for executives’ excuses that the measure is aimed at “reconnecting” people with relatives who can help.

In a statement, Manchester Activist Network (MAN), which has been heavily involved in homeless self-organising in the city explained the real way in which the system works:

Person becomes homeless. Person goes to local town hall. Person is told no housing available, all the money is in Manchester. Person goes to Manchester and asks for help. Person told they have no local connection, go back home. Person kicks off a bit. Person is offered a train ticket to stop them from staying in Manchester long enough to be considered as having a local connection (six months). Decision time. Go back to the place that’s already failed you (and has a waiting least of two years+) or stay and take a chance in a city where at least the public care even if the council doesn’t. [Read More]

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Notre-Dame-des-Landes (France): Week of actions against speciesism

By: xxx - October 14th, 2017  Filed under: News

From 30 October to 5 November is called for week of actions against speciesism.

In memory of Barry Horne and of all human and non-human animals victim of specism and domination. [Read More]

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Manchester: Council gears up for eviction of the Addy

By: fawda - October 9th, 2017  Filed under: News

Andy Burnham’s Labour administration found itself in yet another mess over homelessness today as it made its first abortive attempt to scare a self-organised homeless group off an occupied site in Hulme — just days after pledging to “end homelessness” in Manchester.

The spectacle has been particularly humiliating for City bosses because the squatted empty property was once better known as North Hulme Adventure Playground — a community space which was shut down by council funding cuts cuts in 2014.

The council-owned land was occupied in August by around 40 people who had been evicted from Hotspur Press — itself an embarrassing episode for Mayor Burnham which prompted protests outside his office only weeks after his election on a ticket of helping rough sleepers. [Read More]

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