Mold (Wales): Another squatting case collapses on appeal at Crown Court

By: sisulscz - November 8th, 2013  Filed under: News

Resistance to s.144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) 2012 that outlaws squatting in residential buildings is growing. Ultimately, the law may prove unworkable and unenforceable.

Ten days ago, squatters occupied a residential council property in Southwark in protest at the sell-off of council houses and the criminalisation of squatting under s.144. Last week, a Brighton squatter was acquitted on appeal as the prosecution failed to prove he was living at the property. His two co-defendants had previously been acquitted on the same charge.

Yesterday, another case collapsed when the Crown Prosecution Service presented no evidence at Mold Crown Court against Tristan Dixon who was appealing his conviction under s.144.
[Read More]

Tags: , , , ,

Southwark, London: Interview with occupiers of the residential building on Park Street

By: dolph-l - November 2nd, 2013  Filed under: Interviews

Nestled in a quiet street between the river and Borough Market, surrounded by expensive butchers, wine bars and offices for start-up PR companies and various institutional offshoots of the Globe Theatre sits 21-23 Park Street. The nearly 200 year old building originally housed managers at the nearby Anchor Brewery, but was sold to Southwark Council who used it as part of their housing stock.

The building made headlines last week as news that the council was auctioning off the property with a reserve of  £2.25 million earned it the title of “the most expensive council house in Britain”. On Monday, just as news that the property had been sold for  £2.96 million began circulating, it also became clear that the building had been occupied by local residents, some of whom are part of a new mutual support group called Housing Action Southwark & Lambeth, in an attempt to prevent the sale of yet more public housing. Having attempted to identify a number of possible offences, it became clear that police had no legal recourse to arrest the occupants, and they left. [Read More]

Tags: , , , , ,

Brighton: Section 144 appeal successful! Calling Mike Weatherley MP a coward case continues

By: dolph-l - November 1st, 2013  Filed under: News

We won the appeal!!

A squatter convicted under s144 had the conviction unanimously overturned for lack of ANY evidence. Our barrister was ninja and the judge laid down some stringent guidelines on what the police must do to establish proof that someone lives in a squat. Unfortunately he refused to define what constitutes residential…

A deeper analysis will follow, for now we can only say if you are accused of squatting a residential building, don’t talk to police at all (no comment interview) and plead not guilty. This law is fucked and unenforceable.

Also, the #mikeweatherleyisacoward case continues so our @housingwar twitter will continue with court updates. Continue reading for tweets from court today:

[Read More]

Tags: , , , , , ,

North Finchley, London: The Bohemia Community Project issued with possession order hearing

By: dolph-l - October 31st, 2013  Filed under: News

Warning: News from the mainstream press

Eviction proceedings have been started against a group of squatters occupying The Bohemia pub in North Finchley.

The group was today issued a summons to appear at Barnet County Court on Monday, where the legal process of having them removed is set to begin.

Administrators for the former pub Chantrey Velacott applied for the order despite on-going talks with the pub’s owners Mitchells and Butlers and the property agent Colliers. [Read More]

Tags: , , , , , ,

Halloween in Brighton (and Hove)

By: sisulscz - October 30th, 2013  Filed under: News

So tomorrow (Thursday 31 October) the appeal against the s144 conviction continues in Hove Crown Court (today went quite well, we will be posting a full report after the trail concludes) AND also the two day trial of a man accused of calling Member of Parliament Mike Weatherley a coward begins at Brighton magistrates court (yes it does really).
[Read More]

Tags: , , ,

Hackney, London: Art School starting up at 195 Mare Street Social Centre next week

By: dolph-l - October 26th, 2013  Filed under: News

Hello everybody. Your social center at Mare Street is back with an art school open for all!

Born from the creative needs of our residents and our friends, we are building an art studio, a darkroom and a series of workshops where you can come, learn and share your skills with everybody.

Our art studio and darkroom are being built from scrap and every help is welcome. Today we are starting to clear the space on our basement that will give place to these. If you want to help us out just show up today with good working mood and let’s all make this happen! Also we will need some materials to start working, so if you have something around that can help it would be great. [Read More]

Tags: , , , ,

Brighton: Appeal coming up!

By: sisulscz - October 25th, 2013  Filed under: News

The appeal of the third squatban resister is coming up in Brighton!

In a week and a half, on the 30th and 31st of October, our friend Dirk will finally have his appeal against his conviction for Squatting a Residental building. We call on all squatters to come to this appeal and support Dirk! Fuck S144!

Down with Weatherley, up the squatters!
[Read More]

Tags: , , , ,

London: The Bohemia Community Project

By: dolph-l - October 13th, 2013  Filed under: Press release

We are a collective of community activists, who successfully helped to save the Friern Barnet Community Library.

We have occupied the closed Bohemia Pub Building (762-764 High Rd, Finchley, N12 9QH, Nearest tube: Woodside Park).

We are setting up a community centre project to boost the campaign aimed at reopening it as a community centre/pub.

Videos:

Bohemia occupied community centre pub 1
Good news Bohemia occupied community centre pub 2
Bohemia cabaret: 1, 2, piano and band

[Read More]

Tags: , , , ,

Bristol: Kebele social centre is 18 years young

By: sisulscz - October 9th, 2013  Filed under: News

What started as a squatted empty building in the autumn of 1995, has turned into an 18 year (and counting) experimental project putting anarchist ideas and practices into action on a daily basis. Much to the disgust of Kebele’s many detractors over the years, who wont be coming to the 18th birthday bash! (Update – Kebele’s big birthday bash benefit gig on 5th October raised over £2000 for the social centre, thanx to all who came!)
[Read More]

Tags: , , ,

Hackney, London: Builders force entry to damage 195 Mare Street – help needed

By: dolph-l - October 7th, 2013  Filed under: News

Today at approximately 10:05 a.m. as two of us were returning from scavenging fruit and vegetables a group of about a dozen builders forced entry into the social center.  They then proceeded to affix a notice board to the wall declaring that the building was a construction site. We notified them that the property was legally occupied in accordance with the 1977 Criminal Law Act and that they had committed an offence by breaking into the building while it so occupied. Apparently unconcerned that their conduct was illegal, they proceeded to begin gutting the building while we were inside it. They also proceeded to disconnect the buildings water, by cutting the pipe connecting to the water main.

The builders were employed by CS Solutions and their supervisor was Jim Casey, the same man who had similarly threatened us weeks ago.  No planning permission has been granted for any work to be done on the building; despite this and despite the building’s listed status they proceeded in doing significant damage to the downstairs. [Read More]

Tags: , , , ,

Hackney, London: 195 Mare Street first open day!

By: dolph-l - September 20th, 2013  Filed under: News

Well yesterday went really well. We finally had the front gate and door open to allow people into 195 Mare Street. Visitors were treated to our free shop (some local fashionistas probably had a bit too much fun), all day long food (salad, veggies, curry, barley…yum yum!), a Chilean film and then later live performances on kazoo and guitar.

Dozens came in – mostly just off of the street – and it was lovely having people stop as walking by, taking a look at our boards by the gate and then coming in for more. Plenty of folks came in with their children and this including a beautiful moment when one of our all-in-one baby outfits from the free shop found a new home. We attracted friends, of course, but also a lot of people we had never met before. People gave us gifts, told us about what they wanted from the social centre, how the could contribute and a good few told us about housing struggles. Others sat in our pretty cafe area, eating and enjoying the surroundings and watching those exploring the free shop or sneaking a quick peak at other parts of the building. [Read More]

Tags: , , , ,

UK: SQUASH Newsround August – September 2013

By: sisulscz - September 19th, 2013  Filed under: News

The NewsRound is be a monthly post, keeping tabs on articles being posted in MainStream Media (MSM) sources, as well as independent channels (eg IMC, SchNEWS) about squatting, the new law (s.144) and possible new legislation (eg commercial). If you spot any articles of interest, please let us know by emailing: info AT squashcampaign DOT org. Disclaimer: All views expressed in this blog are that of the compiler and not necessarily that of SQUASH.
[Read More]

Tags: , , , ,