London: Sweets Way Resists, In Support Of Supporting Each Other

In the last week we celebrated the release of the two Sweets Way protesters who have been held on remand since the evictions at Sweets Way on the 23rd and 24th of September. That the magistrates granted bail without the requirement for the two protesters to give their names or any other details is a victory and testament to the moral grounds for resistance against the eviction of the estate.

The campaign has been a tough one for all involved, and it would be wrong to say it has been a picture-perfect example of political resistance the whole time. The campaign is a constantly-evolving thing, and we have all done our best to move with the times as circumstances have changed. With many different groups with different agendas coming to Sweets Way, particularly in the final couple of months, it became difficult to maintain the original image that was portrayed all the way back in February. Certainly there were displays of behaviour that did not sit well with people involved in the campaign or with outside supporters and spectators. [Read More]

London: Noise demo in solidarity with the Sweets Way prisoners this Saturday – cancelled

Update from Sweets Way Resists 15/10/15: “We can announce that today the 2 protesters were granted bail, and they retain their anonymity! We will therefore not be attending HMP Wormwood Scrubs on Saturday…”

Let’s make some noise for our friends and defenders of the Sweets Way Estate!

During the evictions on the Sweets Way Estate 19 people were arrested. 16 of those were in defence of Mostafa, the last remaining tenant. Despite being a passive resistance, they were arrested for obstructing the high court enforcers. We all believe these arrests were unjust, and 2 of the arrestees have asserted their right to remain anonymous. As a result, the state has incarcerated them, holding them on remand while the police take their time investigating their identities. [Read More]

London: Mamelon Tower squat evicted by riot cops after 6 hour showdown

Yesterday (Monday 5 October) TSG riot cops alongside bailiffs came in force to evict the Mamelon Tower squat in Kentish Town, North London, which had been occupied by “Squatters and Homeless Autonomy”. The Met’s finest meatheads met impressive barricades and concerted resistance and it took six hours for them to enter the building. Six people were arrested for “affray”. A noise demo took place yesterday evening outside the police station where they were being held. We will post further updates and calls for solidarity as we get more news. We repost below the statement by SHA on yesterday’s events, and also the statement they published when they first squatted the building. [Read More]

London: Report back from anti-gentrification fuck parade

Last Saturday over a thousand people came together at the ‘Fuck Parade’ to resist gentrification and the social cleansing in London’s East End. It was a beautiful expression of feeling put into action.

It kicked off under Shoreditch High Street arches with three or so massive music rigs, fire breathing and buzzing energy. A couple of hundred at first, mostly anarchists, squatters and social housing eviction resistors. The solid bloc continued to grow, as the informal march went through the streets chanting with flares and flash grenades, holding space and blocking roads, picking up more and more local people off the street and out of the estates as it passed. At points the demo was around a thousand people. [Read More]

London: Sweets Way Resists. Mostafa evicted and prisoner solidarity needed!

This morning the violent thugs returned to the estate after yesterday’s brutal Sweetstopia eviction and executed their possession order against Mostafa and his family, the final original residents at Sweets Way. Solidarity actions with those arrested at 6pm.

High Court bailiffs smashed through the window of the room Mostafa was sleeping in, to forcibly remove him from his home today. The eviction leaves the family without a home, unwilling to sign for a property offered by Barnet Homes that he literally can’t get in and out of in his wheelchair. This offer would be enough of an insult, were it not already coming after three years of mistreatment of the family by Barnet Homes. [Read More]

London: Sweets Way facing estate-wide eviction

Support needed at Mostafa’s at 6am Wednesday [24th] for 2nd round of evictions!

After a brutal day, Sweetstopia was evicted, as was the People’s Regeneration Show Home, but Mostafa and the Sweets Way Resists community house remain. We expect bailiffs and police to return tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and need support. Please come to 46 Sweets Way at 6am if you can, to help keep Mostafa in his home! [Read More]

London: Solidarity banner for raided anarchist space Rumah Api in Malaysia

A small act of solidarity from London for Rumah Api (KL): Banner drop outside the Malaysian Embassy on the same day as a massive ‘Malaysia Night’ event takes place in nearby Trafalgar Square. Rumah Api is a Kuala Lumpur based anarcho-punk social centre and gig space, and was raided by armed police on August 28th. This resulted in 160 people being arrested.

SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON [Read More]

London: Grow Heathrow lives to fight another day . . . again!

London_grow_heathrow_court_hearing_adjourned_until_summer_2016Grow Heathrow, who have occupied land in the Heathrow villages since 2010, were given a stay of execution as the court was adjourned until the summer of 2016.
The Shadow Chancellor arrived at Uxbridge County Court this morning to show his continued support for the anti-third runway occupation.
Mr. McDonnell handed in a statement which read “Members of Grow Heathrow have become part of the local community, making a valuable contribution to the life of the local villages. Grow Heathrow is part of a fierce community resistance to Heathrow’s expansion that won’t go away easily for any government. I commend this group to you and hope that its members will be able to continue to remain on this site and part of our community.” [Read More]

London: Demonstration, Grow Heathrow in Court

201509_london_demonstration_Grow_Heathrow_in_CourtDear Friends,

We have a court case approaching. Lewdown Holdings Limited (registered in the British Virgin Islands . . . .), at their antics again, are attempting to remove us from the community project that you and we have worked together to establish for five and a half years. We are going to court to defend “the backlands”, and it is possible that an eviction notice will be served, putting the whole of Grow Heathrow under threat of immediate eviction.

Although the land under question is designated green belt land, the owners have submitted a planning application for the Sipson Village Garden Centre site (ref 67666/APP/2015/2413) which shows no intention of maintaining the land for agricultural use.

A solidarity demonstration has been organised to show support for the defendants, gathering from 9:00 outside Uxbridge County Court on Thursday 17th September. [Read More]

London: Update from Sweets Way eviction resistance

There was a second night of clashes between occupiers and security thugs “Dorman & Co” on Saturday night / Sunday morning. One occupier was arrested early on Sunday morning, but released on Sunday afternoon without charge. The situation is tense and occupiers are still expecting a major eviction attempt with riot police that could come any time (from Monday 7 September). More support is welcome.

Meanwhile, Sweets Way campaigners will also accompany Mostafa, the last remaining tenant, to a meeting with the council (Barnet Homes) today at 1PM. See here for details. [Read More]

London: Sweets Way to the barricades!

A big showdown is brewing at the Sweets Way estate in Barnet, North London. High court bailiffs and cop reinforcements are preparing to swoop on the estate in a major operation to clear those defending the homes and fighting social cleansing.
Already things have started getting heavy, as a new firm of security thugs (“Dorman & Co”) arrived yesterday and starting attacking people last night.
But the squatters are ready to resist. Numbers are growing, and the heart of the estate is now barricaded off. They are calling for support: get down this weekend to build and reinforce the barricades and prepare for action.
The eviction is expected any time from Monday. Below we post a new call-out from the occupiers. See also thesweetswayresists blog and you can check their twitter account for updates.
 Continue reading →http://wp.me/pIJl9-6OQ

UK: Advisory Service for Squatters is 40!

We’re not sure how it happened but it did, and there seems to still be need for ASS, or something like it.

As part of our celebrations, we are planning a day of reminiscing, planning and partying, on the 12th September. Not a particularly momentous date as far as we know – the decision to start was around February and the actual opening was in October.
[Read More]