Rotterdam: the Silverfish, a new anarchist group

Who are we?

We are a group of anarchists living in Rotterdam who were previously involved in student, squatting, and other housing struggles. We decided to call ourselves the Silverfish, or de Zilvervisjes, after the silverfish who ate some of our publications in our humble anarchist library. Most of us were previously involved in the Rotterdamse Anarchisten Tegen Supermarkten (RATS) collective.

Why are we anarchists?

We believe that a society characterized by mutual aid, free association, self organization and spontaneous initiative is possible, and that today’s society, characterized by competition, coercion, centralized organization and apathy must be transformed in its favor. Furthermore, we believe that the current society is maintained through hierarchical social forms, such as capitalism, states, property, as well as prevailing race, gender and sexuality relations. This must be struggled against by people organized upon social relations that embody the society they wish to create. We are anarchists because we act on this belief, while learning and transforming ourselves in this process. [Read More]

Netherlands: what happened in May in some squats

Vogelvrij Newsletter #1

Of course these news are not complete, we just collected the different things we heard about and the information we could find. If there is something you would like to see in our next newsletter or if you notice that we got some information wrong, send us an email! [Read More]

Rotterdam: a house in the Pompenburg flat has been squatted

There are new squatters in town! A house in the Pompenburg flat has been squatted by the anarchist collective RATS. It’s squatted in solidarity with the inhabitants of the Pompenburg Flat who are fighting against the demolition of the building.

The building which is home to hundreds of residents in 226 social housing homes was announced to be demolished in 2019 (and residents only found out by the newspaper!) for a 250 meter high tower developed by RED Company in collaboration with social housing corporation Havensteder and gemeente Rotterdam. The building, which was originally not in the redevelopment plans for the Pompenburg area, was campaigned to be demolished by the municipality themselves despite over 80% of the residents against demolition. These plans also call for the eviction and destruction of communal gardens in Park Pompenburg and the various community projects based in Schieblock whom are dear friends of ours, for high rise towers of mostly luxury apartments.

We stand in solidarity with the residents organizing and fighting for the last three years against backroom deals to demolish their homes. Sloop ons niet! [Read More]