Thessaloniki: Squats raided and evicted

20160727_Orfanotrofio_squat_evicted_1In a move unprecedented in times of “democracy”, the Greek government raided and evicted today, 27 July in the early morning, three squats in the city of Thessaloniki, which were being used as shelter for refugees.
The message the left wing government wants to transmit is that there is no space for solidarity and self-managed responses to the ordeal of the refugees, only the state’s charity and the confinement, marginalisation and selective deportation carried out by a government that follows to the letter the criminal immigration policies of the EE.
The eviction comes only a couple of days after the end of the No Border Camp in Thessaloniki, which united thousands of activists from throughout the continent to protest these very policies.
One of the squats, Nikis, has been a long standing squat in Thessaloniki, which was opened up to refugee families with the onset of the refugee crisis. Another one, Orfanotrofeio, was (re)occupied last year with the express purpose of giving shelter to immigrant and refugees in a self-managed way. The third one was occupied only a few days ago in the very centre of the city for the same purpose.
Orfanotrofeio was evicted and immediately demolished. Under the rubble were buried tons of medicine, food, clothes and first necessity items that were destined for refugee families, as well as the occupants’ personal belongings. [Read More]

Utrecht: Squatters trying to resquat a house

Today a group of squatter tried to resquat an unused building in utrecht. The first cop that arrived told the officer of duty that they went to the building because they got a phone call from the squatters, saying that they (the squatters) squatted the building. The officer of duty replied that this was not the case: they got a phone call from a neighbor that there were burglars. Coincidentally, a call concerning burglary is a reason to enter a house, a call explaining a squat is not. Was this miscommunication?
The cops found an empty window, called the anti-squat company (who was doing a very good job) to come and accuse everyone inside of burglary, so the cops could ‘lawfully’ remove them. When the anti-squat company came, the squatters went out by themselves. There were no arrests or fines. We will see what happens to the building now… [Read More]

Hungary: Call for support from Occupy City Park Budapest

20160318_Varosliget_BudapestHello! We in Hungary are in deep protest. The government decided to demolish part of our City Park (Városliget). We don’t like this. So on march 17th 2016, when they started to cut down trees, it was enough. Men and women jumped over the fence, broke the barrier and it was over. Since then, we occupy the area. It is a pretty big complex more than 5 buildings, several floors with its own garden and parking area in the middle of this huge park. There are over 20 people living here now. We build, create, imagine. We started actions outside of camp too, with more or less success. This created lot of attention from the public, so the power holders decided to take action. This is where everyone comes into picture. We need help. We need to grow rapidly, to transform. We need people from all over the globe with experience in nonviolent protest. We have food, place to sleep, love to share. Please please help us with your presence.

Statement from Ligetvédők, Occupy City Park Budapest

We the Ligetvédők (Occupy City Park Budapest) have been occupying this area for more than 100 days, for we think it is unjust and harmful to transform Városliget (City Park) into a museum district (Liget Budapest Project). We are locals, civilians and experts, among whom many have been protesting for years against this huge prestige-investment. [Read More]

Berlin: Dispatches from occupied Rigaer94

It has now been over a week since our doors were first cut off, cops and security intruded into our housing project, installing themselves in our stairways and other previously collective spaces. From then, the speedy and aggressive eviction and destruction of the ground level of our home began. Our social space, the Kadterschmiede, along with our workshop, laundry, attic and garden were stripped of all recognition in clouds of dust and mortar, while rubbish skips were filled with our belongings and collective histories.
[Read More]

Berlin: Rigaer94 under siege; Kadterschmiede evicted; hot days ahead…

Comrades are currently mobilising in the streets to make the eviction as expensive as possible for the cops and the Berlin Senate. Below is today’s announcement by Rigaer94.

This morning, June 22nd 2016, at around 7.30am, approximately 300 cops, private security and construction workers came to our house in Rigaerstrasse 94. First, the construction workers cut out our doors and removed them. After securing their place in the house, the cops, construction workers and security, took position in the garden, the yard and on the roof, as well as in the staircases. Construction workers and cops joined together to carry out all movable objects they could find in the yard – bicycles, a bike shed, fridges, trailers etc. Our doors were removed and the frames knocked out, the phone and internet connection was cut. Only after our lawyer got access to the house, we were informed about the reason for the police action.

[Read More]

Greece: Queer feminist squat evicted in Exarcheia

A privately owned building on Anexartisias street, Exarcheia district, was occupied by a queer feminist group since May 28th until today (16/6/16). The police evacuated the squat and proceeded to the arrest of many activists while supporters held a solidarity rally at the Attica Police Inspectorate. Below is the announcement of the squat as published on Contra Info:

”This morning Women*Squat, a queer feminist squat, which began on May 28th in a privately owned building on 13 Anexartisias street, was evacuated by cops and 6 people were arrested (3 adults and 3 children). The purpose of the squat was to provide a shelter to women with/without papers in a space we would all organize together. Updates will follow.

We call for a solidarity rally at the Attica Police Inspectorate at 13:00.

Immediate release of all the arrested activists

Women*squat”

(via Provo.gr, translated by BlackCat)

https://insurrectionnewsworldwide.com/2016/06/16/greece-queer-feminist-squat-evicted-in-exarcheia/

Barcelona: Second statement of El Banc

[May26] These days are being very intense and this is why we’re having difficulties to spread informations as a collective. Within our capacities, we will add more detail to our version of the facts of these last few days and also our opinion on many aspects of the conflict that is taking place.

First of all, we would like to thank all the people that moved from solidarity to explicit engagement with the project of El Banc Expropiat.
[Read More]

Barcelona: 15 injured in riots against eviction of the expropriated bank

seeding mutual aidThe ‘Expropriated Bank’, a self-managed occupied social center in the beautiful Gracia barrio of Barcelona, has finally fallen. Symbol of resistance to repression and austerity , colleagues called for the occupation of 1000 more banks.

Seeding Mutual Aid against Capitalism

The eviction was not an easy task, it took police more than eight hours, using metal cutters, etc., to extricate the last heroes. The police struggled all day to get them out of a barrel of cement, itself inside a safe, inside the basement with metal barricades.

Meanwhile, reinforcements gathered and marched from several pre-organized points in the city until by 9.00 pm at least 2000 filled the narrow streets, but the entire front of the Bank had been welded shut with iron plates.

An army of very aggressive riot police, masked and without ID plates and with a helicopter, moved into the crowds of young people. Only for good luck no one was killed. [Read More]

Barcelona: El Banc Expropriat evicted

Today El Banc Expropriat in Gracia, Barcelona, has been evicted, in an operation lasting ten hours. A demonstration has been called for tonight.

Barcelona: Express Eviction of Refugee centre Occupied at Mayday demo

”City Refuge Mukhayyam..bullshit hypocrisy”

”City Refuge Mukhayyam..bullshit hypocrisy”

At the end of one of the anarchist Mayday Marches last Sunday an abandoned city-owned listed building was occupied to be converted into a self-run social center for refugees called  Mukhayyam.

Prospects looked good since the leftwing city council has banners reading ‘Welcome Refugees’ just round the corner.  However on the Tuesday morning 200 riot police evicted the building (see video below). The mayor Ada Colau claimed she knew nothing about it and that the Catalan Govt (also left wing) had ordered it ( they weren’t city police).

Dozens of activists had occupied after the ‘anarchist and feminist’ demonstration of Mayday to remake it as a welcoming space for refugees (Spain has promised to accept only around 16,000 but a mere 18 have been cleared so far).

At eight o’clock on Tuesday vans of the Mobile Brigade cut off all the streets near the building in the Gothic Quarter. A squad of agents charged the  front doors of the building and smashed in with a battering ram at 7.00 in the morning. It was a door with a high architectural value, included in the catalog of heritage of the City of Barcelona. [Read More]

Marseille: Eviction of third Manba ends with 3 comrades in custody, as well as home raided

This afternoon April 12th, the latest Manba was evicted by numerous cops, we faced two arrests and police violence. This squat opening followed the eviction of Manba 2 (last week).

Manba was opened a few days ago on Rue Bel Air, in a building empty for several years. The opening allowed the continuation of events at Manba: welcoming migrants, collective workshops, political meetings, freeshop… This place also wanted to be a meeting point between struggles at this time of social movement.

The police turned up on April 12th and stayed for several hours in front of the building, occupied at the time by five comrades (including one arrested the evening of April 12th). An “expert architect” showed up to pretend that the building was dangerous, although it wasn’t sanctioned as dangerous or unfit. The eviction after 48 hours of occupation was therefore an illegal eviction. People came in support against the eviction, around 20-30, who were then violently handled by cops, so the numbers then swelled throughout the confrontation. After pushing back supporters, cops then completely blocked the street and access to the building, which they eventually entered, bringing out the occupants and proceeding to arrest one of them. [Read More]

Marseille, France: Newly squatted Manba evicted

The new Manba, that was opened following the eviction of the former (based at 180 rue Horace Bertin), was evicted at the yesterday at the end of the afternoon, April 6th, by hordes of cops.

The space at 49 rue Chape was opened to continue activities that previously took place – namely as a migrant welcome centre, collective workshops and political meetings – it also wanted to contribute to taking part in developing a convergence of struggles, in the context of the social movement.

[Read More]