The same MP who has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) that highlights the need for owners of commercial property to have the same rights as owners of residential premises when it comes to removing squatters has invited musician and DJ Fatboy Slim (aka Norman Cook) to play an unprecendented set at The House of Commons on the 6th March!!! Cook will be performing at Parliament’s terrace bar as the support act for the winner of “the House the House competition”, in aid of the Last Night a DJ Saved My Life Foundation, a charity which is aimed at getting young people involved in their communities.
London (UK): Fight gentrification! Reclaim regeneration! For self-organised spaces…
The Elephant & Castle area in South London, one of the last remaining central locations that is still inhabited by some less well-off communities, has seen massive changes in the past years. Pioneers of regeneration have “discovered” the area as an “ultra hot-spot” for investment, and the local authorities are eager to serve their needs. This leaves the diverse and organic communities around E&C confronted with soaring rents, demolition of social housing and displacement – in short, gentrification has kicked in.
We, a group of social centre collectives, together with many other local initiatives, refuse to accept rip-off housing and social cleansing! Instead of luxury flats and fancy office towers, we propose a radical and free space for community self-organisation! [Read More]
City of London police: yet another illegal eviction
Last Monday, the resistance mobilised in response to threat of unlawful eviction.
A group of around 30 homeless young people had occupied an empty building in the city of London. However, after a few days of shelter they received a visit from one of the UK’s most corrupt corporations – the city of London police. They were told that they would have to leave the building with immediate effect as they were committing ‘aggravated trespass’. Knowing this was not the case, they sought legal advice and a legal observer went to their assistance.
London: 491 Gallery Closes
On January 14th, 2013, the 491 Gallery closed its doors for the final time.
It is now in the possession of its new owners, who intend to demolish it and build a generic block of flats. Its sister building, Vertigo, will remain. The contents of the community garden are currently subject to a preservation order, and are being transferred to a new community garden on the other side of the railway bridge.
Our home may be gone, but the family we created will live forever. Thank you everyone for twelve incredible years. You made it what it was. [Read More]
Brighton (UK): Solidarity action with the recent wave of attacks on squats in Greece
Communique originally sent to Act For Freedom Now:
In the early hours of January 16th 2013 we found a suitable canvas to express our rage and solidarity with the recent wave of attacks on anarchist/autonomous spaces in Greece.
On the pristine white wall of the Halifax bank on London Road (central Brighton) we painted “Solidarity with squats in greece” in large green letters, accompanied by A.C.A.B, a large squatter symbol and circled A in black paint. This is only a small expression of our desire to strike back in what are difficult and oppressive times for all of us. Unfortunately we do not have any pictures of our art. [Read More]
London (UK): Solidarity with Villa Amalias from Library Street Community Centre
This is a message of solidarity which goes out to the Villa Amalias squat in Greece (which has been open for 23 years offering social space, events, project space and a gerneal anti capitalist/money free space for the local community) which was raided by the state forces of repression and armd gang members (the filth/cops) this week, with a total of eight comrades being arrested and now charged with a variety of false offenses including those relating to conspire to make explosives after some empty bottles (found in the kitchen) and a small can of petrol (next to a petrol powered heater) were “discovered”.
The squat has been deeply involved in local politics and activism and has been a key counterculture and anti-capitalist free space for years and years, and is clearly doing a good job of narking off the state the Greek minister of public order stated that Villa was an “epicentre for lawlessness” ; this attack, eviction, and arrest aimed at our comrades was clearly politically motivated, aimed at shutting down the squat and crushing voices of dissident and spaces not yet constrained and infected by the virus that is capitalism.
In every country where squats and other spaces exist outside of the agreed neoliberal concensus they will attack us, agress us and attempt to destroy us; we must stand together for the politics we share, against the evils of a system that seeks to control every aspects of our lives, and in doing so fight them and their system like our lvies depend on it- because they do. An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us.
The Library Street Social Centre calls for speech and action is support of our comrades- Solidarity is a Weapon.
Bristol: Everything Is Not OK Cafe. Rumours of our Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated!
As you may be aware, our plans to host a temporary community cafe run on anarchist principles in Bristol this weekend, have been scarpered after Avon & Somerset Police decided to raid Everything Is Not OK Cafe on Friday morning; evicting the building and arresting the five occupiers.
Plans were afoot to host a temporary community cafe run on anarchist principles in Bristol this weekend. On Wednesday night a crew of people entered the unused Preview Bar on Fairfax Street near Broadmead and secured the premises: Everything Is Not OK Cafe was born! [Read More]
Bristol (UK): Update on the Everything Is Not OK Cafe from the Cut the Crap crew
As you may be aware, our plans to host a temporary community cafe run on anarchist principles in Bristol this weekend, have been scarpered after Avon & Somerset Police decided to raid Everything Is Not OK Cafe on Friday morning; evicting the building and arresting the five occupiers.
Plans were afoot to host a temporary community cafe run on anarchist principles in Bristol this weekend. On Wednesday night a crew of people entered the unused Preview Bar on Fairfax Street near Broadmead and secured the premises: Everything Is Not OK Cafe was born! [Read More]
Cardiff (Wales): Squatters & travellers host workshop & skillshare after forming network
Hello, we exist now. A network of squatters, travellers, the unrooted, homeless people, and supporters.
We’re now meeting monthly and are hosting our first event, a Squatters/Travellers Workshop & Skillshare on Thursday 20th December at 3pm, at the Red & Black Umbrella.
This will be an hour discussing the law around squatting, recent changes, and how to still squat legally in commercial buildings and on land. Followed by another hour skill-sharing how to occupy and secure spaces to live in/on.
We are currently organising events, planning projects, plotting against further criminalisation, setting up a squatters estate agents, and creating a support network for people currently squatting and for others interested in doing so.
Contact us at cardiffsquatters [at] riseup [dot] net to get involved.
Find us at www.cardiff.squat.net to stay updated.
Love & Rage!
See also: Squatters form city-wide network – South Wales Echo
Bristol: Is it just us or is everything not OK?
In light of ongoing austerity measures, due only to get worse, the Cut the Crap Collective introduces a radical discussion space, unashamedly founded on anarchist principles – interested in collective action that works for all. It welcomes anyone who wants to communicate, learn and teach. Hosting workshops, film screenings, discussions and serving hot, tasty meals with the aim of creating a space where people can get together to openly talk and organise for a better future!
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Cut The Crap Crew
cutthecrap [at] riseup [dot] net
http://cutthecrapcollective.noblogs.org/
Weekend of the 15th/16th December – Central Bristol Location. [Read More]
London (UK): News from the Library Street Social Centre
The Library Street Social Centre, is a fairly new autonomous community centre situated on in the Large Colorama Building on Library Street in Elephant and Castle (SE1 0RY) we regularly hold talks, film screenings, and social events. Anyone is welcome to approach us and put something on. Below is a report of the Peoples Kitchen and Film Night we had yesterday (29/11/12) for more infor see our website librarystreetlondon(dot)wordpress(dot)com.
At 2pm members of the Library street collective began preparing our freshly skipped vegetables to create the meal that would be served at the peoples kitchen. We chopped vegetables for a curry, spiced and boiled beans for a bean salad, herbed and garliced nearly 40 potebello mushrooms for grilling, toasted rolls and made a large green salad. [Read More]
Brighton: “Mad Mike” gets his comeuppance!
Mike Weatherley, Tory MP for Hove, was due to do a lecture today at Sussex University, in Brighton. He was invited by the Sussex Uni Tory Society to talk about the squatban that he championed.
[Read More]
Radar Online Agenda
