London: Euston We Have A Problem – Where Are The Political Voices?

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

As we face the climate emergency, one of the most disappointing aspects of the last 3 weeks at Euston Square Gardens has been the wall of silence from MPs and Peers, save the very few (thank you Caroline Lucas, Zarah Sultana and Baroness Jenny Jones) who have spoken up in support of the protesters and their aims. We know many more are opposed to HS2, for environmental, finance and governance reasons, but where have they been?

On the converse, we haven’t been short of those speaking out against the protesters.

Public school educated investment banker and now MP for Sutton Coldfield, Andrew Mitchell commented to the Sun Newspaper[1] that Dan / Swampy was being ‘reckless & irresponsible’ to take his 16-year-old son into the tunnels. This seems highly hypocritical, coming from an MP who’s voting record shows he has consistently voted to send British teenagers to fight in wars overseas, and for profits over measures to save the planet,
[Read More]

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London: Latest update from tunnels at Euston Square Gardens

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

Yesterday, Monday 22 Feb, Larch voluntarily left the tunnels under Euston Square Gardens after 27 days underground!! [Previously on S!N] The tunnels resisting the construction of HS2 have been occupied for almost a month now but strangely (and coincidentally) HS2 only got a possession order yesterday. There are still four people underground and they need our total support! Coverage has been a bit shit and mainly fbook based, perhaps because of mixed feelings about XR, perhaps because UK altmedia sucks nowadays (RiP indymedia).

Like the previous tunnellers who left voluntarily, Larch was arrested and taken to hospital for a checkup. He had court today at Highbury Corner Magistrates and was charged with criminal damage and two counts of obstructing / disrupting a person engaged in lawful activity. He also had other Hs2-related charges added but seemingly nothing related to the injunction on Euston Square. He was bailed and curfewed to an address in London. The trial is set for the same court, 14 July, see you there!

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London: Harvil Road Protection Camp eviction alert

By: sisulscz - February 13th, 2021  Filed under: Communique

Urgent update: Harvil Road Protection Camp, Colne valley, Greater London (StopHS2) being evicted now. [13 Feb 11:00] As the anti-HS2 protestors dig in for a 17th night in tunnels Euston, central London… 25 miles west, Harvil Road protection camp in the Colne valley, Greater London is under siege. Harvil road where the on ground opposition to HS2 all began 3.5 years ago, for long the only outpost of resistance to HS2, might breath its last breath tonight.
The National Eviction Team arrived en masse at midnight threatening arrests if protestors high up in the trees in hammocks did not immediately get down. Protestors at the protection camp have said the NET’s forceful and aggressive arrival in the dead of night has put the physical safety of the protestors in jeapordy. Some have been forcefully removed and thrown into the freezing subzero night, others have had police chase them through fields for over a mile.
The camp, once situated in a green and verdant landscape is now surrounded by mile after mile of building site and endless floodlights at night. Protestors currently on the ground at the camp are expecting much more to come especially in the early hours of the morning and have put a call out for support.

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London: Euston tunnellers update

By: sisulscz - February 7th, 2021  Filed under: Announcement

Today (Sunday 7 Feb) is DAY 12 for the tunnellers. They are still there, deep under Euston Square Gardens, resisting HS2 after the eviction began on 27 January. On Friday, someone about to be cut out of a lockon by bailiffs instead took the lockon and retreated into the tunnel! Yesterday, the person then left of their own accord, having bartered an exchange for for lights, which means in total two people have now left the tunnels (and been arrested). The rest are still underground! The cops are making it difficult for supporters to get close and even fined a member of the legal team who was trying to talk to the tunnellers.

A specialist in tunnel evictions, who spent nine days digging Swampy out at the A30 protests in 1997, said the tunnels are the most extensive since the A130 bypass resistance in Essex which took six weeks to evict. He has seen footage of bailiffs stamping on fingers and trying to bring the tunnel structures down, and said this is incredibly dangerous.
[Read More]

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London: Euston tunnel resistance update

By: sisulscz - February 1st, 2021  Filed under: Announcement

Heading into day six, the Battle for Euston continues. Following the eviction of the above ground Stop HS2 camp, nine people remain inside tunnels below Euston Square in central London, resisting eviction by HS2. HS2 want to evict the camp and destroy the small park to build a temporary taxi rank. The trees have not been chopped down yet because they only got people out of the trees yesterday. The tower known as Buckingham Pallets was dismantled on Saturday. After the taxi rank moves again, the plan will no doubt be to build a shitty expensive cafe and plant a new tree to show green credentials.

The tunnellers are in contact with the outside world and report that Hs2 workers have showered them with dirt and liquid mud, whilst the group supposed to be responsible for their safety are pumping in oxygen which may weaken the tunnel walls. A legal challenge has been launched to ensure the eviction follows legal procedure. There’s been quite a lot of mainstream media coverage so far and most of it is bullshit. The latest thing is that the papers are excited that Swampy, the veteran 1990s road protestor is in the tunnels with his son. He said “We’ve been here five days and they haven’t even cracked the ground to the ground-shaft yet. I reckon we’ll be here for five weeks, or until the pubs are open.” Activist reporting seems to be mainly on fakebook and twatter. Squats are offering support to evicted activists if they aren’t Extinction Rebellion.

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London: Euston Station HS2 protest camp resist eviction

By: sisulscz - January 27th, 2021  Filed under: Announcement

This morning the London end of the ongoing direct action campaign against HS2 received some unwelcome visitors in the form of around a hundred cops, bailiffs and private security guards.

The HS2 rail project has to be the most unpopular project in the history of transport infrastructure. So far the planned high-speed rail link has managed to go over budget by a modest sixty-one billion pounds and scientific studies have concluded that its construction alone will ensure that it will eventually offer no net reduction in carbon emissions. But will increase noise pollution and decrease air quality for well over twenty-one thousand dwellings along its route.

On top of this the project will ensure the demolition of literally hundreds of homes, the destruction or damage to one hundred and eight ancient woodlands along with the eradication of twenty one designated nature reserves.
[Read More]

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London: Four squats evicted just before Xmas

By: sisulscz - December 26th, 2020  Filed under: Announcement

Today [December 21] four separate squats were evicted in London. One being the mutual aid community free shop [pictured] in Harringay that was very close to our hearts. They illegally evicted us, as they didn’t tell us we had court on 17 December.

Many people have been made homeless today due to parasitic landlords. They’ve destroyed homes and communities. All befoere 9am.

Support your local squat. We’re working with other members of the crew to relocate and get running again but cannot guarantee when. We hope soon.

Kill bailiffs. Kill landlords. Kill cops.

Squat the world. We’ll squat the copshops. We’ll squat the bailiff HQs. We’ll squat your fucking holiday homes.

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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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London: Eviction resisted, we’d rather be squatters than scabs

By: sisulscz - September 27th, 2020  Filed under: Communique

On Thursday 24th September in Greenwich, London, an illegal eviction attempt on a squatted building was thwarted by a combination of self-organised defence and bloody minded stubbornness.

At 6.30am, high court enforcement agents in black masks used heavy tools to cut the locks on the gate and attempted to force entry into the building using threats of physical violence. The occupiers managed to hold the door, and by 8.30am a crowd of around 30 members of London’s autonomous community had gathered to support them as they besieged people inside. The defenders travelled from across the city in support, including members of the newly energised Eviction Resistance Network, a gang from militant trans activists NFA Queer Punx, and legal support from the Advisory Service for Squatters.

Spirits remained high as the crowd dominated the car park area in front of the building, gradually managing to squeeze the bailiffs and their hired goons back with a consistent tirade of obstinant resistance. The crowd sang “Well I’d rather be a squatter than a scab!”, and one activist was able to begin deliveries of food and toilet paper to those locked inside via the scaffolding.
[Read More]

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UK: Stop HS2 new camp at Euston station in London

By: sisulscz - September 1st, 2020  Filed under: News

A brand new structure here at Euston Square Garden has been occupied by Martin, 19, who’s gone from 2 years homeless to protection camp, church steps to tree top. (See picture)

Who’s joining us? You are invited to bring & pitch a tent/hammock at Euston Square Gardens or at one of the other camps in Denham, Buckinghamshire or Warwickshire (previously on S!N)

Enjoy connecting with nature, swim in the Colne Valley river next to Denham camp whilst helping us hold the sites to StopHS2 or head to the newest camp in front of Euston station …

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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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