UK: Farmhouse squatted to defend land from EDF Energy’s bulldozers

By: sisulscz - February 15th, 2012  Filed under: News

Somerset calling. It’s time for action. We urgently need activists to help defend a farmhouse that has been squatted to stop EDF Energy trashing land for a new nuclear power station in Somerset. Anti-nuclear campaigners have been joined by members of Seize the Day as the first residents of Edf-Off Cottage next to Hinkley Point nuclear power station.

The first wave of NVDA activity started last week in freezing weather when three people occupied trees as part of the campaign against two new mega-reactors being built on fragile coastal land.
[Read More]

Tags: , ,

UK: House of Lords vote on squatting clause soon

By: Rosa - February 14th, 2012  Filed under: News

LOBBY A LORD, GET INVOLVED!! As you may know, the bill to criminalise squatting in residential properties was rushed through the House of Commons and is already in the House of Lords despite a 96% pro-squatting majority in the consultation. Over the past few months Squash (Squatters Action for Secure Homes) has been busy lobbying the Lords to oppose the squatting clause and have had some successes. They have produced a briefing for Lords, and have contacted as many sympathetic Lords as possible. [Read More]

Tags: , ,

London: Student centre branded terrorist

By: sisulscz - January 26th, 2012  Filed under: News

London students who occupied a space in the run-up to the November 30th public sector strike were under the jurisdiction of the Met’s SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, FITwatch have learned today.

Bloomsbury Social Centre [now evicted] – which aimed to be a “hub of organising for students, workers and residents in the Bloomsbury area” – held regular reading groups, served food, provided a silent study space and workers rights info evenings. SO15 (Counter Terrorism Command) was born in 2006, when SO12 (Special Branch) and SO13 (Anti-Terrorist Branch) were merged. It claims to be committed to “ensure[ing] that London remains a hostile environment for terrorists.” and also polices so-called ‘domestic extremists’
[Read More]

Tags: ,

Occupy London publicly repossesses empty nine-storey building in the Barbican

By: sisulscz - January 24th, 2012  Filed under: News

Occupy London this morning (21/01/12) publicly repossessed Roman House, an abandoned nine-storey office building in the Barbican in the City of London which previously housed companies from the financial service industries. [1] The Occupy London campaigners – part of the global movement for social and economic justice and real democracy – stated that they intend to occupy the building – their fifth occupation – until such time as the City of London Corporation publishes full details of its City Cash Accounts. This is a request that Occupy London has consistently asked off the Corporation, so that it can become a more transparent public body like every other public body in the country. [2] [3]
[Read More]

Tags: , , ,

London: OffMarket Project Coming To An End

By: sisulscz - January 24th, 2012  Filed under: News

It is with mixed feelings that we announce the end of the offMarket project. We took disused buildings and try to turn them into open resources for the wider community. We started the project with a big collective. Now there are only a few people left in the collective and we can’t carry it anymore as everyone is becoming increasingly tired. We doubt that we will open a new space in the future, but one can never say never.
[Read More]

Tags: ,

Squatters march through Brighton streets

By: sisulscz - January 23rd, 2012  Filed under: News

Three squats are due in court as the owners of the buildings try and regain possession.

The protest started at 10.30 outside Brighton County Court in solidarity with the squatters in court. Once the last squatters have had their court case heard the protesters will march through the centre of Brighton to raise awareness of the benefits of squatting and the attack on squatting by right wing Hove MP, Mike Weatherly.
[Read More]

Tags: ,

UK – Police Raids on Occupy Squats

By: sisulscz - January 11th, 2012  Filed under: News

As UK occupations squat more buildings the police, many of whom have criminal records are flouting the law to harass protesters, the Lords are debating making squatting residential buildings illegal, the government plans to make hundreds of thousands homeless and Occupy LSX is threatened with eviction.
[Read More]

Tags: ,

Police Harass Occupy Liverpool at Legal Squat

By: sisulscz - January 10th, 2012  Filed under: News

The “new location” is a squat in a derelict office block on Preston Street and until the above message was posted its location was kept secret. I always thought the decision not to tell anyone the new location was odd but I have heard that it was intended as a half-way-house for the camp to re-group and store their stuff before moving on to a new camp. The old location was extremely exposed and as a result was often battered by high winds; I’m surprised the occupiers stayed as long as they did.
[Read More]

Tags: , , ,

Sheffield: Salvation Army Citadel Occupied and renamed Citadel Of Hope

By: sisulscz - December 29th, 2011  Filed under: News

Occupy Sheffield has taken possession of the former Salvation Army Citadel (at Cross Burgess Street, Sheffield) on the basis of a so-called ‘Section 6′ notice [1]. The building has lain idle since 1999, and has been open and unsecured for over two months. Occupy Sheffield will make the building safe and secure and will then open it for public use. Occupy Sheffield will be inviting any community groups that have lost the ability to pay for a space due to funding cuts to come and make use of the building. The building has been renamed ‘The Citadel of Hope’.
[Read More]

Tags: , ,

Brighton: Squatters Resist Eviction Attempt

By: sisulscz - December 22nd, 2011  Filed under: News

This morning at 8am, less than 48 hours after a possession order was granted by Brighton Magistrates Court, the Brighton and Hove council attempted to evict the occupiers of Ainsworth House on Wellington Road, Brighton.

The building has been occupied for less than a month by at least 25 people. Despite the fact Christmas is only 4 days away, the council is pushing ahead with plans to make the occupiers (including vulnerable people with disabilities) homeless. For more info see the previous indymedia article here.
[Read More]

Tags: ,

London: Occupy liberates abandoned Old St magistrate court

By: sisulscz - December 20th, 2011  Filed under: News

As the LSX occupation prepares to present its case at the High Court yesterday, members of Occupy London alongside a group of military veterans – Occupy Veterans – have liberated a disused court house in London’s East End. The opening of Occupy London’s fourth occupation, will see the movement conducting “trials of the one per cent” in an abandoned magistrate’s court building which has lain empty since 1996, despite its prime location and grade II listing. [1]
[Read More]

Tags: , , ,

London: Social Centre Raided

By: sisulscz - December 16th, 2011  Filed under: News

The Peckham Social Centre has been going for two months now and has held fundraisers and community events. It’s a squatted space with attempts to make a deal with the owners and has become a hub of activity in South London with the space lovingly transformed into a functioning social centre from a derelict warehouse.
[Read More]

Tags: , ,