Bristol: Emporium and Classics still alive and well

By: fawda - February 14th, 2011  Filed under: Communique, News

Update on legal threat to 35/37 Stokes Croft

People that know and use the spaces have been asking for an update on the legal situation with 35/37 Stokes Croft so we’d thought we’d get a little summary out.
We are still going! There are exhibitions and events coming up at the emporium and the free shop continues its regular opening times of Thursday to Saturady 2pm-5pm.

Our next court appearance will be Thursday 7th of April.

We haven’t actually spoken to any ‘owner’, even their lawyers laugh at the fact that he/she might not exist. The claim in court is that the owners are Hong Kong businessmen, and company records have been produced to attempt to confirm this. We have attempted to speak to them but there has been no reply. Only through an estate agents (Maggs and Allen) and a law firm (Awdry, Douglas and Bailey) have we ascertained more information, which is not wholely reliable as they are trying to make money out of an abandoned building and have been trying every trick in the book to make a quick buck. Here’s updates on what’s happened so far. [Read More]

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Bristol: The Hub drop-in homeless advice centre re-opened by squatters

By: fawda - January 30th, 2011  Filed under: News

For the past two weeks The Hub in St Paul’s, the former drop-in centre for homeless people, has been occupied by squatters in protest against the cuts to homeless services.

The recently-closed drop-in centre provided emergency housing information for homeless people without the need for an appointment. Thanks to its closure, those seeking housing advice from the council must first get a referral to see an advisor at the main offices.

Council spokespeople cited violent outbursts, such as windows being broken, as the reason for its closure. But with Bristol City Council being forced to slash its budget for homeless services by £190,000, charity workers and many from the homeless community are convinced that The Hub’s closure has more to do with vicious spending cuts. [Read More]

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UK: Squat Crackdown, Bristol Fashion

By: fawda - November 11th, 2010  Filed under: News

Autonomous society in Bristol is under serious threat as eviction faces the Stokes Croft Free Shop and Emporium, Frowning Motorcycle events space, Smiling Chair anarchist library, and three other squat houses. In a move that will effectively mean making 60-70 people homeless, the bailiffs have been getting busy all around Stokes Croft.

The anarchist library was hit by ‘heavies’ on Monday 8th,who started putting metal sheeting over doors and windows whilst people were still inside. The illegal bailiffs were quickly dispatched by the coppers, having been called in by the occupants, for attempting to imprison the squatters inside. Later the same night the Frowning Motorcycle events space, which is also home to 5 people, was targeted by more illegal bailiffs trying to crowbar their way in. Luckily, the space was secure and they left without gaining access. [Read More]

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Bath (UK): New address for the Black Cat social centre

By: liberation - February 22nd, 2010  Filed under: News

20 feb. 2010

Hi All !

Just to let you know that Bath’s premiere occupied community social centre, the Black Cat Centre is now happily settled in to its new home, and the address is:

Unit 3A
Riverside Business Park
Lower Bristol Road
Bath
BA2 3DW
U.K.

The best way to spot the place is looking for a red door opposite Pickfords on Lower Bristol Road, although we’ll have a Black Cat sign up soon.

[Read More]

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Bristol: Callout for 2 days of direct action on the 18th & 19th of September 2009

By: liberation - June 5th, 2009  Filed under: News

As the global economy grinds to a halt so too do the big capital development projects, luxury apartment blocks and shopping complexes that have threatened us with displacement for so long.

Meanwhile, this new round of crisis capitalism leaves thousands out of work, buried in debt and facing immanent home repossession. Instead of housing the homeless in these empties or canceling the debts of millions governments pump billions into the banks to save this rotten system and violently repress those that resist. [Read More]

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Bristol: National Squat Meet is ON

By: liberation - March 15th, 2009  Filed under: News

Squatters have taken a large building in Clifton Village, Bristol and are currently occupying it to host a national meeting of people involved in squats and autonomous spaces this weekend. Despite attempts by builders employed by the owner to forcibly and illiegally evict the occupants yesterday, they have remained and have agreed to leave on Monday so that the meeting can go ahead.

The call for a national squat meetup follows the successful gatherings in Dijon (2007), Berlin and Leeds (2008) and the days of action in defence of squats and autonomous spaces in April of last year.

As the financial crisis bites with hundreds of luxury flats sitting empty millions face homelessness. As such squatting is becoming a more realistic option for many and hence the rationale for a meetup. The gathering will look towards ways of strengthening networks to resist evictions and repossessions as well as how to move forward following the successes of April 2008.

If your involved/interested in squatting and/or autonomous please come along and get involved.

See the blog for more details and precise location.

http://squatmeet09.wordpress.com/

Indy UK

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Bath: Illegal evicition of a new squat

By: liberation - February 14th, 2009  Filed under: News

On Monday the 9th February, at 2.15pm, British Transport Police & Bath constabulary conspired to commit an illegal eviction of a new short-lived squat on the edge of Twerton, in Bath.

The former Twerton-on-Avon railway station fell out of use in 1917, and was briefly the site of Andromeda Gardening Services owned by R. Potter. R. Potter was arrested and found guilty of a huge cannibis growing operation in the loft of the building in 2003, and was believed to have been forced to sell the property to pay off the fine. The building was later occupied by European squatters in 2006 & 2007, whom the local residents mistakenly assumed were the cannibis dealers. Contending with that and confusing the issue, Network Rail also claimed squatters’ rights to the building, and their twelve years’ were due to be up in August 2008, except for the intervention of our European friends.

[Read More]

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UK National Squat Meetup 2009: 14th-15th March

By: liberation - February 12th, 2009  Filed under: News

UK National Squat Meetup 2009: 14th-15th March

NATIONAL SQUAT MEET 2009

http://squatmeet09.wordpress.com/

NOW IS A PERFECT TIME TO SQUAT

Now is a perfect time to come together to share our collective creativity, rage, and pride in our cultural identity; to come together for ourselves and look to our future with solidarity and passion. Let’s meet and empower ourselves in our common struggle!

[Read More]

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Derbyshire (UK): One week to evict Bodge House !

By: liberation - August 18th, 2008  Filed under: News

August 14th 2008

Two tunnelling protestors at the Shipley opencast coal site in Derbyshire (Location – Prospect Farm, Bell Lane, Shipley, north of Derby) have been brought to the surface after spending over a week in a tiny hole underground.

The eviction of the protest camp at Prospect Farm began last Thursday, with UK Coal bringing in dozens of police and bailiffs. They originally expected the eviction to last no more than a few days, but hadn’t reckoned with the hardy tunnellers who just kept digging to evade the specialist eviction team. The protesters had been preparing defences including the tunnels, a scaffold tower, lock-ons and treehouses since moving into Prospect Farm in June. The tunnellers’ removal means at least five people have been arrested at the site.

[Read More]

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Derby (UK): Attempted eviction of the Bodge House

By: liberation - August 11th, 2008  Filed under: News

8th August, 2008

Hot on the wire. Taking advantage of the climate camp, scum in London and Derbyshire have moved in for eviction… hear one (slightly incoherent report):
https://indymedia.org.uk/media/2008/08//405898.wav

Around 7.45am (on 7th August?) about 60 police and 50 bailliffs arrived at the house. Throughout the day the police have been trying to get through the barricades and defences. Local people and media have been at the scene. So far 3 people have been removed from lockons and a cargo net outside the house and have been arrested. 7 people are still inside and are heavily barricaded in, included being hidden in tunnels under the house. The bailiffs have put up security fences and although they have managed to enter part of the building, the eviction attempt has been stopped for today. It is estimated the eviction will take at least another couple of days.

Source: https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/405885.html More information: https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404447.html
https://squat.net/en/news/derby210708.html

Resist, exist

 

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Derby (UK): Eviction gets go ahead – Bodge House

By: liberation - July 21st, 2008  Filed under: News

Activists fortify against UK Coal mine

The group of direct activists occupying Lodge House opencast site since 18th June 2008 have declared that they are ready to resist eviction.

UK Coal plans to mine 1 million tonnes of coal over 5 years from the site near Smalley, Derbyshire.

The company failed in its first attempt to evict the activists but succeeded in obtaining an possession order at the crown court in Derby today [July 19th].

The activists are fortifying Prospect Farm and have built a number of treehouses and an underground tunnel system.

Sophie from Nottingham said ‘The decision to mine this site was taken by central government against the wishes and best interests of local people and in spite of the council refusing planning permission. Occupying the land is our last defence now that democracy has failed. We are calling for people to join us in opposing UK Coal’s greed and contempt for local opinion.’

Opencast mining is particularly polluting and devastates large areas of countryside. Mining more coal is not a solution to our energy problems as it is a major cause of climate change. We need to reduce energy use and adapt to more sustainable ways of living.

We need help in making final preparations so get your asses here for the fun…

For more details see:
http://www.leaveitintheground.org.uk
http://derbyearthfirst.wordpress.com

Or contact us: 07503 335870

Source:
https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404152.html

Bodge House Crew

 

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Cheltenham (UK): Squatters illegally evicted from abandoned pub

By: liberation - July 20th, 2008  Filed under: News

July 18th 2008
https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404056.html

On July 17th at 14.00, squatters were illegally evicted from the Duke of York Inn, 315-317 London Road, Cheltenham, GL52 6YY.

The squatters had gained entry on the 15th July through an open window after being informed by local residents that the pub was accessible without causing any damage.

They spent the next two days securing the squat, cleaning filth from the pub area, repairing fixtures, furniture and fittings and repairing damage caused by vandals including cleaning graffiti from the walls. The intention of the squatters was to turn the pub into a community arts centre, providing space for local people to meet, converse and express themselves freely.

[Read More]

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