Amsterdam: Squatted hotel Rembrandt evicted

By: fawda - October 16th, 2022  Filed under: Communique, News

Squatted hotel Rembrandt was evicted on the 15th of October 2022. The eviction happened after only a few days of occupation. According to the court the building was unsafe to reside in. This decision was made in our absence, we were not given the ability to present evidence in our defense and no inspection had taken place.

Even though the biggest part of the building is safe to live in and the stripped part had been closed off, the court decided to evict without a hearing. We wonder if it has something to do with the extremely expensive lawyers of the owner?

The police came by on the 14th of October to announce that we would have to leave, our lawyer confirmed they made this decision and going into high appeal would not call off the eviction. They gave us 3 hours to pack our stuff.

Autonomous Student Struggle (A.S.S.) called for a demonstration in front of the building, to protest against this ridiculous verdict to protect the landlords of the city from homeless students.The police decided not to show themselves until the next morning when they evicted us with their special forces. Resistance ensued in the form of barricades, the occupants could escape before being captured. The owner hired private security to stand in front of the door for the rest of the day. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: house squatted at Amstelveenseweg 852

By: fawda - May 24th, 2022  Filed under: News

Since wednesday May 11 the house at Amstelveenseweg 852 is squatted. The owner of the house is “Werktrust Holding B.V.”, through the neighborhood we learned that their plan is to demolish this house to build 6 apartments. Despite the good condition of the building it has been empty for more than a year and will be demolished, most neighbors are against it and are engaged in an objection procedure.
Events will also be held here, keep an eye on the radar page of social center R.A.A.K. https://radar.squat.net/en/node/404448

R.A.A.K.
Amstelveenseweg 852
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
raak [at] riseup [dot] net
https://squ.at/r/8o2o [Read More]

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Amsterdam: R.A.A.K. New Social Center

By: fawda - April 26th, 2022  Filed under: Communique, News

New squatted social centre R.A.A.K. (Radikale Anti-Anti Kraak) opens its doors. Write an email to get involved or pass by to Douwes Dekkerstraat 18.

AIMS

We are openly anarchist and use methods that seek to built collective power against and alongside that of the state and capitalism. We want this space to be one that is welcoming,a space that encourages education and participation. We seek to strengthen and create bonds of solidarity to collectively support each other and fight back against that which oppresses us. Anyone who agrees with these aims and has a willingness to actively participate is welcome to help organise and run the space. We imagine and work towards a world in which everyone can truly be free, a world without hierarchy and oppression. [Read More]

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Amsterdam: new squat in West

By: fawda - April 14th, 2022  Filed under: News

Building occupied and lived in! After being used as anti-squat and afterwards being empty for several months, people are living again in the Douwes Dekkerstraat 18! Cops came by tuesday and will not act for now.
The owner is De Groene Eyck BV, registered on the Ten Katestraat.
Haven’t heard from the owner until now. VPS tried to claim that they had a contract but the police still saw no reason for eviction. [Read More]

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UK: New squatters handbook out now!

By: sisulscz - September 23rd, 2021  Filed under: Communique

It’s arrived! Squatters Handbook 14.5! Available from Freedom bookshop [London] and all good squats! Your handy guide to the class war and autonomous struggle in England and Wales!
Please share far and wide..

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UK: London Squatters Getting Organised

By: fawda - October 20th, 2020  Filed under: News

The first London Intersquat in several years took place at a secret occupied location last Saturday, 17th October. Formerly a regular event, the meet-up was attended by nearly 50 members of London’s autonomous community, representing more than a dozen squatted buildings across the city.

Amongst a range of subjects discussed, the agenda covered news reports on the recent successful resistances against illegal evictions, sharing different tactics for using the law and the barricade to prevent bailiffs and security from entering. Action groups were formed to restart Practical Squatters Evenings – an event that for over a decade took place weekly and was an opportunity for old squatters and new to meet each other to form crews and share information and experience. Others joined to support the newly emerging Resisting Anti-Trespass (RAT) movement that is organising to challenge the forthcoming changes to the law – changes that threaten not only squatters, but protesters, travellers and ramblers alike, potentially criminalising thousands of people across the UK. Another group elected to revive the currently dormant Squatters of London Action Paper (SLAP) in response to the need for our community to report, share and create the media that is relevant to us – as well as to acknowledge a welcome return of the infamous Bastard Watch column that named and shamed an ever-growing number of sneaky bailiffs and landlords. Questions were also raised about the status of EU migrants and those from outside the UK considering the imminent Brexit and how we might organise in solidarity through groups such as the Anti-Raids network, aswell as how to form greater unity with the burgeoning tenant’s rights movement with such groups at the London Renter’s Union and ACORN. [Read More]

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London: Archway squatters successfully resist an illegal eviction attempt

By: fawda - October 18th, 2020  Filed under: News

It’s not an illegal eviction, it’s a legal resistance. Archway squatters successfully resist an illegal eviction attempt by infamous Stamford Hill slumlords, corrupt security and incompetent cops.

Activists, squatters and community members successfully resisted an illegal eviction attempt at a 2-year old squat in North London this Wednesday night (October 14th). A call-out was made on the No Evictions London Squatter’s Network after residents of the building took to the roof to protest the 1-hour notice they were given to leave – a completely illegal and unfounded method considering that the residents had been in contact with the owner over the 2 years and had been granted license to stay.

Members of the Advisory Service for Squatters, Eviction Resistance Network and the NFA Queer Punx attended from around 9pm on Wednesday and were presented with a number of self-professed security guards who refused to display their SIA badges, despite this being a legal requirement for anyone claiming to be engaged in security work such as preventing people from entering or leaving a building. A number of constables were in presence, but were singularly uninterested in investigating the criminal offences being committed by unnamed and unidentified ‘security officers’ in attendence. [Read More]

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UK: S144 arrest figures

By: sisulscz - September 11th, 2020  Filed under: Communique

Another 25 people were prosecuted under S144 last year.
Prosecuted for being homeless and housing themselves.
It would be good to hear from more of the people involved so we can advise, and learn more.

Other Trespass figures also interesting.

Via A.S.S.

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UK: How to Challenge a Section 21 Notice

By: fawda - August 25th, 2020  Filed under: News

Despite the government’s temporary pause on eviction proceedings the system is going to be back soon enough — here’s what you need to know if you’re facing it.

We are likely to see a wave of evictions sweep the country come the end of next month, following the end of a suspension of nearly all court possession cases until (currently) September 20th. Whether or not this will be temporarily extended again, unless substantial legislative changes are instituted, Shelter anticipates that over 230,000 renters are at risk of eviction, in large part due to falling into rent arrears linked to job losses, reductions in income, and shielding during the Covid-19 outbreak. What this means is that it is still vital that renters understand their legal rights and the ways in which they can challenge an eviction notice.

Of greatest notoriety are Section 21 notices, commonly referred to as “no fault” evictions. These only apply to assured shorthold tenancies, which are the most common kind of private rented tenancy. They are the most common kind of eviction in the private rented sector, used for more than 80% of evictions against private tenants. And such notices are a delight to landlords as they do not have to offer a reason for evicting their tenant — no matter if you paid the bills on time, fixed up the plug sockets, bought the landlord a bouquet of flowers for Christmas (gross, don’t do this) — despite all the good behaviour in the world, a Section 21 eviction notice can still arrive at your door. [Read More]

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UK: Notes for New Squatters

By: fawda - August 24th, 2020  Filed under: News

The government’s U-turn on evictions is merely a temporary reprieve — and today Freedom is publishing this newly updated Advisory Service for Squatters guide, which will only get more relevant as the year wears on.

Squatting means occupying empty buildings, or land, without permission. Normally, it means homeless people finding somewhere to live, for a while at least, but what people do with the space they occupy is up to them. The following is a very basic guide. For more information or if you have any problems contact the Advisory Service for Squatters (ASS).

Non-residential squatting is still legal

Squatting in non-residential buildings, or where there has been an agreement, is still a civil matter. To resolve it the owner has to take you to court. The owners have legal ways and procedures to have squatters evicted and cannot legally use force or threats. Section 6 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 makes it an offence to force entry to a building which is occupied, and this includes squats. This will no longer help against the police if they are enforcing the new law against squatters in residential properties, but is otherwise still valid. This is explained in the Legal Warnings, which squatters have either on display or ready to show people. [Read More]

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London: Squatter’s Digest: The Fight To Remain

By: fawda - April 3rd, 2019  Filed under: News

No, no, not that fight to Remain. You’re here for the squatting right?

Well if you read last month’s entry (this is something of a journal I guess, rather than journalism), then you’ll be pleased to know that I write to you from the comfort of my squat, the same one as before. With 30 fellow squatters outside the barricaded front door, serving breakfast, tea and coffee, and a free shop to the public, the resistance to our eviction was handled with ease. So, here I remain.

Further resistance to the bailiffs was seen within a few days time in London, this time in the south, in Deptford. Expecting a somewhat firmer attempt from the bailiffs, people gathered from 7 in the morning to barricade (although some were still up from doing this the night before) and to protect the entrance-way. High court bailiffs arrived, and it seemed like it was on. However, despite the posturing of the initial few enforcers, and the entrance of another half-dozen reinforcements, the bailiffs had no success in removing the squatters. With the squatters being an integral part of local campaigns such as the oft-mentioned Tidemill Garden, scores of local residents and campaigners came down to show their displeasure at the attempt, and the police and bailiffs caved to the pressure and retreated. [Read More]

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London: Check out that A.S.S.

By: sisulscz - July 12th, 2018  Filed under: Announcement

Squatters beware – there have been multiple cases in the last few weeks of people being arrested for burglary when squatting a place. With that in mind the Advisory Service for Squatters (A.S.S.) would like to remind people a few things to keep them safe if faced with arrest:

  1. No comment – You might be able to explain your situation to the police, but in 99% of cases what you say to them will not get you out of the cells any faster, and can be used to incriminate you or any other people arrested. If you go to court it can all be used against you, especially if you are caught fibbing to the rozzers. Say NO COMMENT to any questions the police ask you and keep you and your crew safe.
  2. Have a bail address – someone who doesn’t mind telling the police that you stay with them sometimes and that you can possibly stay with for a bit if the police do put any bail conditions on you. You don’t want to give them an excuse to keep you in prison.
  3. Know a legal firm to call – don’t in any circumstances take the duty solicitor provided by the police. Remember the name of one of the solicitor firms on the bust card, available at all good anarchist soical centres and refuse t have an interview until your lawyers are called.

Good luck out there! Feed the pigeons!

From Squatters of London Action Paper Issue 9 (pdf) – back issues here

NFA Antifascists

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