Berlin: Køpiplatz resquatted. We are here to reclaim what is ours

By: fawda - April 15th, 2022  Filed under: Communique, News

This was not just a piece of land to us. It was our home, it was family, it was a our place to welcome people from all over the world, to learn and support each other, where we could grow and connect. In the most simple and wonderful way, it was our community and our life. But now our family have been split up; and more than anything we want to be back together.

6 months have passed since the bullshit eviction of Køpiplatz and some things still haven’t changed; the ground still stays empty, except a couple of hired goons to watch over it, but now it is filled with the wreckage of what was once our homes and lives.

The offer we received from the state and Howoge was not designed to support us, but rather a ‘Catch 22′ that would split us up in a variety of unacceptable ways, including an offer to remove 70 percent and leave a slither of land only able to accommodate a couple of trailers. These offers were refused. As a wagenplatz we are all or nothing and we are still a family despite now being forced apart and scattered across Berlin, and we are still searching for a place to be back together. [Read More]

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Berlin: Illegal eviction of Køpi wagenplatz. Supposed owner gave falsified signature in court. Nevertheless eviction plan goes ahead.

By: fawda - October 8th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

On the 8th of October 2021 we gave a press conference in front of Köpi. Read our statement:

Just a week before the eviction of the Køpi wagenplatz we received the report from the official investigator for signature verificationthat the signature presented at the trial in May 2021 by the supposed owner Yervand Chuckhajyan of the postbox company Startezia GmbH differs from previous signatures and is therefore false.

The falsification, and the fact no one ever saw Mr Chuckhajyan, reinforces our suspicion that the supposed owner of this postbox company does in fact not represent the company and is actually another fraud of the real owner of this postbox company, Siegried Nelhs of SANUS AG.

At the trial also the judge Claudia Wolter noticed the different signatures, criticized the supposed owner for not being present at the trial and questioned his lawyers about their relationship with their client. Nevertheless the judge decided that if Startezia GmbH pays a security deposit of 200.000€ the eviction can go ahead even before our appeal hearing. Again we see that justice is not blind, that the court favours suspicious anonymous postbox companies with enough money over the lives, homes and futures of dozens of people. [Read More]

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Berlin: eviction of Køpi Wagenplatz, 15 October

By: fawda - September 21st, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Dear comrades!

We have now received the date for the eviction of Køpi Wagenplatz. On 15 October 2021, at 10:00 AM!
Therefore, we call for action weeks from now on, on one hand to push the topic of the planned eviction massively in the public and to mobilize, on the other hand this should once again give the opportunity to network, to discuss, to learn and to organize.
The action weeks should take place from now until the planned eviction as long and continuously as possible.
For this we need your support!
If you want to organize an info- or discussion event, a workshop or open skill sharing, please write us the dates and publish them yourself on Stressfaktor and other event pages.
Banners can be put up anytime and anywhere, posters and stickers can be put up, flyers can be distributed and soli photos can be published. A drink in your bar/pub could temporarily be called ‘Køpiplatz bleibt!’ or whatever you can think of, just do it! Also writing solo statements and spreading our info + events, articles and statements help us out!
If you have space in your location for such an event, but don’t want to or can’t organize anything yourself, you are also welcome to contact us in order to be able to refer other groups without rooms if necessary.
Also groups with event ideas but no location are welcome to contact us. [Read More]

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Berlin: Manifestation against the eviction process of Køpi Wagenplatz

By: fawda - June 2nd, 2021  Filed under: News

A home doesn’t always need four brick walls, and spaces sometimes come on wheels.

Køpi wagenplatz is synonymous with a way of life that attempts to exist autonomously and self determinedly, offering a clear and visible answer to a dominant culture of property as status that shuts its front door on community, neighbourhood and solidarity.

On the 10th of June the trial against this structure will take place. The “legal” existence of this self-organized project, as various other houses in Berlin, is being decided from people who have only one priority: to serve the interest of the capital, the landlords, the real estate companies. Our position is to make clear that not only we’ll defend every threatened project but we stand for the self determination of our existence and our life. We do not recognize their institutions but we want to be present to every decision that is taken for us, without us. [Read More]

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Solothurn: Wagenplatz “Wagabunten”, 7 years are enough! The “Wagabunten” are still around!

By: fawda - May 5th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

For 7 years now we can be found in our trailers in the city of Solothurn and the surrounding area. 7 years in which we have tried to get our request for a fixed location for our caravan site. But unfortunately there is still no solution for our alternative living project.
In these 7 years we have tried different solutions: we have collected signatures, we have actively approached land owners, be they private individuals, the city, the canton or the surrounding communities.
A concept was also worked out and sent to various parties. But even with the consent of a private land owner and a building permit, obstacles were put in the way of our project. Therefore, the occupation of brownfield sites has proved to be the most effective method for us. In this way we have occupied over 25 derelict sites in the last 7 years. For us “Wagabunten” this means moving on average every 3 to 4 months!
We demand a location for our trailer park!
There are some examples of alternative living in Bern, Biel, Lucerne, etc. that show that they’re in demand and that there are possibilities to legalise such projects. [Read More]

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Berlin: Køpi Weekend of Protest

By: fawda - May 2nd, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Køpi calls for friends and allies from around the world to meet in Berlin on the 15th and 16th of May for a weekend of protest. As Køpiplatz (trailer park) faces the most serious eviction threat to date, Køpi stands united to fight for our homes and families. Køpi has been a DIY project in the heart of Berlin offering living space for people in the house and trailer park for more than 30 years. It also continues to be a home for collectives, events, and creative energy since the day the first door was broken open. We will not give up our way of life for some state backed developers! When the law wants to take our homes away, it’s time to break the law!
The alleged owner of Køpi, Startezia GmbH, is just another example of how our homes and autonomous communities are destroyed by anonymous postbox companies that care only about profit and not about people. Køpiplatz does not face the threat of eviction alone. Other Berlin projects, Potse, Rigaer 94, and Queer Wagenplatz Mollies are also in immediate danger. In the last year alone, crucial left-wing places like Liebig 34, Syndikat, Meuterei, Diesel A, Sabot Garden and G17a have already been evicted. [Read More]

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Berlin: Køpi taking the threat seriously

By: fawda - March 24th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

Statement – 22.03.2021
Our current situation:

At February 4th we received a formal letter filed in court from Startezia GmbH to vacate the Køpi Wagenplatz (aka Køpiplatz) by February 28th 2021. After more than 20 years, Startezia GmbH thinks they can force us to leave Køpiplatz but of course we have not left, and we are unwilling to give up our homes. Until now the first court date has not been set, but it is definitely coming sooner rather than later. We have been under threat of sale or eviction before, but this time, as gentrification and new construction surround us, we believe the risk to be more serious than ever before. [Read More]

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Berlin: Køpi Wagenplatz – Legal proceeding of eviction have started

By: fawda - February 15th, 2021  Filed under: Communique, News

It is almost our 31st birthday and we would love to celebrate with all of you but instead we have difficult news to share: Køpi Wagenplatz has received a legal document starting the eviction process from the current owner Startezia GmbH.
Startezia`s letter demands they will take vacant possession of Køpi Wagenplatz by the end of February 2021. After this date the owner will continue legal proceedings for eviction.
Obviously this news hits us hard but this is just the beginning of a long fight. We will update you regularly and we count on international solidarity.

Come to the Wagenplatz demonstration and support our fight against displacement and for self-determined housing! On the 20th of February at 2pm sharp we will start from KØPI by bike and join the the truck convoy in Scheffelstrasse at 3pm.

Køpi bleibt Risikokapital! [Read More]

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Berlin: Wagenplatz Demo

By: fawda - February 8th, 2021  Filed under: News

Come to the Wagenplatz demonstration and support our fight against displacement and for self-determined housing!
On the 20th of February at 2pm we will start from KØPI by bike and join the the truck convoi in Scheffelstrasse at 3pm. Please come with face masks and maintain distance to each other!

No place for gentrification! Defend Wagenplatzes!

Berlin is full of caravan sites that shape the neighbourhoods and fill the streets with life. Our homes are organised in open, solidary structures and offer space for collective togetherness. We stand for self-organised alternatives to a cityscape shaped by capitalist, exploitative logic. But hardly any place has a long-term perspective or secure contract. Almost all of them are constantly and acutely threatened by real estate speculation and the sell-out of the city by the Red-Red-Green Party. We are not alone in this – our neighbours and other self-organised projects, such as the Kiezkneipe Syndikat, Sabot Garden, DieselA and Liebig34, were evicted in 2020. We are in solidarity with all people who are threatened or affected by displacement! We fight for a city where housing is not a commodity!

For self-organised housing! For car life! Let’s take back the city! [Read More]

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Berlin: Demo KØPI & Wagenplatz bleibt

By: sisulscz - September 7th, 2020  Filed under: Communique

Whoever buys Køpi, buys troubles!

Køpi and Wagenplatz have been under threat on numerous occasions and recently the Wagenplatz received some news that has reminded us just how at risk we are. We are also aware that we are not the only place currently endangered.

The list of evicted projects will continue to grow if we don’t continue to fight back. With the very recent eviction of Syndikat, a space not only vital for our community but a beloved neighborhood fixture for 35 years, the threat looms larger. None of us are safe from the ugly profiteering of landlords backed up by cops and officials as vicious enforcers of their well-oiled machine. These bullies have and will use any means necessary to silence us. We have been witnesses to and victims of robocops beating down and pepper-spraying unarmed protesters with increasing violence.

In the last year alone, these are the projects that have either already been evicted or are still fighting against it:
[Read More]

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Zürich: new wagenplatz taken

By: fawda - July 31st, 2020  Filed under: Communique, News

Today 31 july, we have taken the space between Bernerstrasse, Aargauerstrasse and Depotweg to create a wagenplatz here. A home is now being created here, a non-commercial place where we want to live in a self-determined way. We also want to give a strong signal against the expulsion of the middle and low-income earners from the quarters and the city centre, which is actively driven by the city.

Zurich West now resembles a Lego landscape consisting of overpriced apartments, hotel complexes and office buildings. Living in the city is becoming increasingly expensive, affordable housing is scarce. The city of Zurich is actively driving this development, as was made clear with the example of the Juch eviction to make space for trucks to turn around.

We are not fundamentally against parking lots and trucks, but we do revive them! [Read More]

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Germany: October 18-29, squatting Days Freiburg

By: fawda - September 30th, 2019  Filed under: Communique, News

Squatting Days Freiburg: October 18-29, 2019. Do-It-Together: squatters convention, festival and other resistances

We would like to invite you to extend the summer in Freiburg and participate in the squatting days, to celebrate the birthdays of the KTS and the InfoShop and to come together for a libertarian outlook.

Freiburg is a small town in the southern part of the black forest, where official maps draw the borders between Switzerland, Germany and France. It is a friendly region between the Rhine nuclear power plants, major economic logistic points and the armament industry of the black forest and which lends itself well to various subversive activities. Moreover, winter does not arrive as quickly as in the rest of the republic. Our squatting days want to focus on housing and gentrification issues, but we find ourselves in times where struggles and resistance can only be effective through an intersectional approach and squats represent only a part of the necessary anti-fascist, feminist and anti-capitalist struggles. [Read More]

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