[Squat!net]

On the night of Nov. 5th, 2008 windows were smashed and paintbombs thrown inside and outside of the Ymere office at Mauritskade. There were still unreplaced windows from when they were thrown in a few weeks ago. We made so that they would have to replace them all.

There is no attempt on our part to make a very deep political explanation of this action. It is in direct response to their visit and distruction of the recently squatted apartments in Van boetzelaerstraat. It is clear that our enemies have decided to continuously show violence against ourselves and our spaces, carrying out the cities gentrification plans enforced by the police.

Symbolic resistance doesn’t actually effect the people in charge behind our displacement and the city’s gentrification. WE would like to propose that spectacular battles (that will never be won) against riot cops during evictions should be in combination with direct actions against the poeple and companies that want to have control over and buy out our lives and spaces.

THIS IS PERSONAL. YOU COME VISIT US WE COME VISIT YOU. BRING THE WAR TO THEIR HOMES!!!!

Source Indy NL

1st November 2008

Two appartments in these houses got squatted last year and evicted on the basis of article 429 on the 30th of October – for emptiness. The appartments belong to “Block AB24”, owned by Ymere, and will be demolished in the future. When exactly, nobody seems to know, not even Ymere, as the project has been postponed time and time again.

The renters of the block were forced to move out already quite some time ago, only to be replaced by antisquatters. Now even the antisquatters have moved out and if Ymere will have their way the whole block will remain empty until the demolition will start.

And that’s where we step in! In our eyes it is not a crime to squat a house, no matter how long or short time it has been empty, especially during these times of housing shortage. People need houses to live in. 429 is just a number.

Source+photos: https://indymedia.nl/nl/2008/11/55483.shtml

AC*AB 24

SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2008

On Saturday afternoon, Swomp4 held their first permaculture workshop, which was well attended by people of all age groups, from both Holland and around the globe. After an introductory talk about the principles of permaculture and biodiversity, there was a question and answer session, and links, contacts and tips were exchanged. There were both beginners and experienced permaculture gardeners present. We learned all about the value of comfrey as a plant that helps to create good soil as well as being a good medicinal herb. The ground is very sandy so the garden will be built up in the shade areas first where the fallen leaves from the trees have already created a bit of topsoil. We also learned about companion planting, and the different ways to attract the bees and other beneficial fauna. Tobacco and tomatoes apparently grow well together. Then at the end we all got our hands dirty in the soil, planting the comfrey. Then the rain came down and watered everything, including us, very nicely. It was a good afternoon. We learned a lot and plan to keep in touch and build on what was achieved, and hold further workshops in the future.

Source with photos:
http://leightoncookie.blogspot.com/

p.

Swomp4 direct action in the Rustenburgerstraat in Amsterdam squats piece of land and starts urban regeneration permaculture project.

On Friday July 11th 2008, a group of squatters occupied this piece of land in the Rustenburgerstraat in de Pijp in Amsterdam. Technically they are wild campers, as the law in Holland only allows you to squat a building that has been empty for one year. Within three days they already had running water and had started to plant vegetables and develop an urban permaculture project. This is direct action at its very best. The land was going to waste in the heart of the city, and these guys are trying their utmost to turn the sandy wasteland into a green oasis. This coming Saturday they are planning a permaculture workshop, and I’ll be posting more details on that as soon as they become available. Yesterday it was inspiring talking to them and listening to their plans.

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Whoa, never thought we’d actually get this far… But yep, we managed to survive a whole year. Time for a parrrrrty!

Good music, bad coffee, cheap beer and expensive cocktails, dj’s, fireshow and all that shite.

Saturday 8 sept. 2007
18:00->
And, naturally, it doesn’t cost anything!

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On Friday July 14th 2005, ten people had to appear in the court of Amsterdam. They were prosecuted because of their participation in actions against the eviction of six squats in Amsterdam. Eight of them were already locked up since the evictions on Tuesday May 31st. That day around 70 people gathered in front of the Rokin squat in the center of Amsterdam. They made barricades on the street, set them on fire and blocked all traffic for hours. When the riotpolice arrived people started to attack them with stones, bottles and paintbombs. The clash on the streets went on for an hour, the eviction for five hours.
Two of the ten people that had to appear in court, were declared innocent ; seven people were convicted for 6 weeks prison (exactly the time they had spend inside already, so they were released the next day) ; and one woman got sentenced for 5 months, so she still has to spend 3 ½ months in prison ! When arrested a molotov cocktail was found on her body. Though nobody threw a molotov and there is no film or photograph footage from the police, she is convicted of throwing a molotov cocktail. All the accusations are based on the article of “public violence from a organised group”, with variations in : walking between the barricades, throwing water on police officers, throwing with objects like speaker boxes, empty beer cans, bread, molotov cocktails, fruit, a red coffee cup, bricks and pillows. During the court case the judge and the officer of justice made some remarkable political statements, that are very uncommon in dutch court. They compared the situation with “city guerrilla” because there were actions in a organised way that crossed the boundaries of violence.

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The pink light house is a brand new queer squat collective, currently the only queer squat in amsterdam! we plan to open a queerspace with music, dancing, arts and crafts, an infocafe/reading room, and a chill out bar.

we are looking for donations of the following: money, craft supplies (sewing machines, materials, paints, etc.), hardware supplies (wood, tools, carpeting, etc.), or if you just want to help or spend the night. email us!

our website: http://squat.net/pinklight

our email address: pinklight [at] squat [dot] net

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Help Sjakoo to survive in Amsterdam

The Amsterdam radical Bookshop The Fort van Sjakoo recently had its existence threatened by an extreme rent increase of 900%. Thanks to the persistent dedication of many people this danger has been averted for the time being and there has been talk of a lower, gradual rent increase. Now the only affordable option is to buy the bookshop space. That of course will cost a lot of money. To raise this much money, and with that the continued existence of a political bookshop, the support of sympathisers is indispensable.

Who and What?
The Fort van Sjakoo has been at Jodenbreestraat 24 since 1977. The building was squatted 2 years earlier in protest against the planned demolition for a new office building. The squatters made the building habitable and they started a bookshop on the ground floor. The resistance of the squatters was successful; the building wasn’t demolished. In the 1980’s the municipality bought the property for next to nothing from a speculator and the tenants and the bookshop became renters.

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