London: Eviction Resistance Success at the Hope and Anchor Pub

20160128_London_Eviction_Resistance_Success_at_the_Hope_and_Anchor_Pub‘I’m going to call Billy Bragg.’ Despite the promise of one local supporter, the singing socialist did not show at the successful eviction resistance at the Hope and Anchor pub in Mornington Crescent two days ago – but many did. A small mob turned out to resist an eviction by county court bailiffs of squat crew Squatters and Homeless Autonomy, who had occupied the building just before its planned regeneration.

The building, owned by multi-millionaire Oliver Bengough, was initially intended for a mixture of upmarket flats and commercial space. But many in the area believe it will end as extension to Koko – the pricey “independent” music venue next door. This example of gentrification is among many others in Camden. Pubs that served the former working-class population are closed as their customers are priced-out, bought-up or evicted. [Read More]

London: Against Apolitical Squatting, communique by Squatters and Homeless Autonomy

Coming to Terms

In Camden, an eight-month squat is evicted by pigs and three are arrested under Section 144, the 2012 ban on residential squatting. A man in a SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SQUAT t-shirt waits for NELSN to forward a text. Two arrive from a council-estate squat further north. Builders begin to secure the building. Against Section 144, against increasing precarity and repression, broken self-identity and fractured organisation, London squatting seems to have begun a coming-to-terms.

Attempts to surround the fragility of the squat scene with nostalgia have come thick and fast: Remember the Squatters’ Union; remember unrestricted residential squatting; remember squatters’ rights. As ever this nostalgia is a thinly disguised dose of forgetfulness: Squatting has always meant struggle; and no mourning for a golden age can deny the permanence of our struggles and the permanent need to politicise them. [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: Waiting For Eviction And Them Dirty Bailiffs

We may not have otherwise have said – but up until now that is – for the last 8 or so weeks we have been occupying (squatting) 2 commercial properties in the two adjoining North London Boroughs of first Islington and at this time of writing Camden.

The crew moved from Central London following a number of evictions, 41 to be precise, some high profile and others not so.
[Read More]

London: Mayday for the Squatters and Homeless Autonomy

Bailiffs, in almost identical uniform as cops, illegally smashed into Parker Street squat and evicted us yesterday. We had previously managed to defended our selves from security thugs who were trying to force entry and deny access to the building. We had held our own and reclaimed access after a scuffle. Cops were called (not by us) and eventually one bailiff was arrested after assaulting a comrade. However, the cops were more than happy to allow the security thugs to hide their identification even though this is against the law and the legislation was spelled out clearly for them. We thought cops were good at following orders!? During this commotion the wanna be cops bailiffs smashed down doors around the back of the building and illegally stole the building from us. Parker Street building has been restored to an empty building, aka a dust collector. To add insult to injury the bailiffs stole some of our possessions. Our Neal Street, Covent Garden squat was also evicted, earlier in the morning, and the cops arrested one of our SHA comrades, on false charges, resulting in another empty dust collecting building. An addition two SHA comrades were arrested that night, again on false charges, and have now been released as has the former arrestee. [Read More]

London: Anarchists occupy former Directors’ Institute near Buckingham Palace

Horror arrives at London Evening Standard by the pen of Matt Watts, supposedly a journalist, a posh and naive pawn, for whose neoliberal minds for whom it is difficult to understand the meaning of gentrification and class struggle.
<< A group of “five stars squatters” has taken over a historic office block just yards from Buckingham Palace. Activists who have entered the former HQ of the Institute of  Directors at 123 Pall Mall today vowed to stay “as long as they can”. The six-storey, multimillion-pound office block is 700 yards from Buckingham Palace. The squatters moved in last week and have renamed it as the Instutute of Dissidents. [Read More]