Bologna (Italy): social center XM24 supporters face down national agenda to close self-organized spaces

By: fawda - June 27th, 2019  Filed under: News

The autonomous public space XM24 in Bologna is one of the latest organizations to come under pressure from Italian authorities aiming to evict and disperse them. National politicians such as Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, a leader of the far-right Northern League (Lega Nord) and collaborationist municipal governments have cracked down on multi-purpose, autonomous social spaces across Italy.

Bologna has a long history as a “red city” with substantial leftist and anti-authoritarian organizing, with the oldest university in Europe dating to 1088 and continuing political influence by communist and socialist parties. Partisan fighters (partigiani) carried out guerrilla warfare against Mussolini’s fascist forces during World War II in the surrounding region. A popular armed uprising aimed at social revolution finally liberated the city on April 21, 1945, a day now commemorated every year.

From World War II to the present day, antifascist groups maintain a strong presence in Bologna. The cover photo above is from an April 25, 2019 antifascist demonstration that passed by XM24, marking a national day of liberation from fascism. The yellow banner says “Against all fascisms. Against racism, sexism and exploitation.” [Read More]

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Call for Solidarity with the Imprisoned of Operazione Scintilla, Italy

By: fawda - February 14th, 2019  Filed under: Communique, News

Summary of the recent repressive operation in Italy in connection with the resistance against the Italian migration regime.

On Thursday 7 February 2019, at 4:40 a.m., the eviction of the squat Asilo Occupato in Via Alessandria 12 in Turin, occupied since 1995, began. The eviction was carried out as part of the Operazione Scintilla (Operation Spark). Several hundred Carabinieri in riot gear, police officers and Guardia di finanza with machine guns and plain clothes police not only evicted the house, but also arrested six anarchists. A seventh person is still being searched for.

The charges are serious: formation of a subversive association, incitement to crime and the possession, manufacture and transportation of explosives in a public place. The charges are related to the resistance against the Italian migration regime, namely against the deportation camps/prisons CPR and CIE (Centro per l’Immigrazione e il Rimpatrio, Immigration and Repatriation Centre: Centro di identificazione ed espulsione, Identification and Deportation Centre).

The Asilo was evicted as part of this operation because the state regards it as the logistical and operational base of this subversive, insurrectional association. The eviction of the Asilo was delayed by the squatters for 36 hours because some of them had retreated to the roofs. In the meantime, sympathizers organized wild demos in the city, where there were clashes with the police. The Asilo was made uninhabitable in the last few days (destruction inside, bricked up windows, etc.). [Read More]

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Turin (Italy): Asilo Occupato and CSO Giulio Cesare evicted

By: fawda - February 10th, 2019  Filed under: News

Thursday February 7, early in the morning, the cops with the help of the fire brigade, stormed the Asilo Occupato, a place that has been occupied since 1995 and been scene of organisation of social struggles (against evictions, against prisons for migrants, still a few years ago against the TAV…). People climbed on to the roof, where they remained for over 24 hours. In the end, the cops managed to get everyone out and condemn the building. Same thing for Le Serrande, the occupation of Corso Giulio Cesare.

Several solidarity gatherings took place in the neighbourhood, which had been completely cordoned off by the cops. Apparently some people have been arrested for resistance or violence against the blues. The evening rally to discuss the situation at Radio Blackout turned into a wild demonstration.

In addition to evicting the premises, the aim of this repressive operation was to arrest persons accused of subversive association. The 6 arrested (another person, under arrest warrant, wasn’t found) are accused of a series of explosive attacks against companies and institutions (including the French Embassy and several Post Offices) related to the detention and expulsion of migrants. [Read More]

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Oulx (Italy): a new self-managed shelter is born

By: fawda - December 11th, 2018  Filed under: Communique, News

Today (December 9, 2018), the Oulx cantonal house (Casa Cantoniera Occupata) was opened, an empty building that has been unused for decades. From today it will be given new life. Against borders and the system that supports and determines them. Against the Salvini Decree and its policy of repression and war against the poor. For a world where everyone and everyone can choose where and how to live.

The situation at the border continues to worsen: the growing militarization, the winter has arrived. The increasingly strong system of control and management that is imposed on all those who, without the piece of paper considered “right”, continue to want to cross this line called the border. The self-managed Chez Jesus Refuge, the occupied space under the church of Claviere, was evicted almost two months ago. Since then, more and more people are getting lost and risking their lives or limbs in the mountains, without information or suitable clothing to face the journey. Without the space and time to get organized, rest, leave again. And under the constant watchful eye of the various police forces that try to prevent contact between those on the road and those in solidarity. This place also wants to be this. A self-managed refuge for those who are passing through, and need more time to organize themselves than the night hours offered by the Salesians. A place to organize against the borders on these mountains as well as against the borders in the city, and the system related to them. [Read More]

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Milan: Villa Vegan under eviction threat

By: fawda - October 27th, 2018  Filed under: Communique, News

In recent days it has come rumor that they want to evict Villa Vegan Tuesday, October 30th.
We believe it is a trust information and we are determined to resist, so let’s make a call to all the people in solidarity reach us to prepare together resistance and mobilization against the eviction. It is welcome anyone who wants to support the place, who has crossed over the years, who has carried on the struggles that here have found complicity, all the comrades who they think that if they want to evict an anarchist space occupied by 20 years must cost him dear.

In all these years of occupation Villa Vegan has hosted comrades from all over the world, has given logistical support to many self-managed projects, especially those from the hardcore punk scene, and a lots of fights, including those of against prison system and in solidarity to prisoners, ecologists and for liberation animal, against racism and CIEs (renamed then CPR), transfeminist queer and against gender violence, antifascist; struggles that refuse relations with institutions and always in opposition to the capitalist system and the state.

With the evacuation of the occupied spaces, the interminable overbuilding, the raids against the migrants, irregular and unwanted people of each type, the urban “redevelopment” of the neighborhoods, the growing militarization and surveillance of the roads, they want to transform the places where we live in the showcase cities useful only to run the economy and in dormitories for those included in the rhythm of production and consumption, closing more and more every possible resistance space. For this reason every eviction does not concern only the specific place that comes attacked but the more general plan of social control by the political and economic power, and must be opposed. [Read More]

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Susa Valley: Chez Jesus in Claviere evicted. Call for solidarity

By: fawda - October 10th, 2018  Filed under: Communique, News

This morning, October 10, very early, the Italian police evicted the squat located in the parish hall of Claviere, where migrants were temporarily sheltered. Among the people present were three undocumented migrants and several supporters. The people were quickly removed from their home. The police broke everything inside the place and then took out all the belongings.

The fifteen supporters who were present inside were rounded up for several hours in the garden. The three undocumented people were taken elsewhere and are reportedly free. After checking their identities and “files”, they were released but charged with illegal occupation in a meeting.

Since this winter, this self-managed place allowed migrants, harassed by the police, to find a place to rest before crossing the mountain. This place was crucial to fight against the racist policy of the French and Italian governments, as they collected testimonies of police violence and they opposed this policy by helping the migrants who passed through (children and adults). They were preparing them to cross the mountain, where too many people die during this crossing. [Read More]

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Lecce: Eviction of Canaglia Occupata

By: fawda - September 26th, 2018  Filed under: Communique, News

On Monday 3rd September Canaglia Occupata in Lecce was evicted. Police stormed the place at 6am along with the fire brigade and ENEL and municipal waterworks technicians, who cut off all electricity and water supplies. Three male and four female comrades who were in the building at the time of the eviction were charged with occupation, defacement and damaging of others’ property, as well as theft of electricity and water supplies. Three were also reported for breach of expulsion orders from Lecce and a comrade who managed to stay on the roof for a while (Digos officers had to use a ladder to reach him) was charged with resistance. Three more expulsion orders from Lecce for another three years were issued. The building was declared sequestrated.

The occupation took place on 23rd July, about a month after the Villa Matta squat was evicted. On social media right-wing groups of Lecce (Northern League, Forza Italia, Sentire Civico, Movimento e Libertà) are rejoicing at the brilliant police operation that restored respect for ‘sacred property’ – be it private or public – followed by cheers from those who have no scruples about calling us ‘parasites to be eliminated’.

Unfortunately for them, it is certainly not a physical place that gives content to our life and struggle; unfortunately for them, we’ll continue to be present in the city. [Read More]

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Turin (Italy): Police attack Askatasuna social centre

By: sisulscz - July 15th, 2018  Filed under: Communique

A massive repressive operation took place on Friday 13 in Turin. 15 precautionary measures were notified at dawn, against university students, antieviction and notav struggles’ militants: 9 of them were put under house arrests. The social centre Askatasuna and the people’s space Neruda were raided, too. The operation is linked to Mayday 2017, when amongst the general bewilderment the police charged in order to prevent the social bloc from entering the demonstration’s conclusive square, out of fear of protests against confederal trade unions and the Democratic Party.
[Read More]

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Catania (Italy): In solidarity with Studentato 95100

By: sisulscz - June 26th, 2018  Filed under: Announcement

On Monday June 25, it was suddenly announced that the occupied student housing block in Catania (studentato 95100) would be evicted, on grounds of public order. People made barricades on the street and saw off the eviction threat.

The block was squatted in February 2018 after being empty for ten years. In the last six months the owner (Ursino Recupero) had made no attempt to contact the students, who have self-organised their accommodation since the university fails to provide it. As well as giving people a place to stay, the block has provided a study room, organised social events and hosted conferences on social movements, including the SqEK 2018 conference.

To respond to this unexpected threat, supporters of the student block have occupied a library which is also owned by Ursino Recupero at Monastero dei Bendettini.

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Rome (Italy): You cannot evict the feminist city!

By: xxx - May 21st, 2018  Filed under: News, video


Un video di Julia Lindblom. Rome, spring 2018. [Read More]

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Italy: Interviews with red gym trainers Giulio and Luigi

By: sisulscz - April 7th, 2018  Filed under: Interviews

In Italy Palestre Popolari (popular gyms) a.k.a. red gyms are going strong, in Rome alone you can find seven. All of them in squatted buildings. The range of disciplines vary depending on the politics of the specific social centre and its organizers. For example, if you go to Centro Sociale la Torre (a small squatted farm filled with children) the kind of activities you find in the gym are Capoeira, juggling, aerial acrobatics, Chinese pole and archery. Basically it is the needs of the community, and the original discipline of the trainers, that broadly shape the nature of a popular gym.


‘Welcome to Tufello: Liberated and Rebel Neighborhood’ (Graffiti at the entrance of Tufello)
[Read More]

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Brescia: Fascist attack on the CSA Magazzino 47

By: fawda - February 23rd, 2018  Filed under: Communique, News

Immediate mobilization, tomorrow city demonstration.
This night some rats entered the CSA Magazzino 47 social center after they broke a window. They have set a fire in the room of the bookshop and the wine shop. The broken window with obvious signs of forced entry and the intense smell of gasoline give no doubt about the suspect nature of the act, as immediately reported by the firefighters themselves.
The fast reaction of a comrade who was inside the social space meant that the firemen could intervene promptly and extinguishing the flames before they could provoke much worse damage. Several furniture and a large amount of books have been destroyed. Our brother, the only person present, fortunately is fine.
We can say with certainty that it was the umpteenth infamous attack of fascists and racists who try to sow a climate of racial hatred and intolerance in the city.
The same that in recent weeks have hit the “occupied houses” of via Gatti and the Sinti field in via Orzinuovi in Brescia city. They are the same ones that praise Luca Traini, author of the Macerata racist attack.
For this we will react accordingly. With anger, determination and pride.
We are already declaring a state of permanent anti-fascist mobilization in the city.
Tomorrow mass mobilisation at CSA Magazzino47, via Industriale 10, Brescia, Italy. [Read More]

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