‘There are still squatted houses in Amsterdam…”, that is the shocking gossip recently reported in the Dutch media. Is the zealous mayor of Amsterdam such an incompetent politician in matters of housing policy and in cracking down on squatters? These last years, the city of Amsterdam did evict numerous squats but failed in eradicating our political structures, in making squatting history.
Not only squatters and activists, many individuals are daily becoming conscious and organized, building networks, taking action, sharing skills, bringing out solidarity here and there. The State could erase the (legalized) social centers from the map, call out extraordinary laws, reopen re-education camps (read – feed us more television). People would still have the will to throw down the State, disrupt the money making machine.
End of April, fiscal paradise the Netherlands will finally reach world news with a fresh new young king. The media and various intelligence services are already trying to decrypt early signs of a popular revolt, starving as they are for sensation. That makes it no surprise this racist local government has no intention to lift a finger for the migrants squatting a church these last months. Opportunist politicians feeling concerned about undocumented people only brings more anger against the apathy of the State. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): April 2013 Joe’s Garage Program
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): March 2013 Joe’s Garage program
A deepening crisis, a social housing policy crushed, a constant precarisation of life and work, what a promising future. The masses aren’t dreaming any more. The glitter that has been fed to us by the government and the media won’t last for long.
We are not done with protesting and taking action. Knowing your rights and responsibilities when you are arrested is crucial. Joke Kaviaar will be tackling these issues during an info night. Throughout March, local activists and the many volunteers will take over Joe’s Garage to support various initiatives, SVZV (Support Group Women Without Papers), Riseup.net and Anarchists Against the Wall. Other local projects, LaRage, Roomtuintje Oostbos and Soweto will provide you a deeper insight on the neighbourhood. People eating, talking together, exchanging ideas, making projects, forgetting about the role models society is imposing…, all this and more is happening at Joe’s. [Read More]
Amsterdam: Squatters Linux User Group opening up their hacklab project LAG in a new stable place
From : http://slug.squat.net
Ladies and gents,
After 6 months of renovation work we are proud to invite you all for the opening. The work is not over yet and a lot is only starting. Come by to hear what are our plans with the place, have a drink, re-unite, listen to some music and in general have fun. We start from 17:00.
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Spuistraat 199 squatted for 30 years, Snake Festival
Wednesday March 6th 2013, at 14:02, the Slangenpand (the “Snake House”) is precisely squatted for 30 years (March 6th 1983). During this time, a group of motivated and involved inhabitants has been building, living, creating, partying, protesting, breeding and much more.
March 6th 2013, it is also exactly one year that we opened the ground floor as “De Slang”. In one year, De Slang hosted (foto) exhibitions, theater, film screenings and concerts. We often hear “Amsterdam needs an open and accessible art space like De Slang”.
2013 is probably the year in which it will be clear whether the house is evicted and turned into free market living space, or if it can continue as a creative incubator. 2013 is the Year of the Snake, is it a good sign? In any case, we’ll make every effort to keep the Slangenpand. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): February 2013 Joe’s Garage program
Squatted social center Joe’s Garage and its volunteers are bringing you another full month of events. As surprise appetiser, we serve an info night about rights in custody. Always useful when it comes to squatting empty buildings, demonstrating in the street and planing subversive activities. Further, you’ll be enjoying various benefits, for the SVZV (Support Group Women Without Papers), Soweto and the Black Fish. [Read More]
Amsterdam (Netherlands): Solidarity actions with anarchist spaces
In January several actions took place in solidarity with the evicted and threatened spaces in Greece:
• On five houses and social centres banners were placed with solidarity messages for Villa Amalias and later also the other squats.
• On the 17th of January a banner drop took place in the city centre; the banner read: ‘Against state and fascist plans, Villa Amalias will stay a squat!’
• Anarchist poster-newspaper ‘Zwart behang’ appeared on the 18th of January with a text on the recent developments in Greece, calling out for solidarity.
• On the 24th of January comrades made a solidarity demo at night. Note that it has been very difficult for anarchists in the Netherlands to openly announce a demo and then actually make the demo without being beaten up/arrested by the police. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): January 2013 Joe’s Garage program
You’ve heard it many times. While under arrest, never declare anything to the cops. But is that enough? Should you stop phoning, publishing pictures of your friends without their permission, choosing another email provider? When do you think you are not providing passive intelligence to the police? Political social centers and activist groups communicating on monitored “social media”, that is all good for the cops, they love it. Not only you are taking risks but you may put other people in danger. On the SO36 website, you’ll find a list of non-commercial providers for you to communicate in a safer way or where to move your website.
For a local insight about police intimidation in Amsterdam, have a read to Observant, the December newsletter from Buro Jansen & Jansen, the Dutch research institute on intelligence and police matters.
One of the favorite activities of Amsterdam’s mayor is throwing money out the window, evicting houses for emptiness. State sponsored gentrification, greedy housing corporations, we all know for who Van der Laan is working. The four times squatted Swammerdamstraat 12 will need your support. Later in the month, it will be the turn of the Arent Krijtsstraat 1 in Diemen. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Notweg Refugees bring their protest into a squatted church, the Vluchtkerk
A bunch of journalists, activists, churches, squatters and charities gathered last weekend to create a temporary solution for the refugees that have been evicted from the Notweg. The goal is to keep their situation on the political agenda.
In the meanwhile a whole village is being raised in an occupied empty church in Amsterdam West (Erik de Roodestraat 14-16). This will host approximately 83 activists from the ´no paper´ migrant community. People who have no opportunity to stay in our country and have no opportunity to go back. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): December 2012 Joe’s Garage program
The weather may be cooling down but the conflicts are still heating up:
The French Prime Minister is green in the gills about his Green coalition partners opposition to his private airport, not to mention his private security police cutting out the supports of the platform they stand on like their political masters do. The Mexican government is still un-comradely with the comrades of Guadalajara and the southern mountains of Chiapas. The Belgian government is still not modifying it’s position on Monsanto, the modifier (and seller) of nature.
And closer to home the refugees will have to seek refuge from their nutty village in Osdorp, west Amsterdam where the Labour Party (former housing corporation lawyer) mayor has recently announced a prohibition of protests at the refugee protest camp, and the defeated squatters who wouldn’t need another hot eviction wave haven’t given up even after the latest heated wave of evictions, not to mention the never ending battle between the beleaguered Saint Nikolaas and the American invader Santa.
And here in Joe’s Garage we’ve had inspiring evenings with the visit from two ZADists, the Mexican provinces, the village of the refugees and many more places.
But don’t think we will be sleeping cozy by the yuletide fire because we have many events in store even now, with or without a hoodie!
This month we have various benefits : Anarchist Black Cross Mexico, Mapuche Indian communities from Chile, FLM (Field Liberation Movement), various movie nights with In Time, Standard Operating Procedure, Larks on a String, Mars Attacks!, and even a sneak preview super 8 night on the barricades against Santa Inc. And let us not forget the free freegan sermons every Wednesday. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Mass arrest attempt during the Bellamystraat 135hs squat action, Communique from the new inhabitants
This text was spread during the squatting action of the Bellamystraat 135hs today. There was a lot going on and some confusing messages came out, so just to be clear: the action was succesful and in the end no one got arrested. It was NOT a resquat of the earlier evicted house on number 33 of the same street.
Statement by the new inhabitants of Bellamystraat 135hs
To everyone interested,
As long as there is emptiness and a need for housing, people will squat. The dutch ‘kraken en leegstand’ law, that should be aimed not only at banning squatting but also at fighting emptiness, is only being enforced partly. While the state evicts squats in a law and order fashion, where the law is the law and nobody can get around it, the other part of the same law is treated like it doesn’t even exist. The state once again shows it’s real aim: while repression is constantly rising capital is still being defended. [Read More]
Amsterdam (The Netherlands): November 2012 Joe’s Garage program
Get ready, a European Strike is announced for November 14th. Would governments fear a global insurrection? The deepening crisis is spreading like a plague. Chaos hasn’t reached the Netherlands yet. The Dutch government has never spent so much money on security per capita as now. Travelling anonymously is becoming a luxury. Your moves and communications are being traced, recorded and analysed. And you still worry about your privacy?
Another fear is visible, in Greece. The one for every migrant walking in the street. Golden Dawn has infiltrated all layers of society. The myth of a superior race hasn’t yet vanished. International solidarity is more needed than ever for Greece for those fighting fascism and facing repression on a daily basis. In the Netherlands, refugees are building camps in cities. There is lots of work to be done in front of your own door. Your active participation at Joe’s Garage is also welcome. Choose your day.
This month, Joe’s goes out again, to the Bajesdorp Festival and to the Krugerplein to celebrate a sustainable Transvaalbuurt. Further, you can drop by on a benefit night; for the Osdorp Notweg refugee camp, for the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Campaign, for the people getting arrested on November 14th, for the Roomtuintje Oostbos and for the ZAD in France. You can inform yourself about Zapatistas at the Infonight Zapatista Indigenous Communities in Chiapas, or you can join the cosy cinema on sunday night with Loners, Freedom Ahead or Jonas will be 25 in the year 2000. Joe’s Garage is open six days a week, thanks to you. [Read More]
Amsterdam Squatting: Crime or Creative Space Use?
When one door closes, another door opens. Well, that’s hardly ever the case, but who gives a shit anyway? Certainly not the Amsterdam squatter who didn’t hold a key to any front door in the first place.
The Dutch squatting ban has fueled countless discussions over the past two years. Squatters have been around in The Netherlands as the front runners of social action since the early 1960s. As part of a broader political force, the squatting movement in Amsterdam in particular was a direct response to the tremendous housing shortage the city still faces to this date, characterised by high rents and a large number of vacant or abandoned properties. [Read More]
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