South London Squatters THURSDAY 8TH DEC

(south) SCUM DINE WITH ME ! thursday 8th december
7.30pm 
2 EVELYN ST. next to MacDonalds, close to Surrey Quays.
knock on 3rd window past wooden gate

ALLEY CATS THIS SATURDAY 10TH, 6PM NATIONAL THEATRE

BRING UR CREW

• MEAT AT SOUTHBANK OUTSIDE NT AT 6PM ON SAT
• EACH GANG NEEDS TO BE DISTINGUISHBLE, MAKE YUSELFS DISTINGUISHED. 

• OBVS U NEED 2 BRING BIKE. 
• THEN WE FIND OUT WHUR THE FIRSS LOCATION IS , GET WITH UR GANG AND GO THUR. AT EACH CHECKPOINT WE FIND WHER THE NEX 1 IS, UNTIL IT IS THE END. 

IT AINT NECESSRLY BOUT THE FASTES GANG COS EACH CHECKPOINT U AV 2 DO THINGS. AND U GET POINTS FOR DOING THIS THINGS. POINTS ARE SCARRED ONTO GANGMEMBERS UPPER ARMS WITH HOT AXE 2 AVOID CHEATING.


LUK AFTER UR CREW, THEY R MOST IMPORTANT THING. BEST BRING LITES, BRING CRASH HAT AND SAFE GOGGLES. 


PASS IT ON. MAY WORST SQUATTERS WIN
p.s if youdont lik biks / cant sikle whatev meat at 6pm stil at southbank or call squattastic fone for detels of final locaton whur we burn things drink win. fone is 07757009150. rit now it is lost but we hop found by sateday.
pps ALSO if u want to hilp on a chekpont/ do a chikpint email squattastic@gmail.com SOON, asap, ta thank y bye. x

from UP AGAINST THE WALL MOTHERFUCKERS:

Affinity groups exist within revolutionary organisation, but cannot be organised. A few people come together out of the kind of  friendship and trust that maximises security on every level. Relying on each other, the individuals in an affinity group increase their potential for action and decrease the dangers of isolation and/or infiltration. The necessity for these relationships should be obvious at this stage of our struggle … Affinity groups are not cliques – they are created for the purposes of security and activity, not simply for the  exclusion of other people . Affinity groups are formed for both specific and general purposes, and will find both the needs and means for working together with other affinity groups within their own collectives and locals.

from CALL//TIQUINN:

We are not afraid of forming gangs; and can only laugh at those who will decry us as a mafia.

…

From now on all friendship is political

Solidarity with the Edinburgh Squatters!

A diverse group of autonomous people are currently squatting(1) 3 Bristo Place in central Edinburgh. The 3-storey building has stood empty and unused for over 3 months since August 31st 2011. The non-hierarchical group are taking direct action to reclaim this space for use by the community. See the website: http://peoplescafe.noflag.org.uk/

The squatting of the building began yesterday afternoon with more than 100 people including families occupying the space, cleaning, organising a kitchen area and discussing how the building could be used for the benefit of the community. Banners were painted including 'The Peoples' Cafe' and displayed in the front windows.

3 Bristo Place has previously been utilised by The Forest Cafe as a volunteer-run, collectively-owned, free arts and events space. After Edinburgh University Settlement the owners of the building went bankrupt(2), it was appropriated by Price Waterhouse Coopers to administrate and The Forest Cafe were forced to vacate on 31st August 2011 despite a high profile and popular campaign to retain the space(3). Those currently squatting the building are not directly affiliated with The Forest Cafe but recognise that its closure is part of an ongoing eradication of free, non-corporate spaces in Edinburgh City Centre. Direct action has been taken to ensure that the space is not left unused but can be reopened for the benefit of the local community.

The action deliberately coincided with the November 30th UK-wide strikes over pensions. Amy Douglas, a 32 year old youth worker from Edinburgh who has been in the building since yesterday said, “While massive cuts are being made to public services and workers bear the brunt of these through much diminished pensions, the banks responsible for the financial crisis continue to profit. Cuts to public services also threaten community spaces and the same banking system is responsible for the detrimental impact this has had on communities across the country(4). By squatting and reopening 3 Bristo Place we resist the banks' continued profiting at the expense of those who are already suffering from the cuts.”

Today there will be meetings to organise a programme of participatory events which will be open to the public. It is hoped that the building can be used as an organising space for community projects.

For Access Call: 07799737995

(1)While there is no legal right to squat in Scotland, squatting in this context means to settle on or occupy property, especially otherwise unoccupied property, without any title, right, or payment of rent.

(2)Edinburgh University Settlement were declared bankrupt and forced into administration in October 2010.

(3)http://blog.theforest.org.uk/savetheforest

(4)For more information on the impact of cuts-related community centre closures see http://www.guardian.co.uk/edinburgh/2010/may/18/edinburgh-community-centres-saved-gorgie-mem-colinton-mains-longstone-council and http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/mar/25/public-sector-cuts?intcmp=239

South London Squatter's Network DINNER!

SLS Network's answer to Scum Dine with Me of North London..

A regular Dinner/Meeting/Party at different squats in South London.
The next one is on Thursday 1st December at 7pm,
81 County Street SE1 4AD (Elephant&Castle)
The venue for the one after that will be decided there.

YUM

Bristol: Maggs & Allen office attacked

17th November, from Bristol Indymedia:

"At approximately 2 am this morning, the office of Maggs & Allen estate agent in Henleaze, Bristol was attacked with hammers. The windows of their shop front were totally annihilated.

This action was taken in solidarity with The Factory, and dedicated to all autonomous spaces in Bristol past and present.

Against property speculation, the gentrification of our communities and the evictions of our homes and social spaces.

(A)"

THE ADVENTURES OF CAMELOT SCAMELOT

(cut and paste...)

Bristol Squattastic Meeting

If you agree with the popular sentiment at the moment of 'fuck the fucking fuckers' we have the meeting for you!

Bristol Squattastic are next meeting on Friday 25th November at Kebele, 14 Robertson Road, Easton @ 6pm.

Bring plans and ideas for defending our squats!

Tories In Squatting Crackdown

Posted on Occupied Times, http://theoccupiedtimes.co.uk/?p=796

Westminster’s war on squatters will hit protest camps next, housing activists have warned.

Members of Squatters’ Action For Secure Homes issued a call for solidarity this week after 15 appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court charged with unlawful assembly for their part in an overnight protest outside Parliament.

The activists’ lawyer Raj Chada said last week he had won a two-week adjournment to lobby Crown prosecutors to drop the case, since the charges stem from legislation which has technically been repealed.

The Serious Organised Crime and Policing Act bars “unauthorised” demonstrations within a square kilometre of Parliament — but the government’s Police Reform Act, which has been passed but not yet come into force, scales down the scope of the ban to protests in Parliament Square directly outside the House.

Mr Chada appeared confident of an acquittal, saying the Crown had until 23 November to decide.

But spokesman Rueben Taylor warned the vilification of squatters and the Occupy movement was “intimately connected.”

“We are being ruled by a government who believes that property is more important than people, and is passing violent and draconian laws to silence those who are losing out.

“Certain Tories have also made it clear that if they would like nothing better than to extend these laws against squatting to cover other types of properties, and thereby to criminalise occupation as a form of protest – in universities, workplaces, and public places.”

Meanwhile the current proposals were “just a test”.

“If they are allowed to get away with it, we will undoubtedly see even more repressive laws being pushed through in the coming months,” he warned.

The charges stem from a 150-strong campout near the Houses of Parliament earlier this month after justice secretary Ken Clarke rammed through an amendment criminalising squatting in residential buildings.

Police ordered the demonstrators to disperse, then kettled around 50 protesters who refused to leave.

The amendment – tacked on just six days before it was passed and before publication of the government’s consultation report – threatens homeless people in residential buildings with fines of up to £5,000 and up to a year behind bars.

Around 35,000 people in Britain will lose their home between now and Christmas, according to estimates from housing charity Shelter — an average one person every two minutes.

Win! Grow Heathrow

Court case adjourned again. The judge took into account our human rights arguments and adjourned the case to the higher authority of Central London County Court where a two day hearing will take place in a few months time. This means we’re here at least until the new year!

After months of negotiations the landowner decided to take us to court and try to remove the community project. John McDonnell MP came to court to speak as a witness to highlight the benefits the project provides as a community resource and how he is strongly against any possible future eviction. However he wasn’t even called upon to speak as the judge made his ruling after only an hour and half.

Speaking outside court Grow Heathrow member Rachel Greene said:

“This ruling today is unheard of for squatting cases. It shows the importance of community spaces as the government violently cuts public services and criminalises squatting. In Sipson we will keep fighting to put derelict spaces back into use to the benefit of community life.”

UPDATES

EVICTIONS RESISTED IN HACKNEY!

Squatters and supporters have successfully resisted the eviction of three different squats in Hackney over the past few weeks. First time round everyone then took to the streets, paying a visit to the hackney housing hq, and then onto Tesco's who own one of the squats being threatened with eviction. It was great. read more stuff about it here http://london.indymedia.org/articles/10787 and here http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2011/11/hackney-squatters-fight-off-eviction-for-third-time/

Factory Squat Bristol Evicted

The Factory Social Centre in Bristol was evicted first thing this morning by bailifs and police.
Two arrests were made of people inside the building.  It was over by 9 a.m.

SQUATTASTIC 12

1 YURR ANIVOWSARY. YALL INVITTED!  PLES TELL ALL UR SQUATTEY MATES AND FAMBLY. BRING UR BIG BAD CRU FIX UP A BIK,,,, NORF SOUTHH EAST AND WEST ... SATEYDAY DECEMBER 10 ... WILL START AFTER DAHRK, SOMEWHER.


IF U CANT BIKE NO MATTER DO A CHEK POINT . MAILE: SQUATTASTIC@GMAIL.COM WITH IDEAS AND KUESTIONS, OR IF YU CRU WANT TO RUN CHEK POINT


THANKYU FUR TIME, BYE NOW. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 

SQUATTERS LEGAL NETWORK

With the stage set for the criminalisation of squatting in 'residential buildings' there has been discussion of the need for some sort of legal support network for squatters if we are to face custodial sentences and heavy fines, both to support the people in our communities and a means to encourage people to continue to squat.

At the last squattastic we discussed the need for a group that can provide squatters with;

-legal information and advice
-legal observers when resisting evictions/on demos
-bust cards
-arrestee support
-help getting legal representation
-help with fines
-prisoner support if they end up inside

-give advice/co-ordinate pressing charges at illegal evictions and suing the police when they slip up
-and a bunch of stuff we haven't thought of yet...

There are many groups that you're all probably are of or even involved in that already provide these things but are already working at capacity and it's essential, especially now, that squatters begin to organise to do all this for themselves and each other.

If you're interested in establishing a Squatters Legal Network come along to the Autonomy Club meeting room, above Freedom Books down Angel Alley (84b Whitechapel High St.) at 7pm on Tuesday 15th November. 

Members of Green and Black Cross, the Advisory Service for Squatters, the Legal Defence and Monitoring Group and London Anarchist Black Cross will give brief run-downs of what their groups do and how they do it, followed by an open discussion and planning of how we can establish a Squatters Legal Network and support the groups already doing this work.

Hope to see you there.

Persons Unkown

SOUTH SIDE SQUATTERS!!!

Out of the squats and onto the streets; some thoughts on the events of Monday night

Around 400 or so squatters turned out in London on Monday night to oppose the governments proposals to criminalise squatting. More than half were on bikes and met for critical mass at waterloo, but almost 200 also made it on foot to meet at High Street Kensington.

We all had about four days to pull something together and get out there, and the fact that so many people did, well it says a lot. we all give a shit.

SQUASH called the action, and although not all squatters have necessarily been involved with engaging with the government on its own terms, a lot of squatters still recognise the validity of what the squash people have been doing as one particular tactic(their piece on SHIFT chats about this more). So squash called it but of course it took all of us coming out in one big mass of pissed-off-ness to make it into something.

Anyway. Monday. There was a bit of a fuck up. The house that we discovered we were to be sleeping outside of, that is Crispin Blunt's (the under secretary of state for justice, and the megatron scuzbag who's brought in the stupid amendment) was haktuly no longer his - it belonged to his wife who'd left him and was no doubt quite a lot less of a scuzbag. We weren't up for staying there so we went to Parsons Green and joined up with critical mass. There were still 300 or something of us and we all managed to decide to go to Westminster, where we had a sort of picnic and then the police started throwing their toys out the pram and willy nilly arresting people.

The question i want to raise, that we all should be thinkin about way more laterally then we've managed to so far, is one of organisation. Different ways of organising clashed on Monday and some squatters were left feeling disempowered and frustrated at being led way out to the arse end of fulham for pumpkin soup and jazz hands on Parsons Green. It would be easy for this to become another point at which we divide, for us all to go home and say fuck it, our differences are irreconcilable, each one thinking the other is a moron. THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN (those in power are way more moronic). We will literally not survive if we fall apart like that, and if this means we need to now find new ways of organising, that more fits how we live and communicate as squatters, that is fucking great. 

Announcing the exact location for actions in advance is obviously problematic if you want to avoid them being pigged out, but neither is it ideal if this has to come at the price of people's ability to choose what they want to do and how they want to participate. But this is not some enormous unbridgeable gulf, we need  and have to get around it. No doubt as squatters we are more than capable of finding a bunch of solutions that we can work with. Lets not just sit and slag each other off over ash trays in our own squats, we can move things forward. A lot of the time we don't even bother telling each other what we don't like about our different approaches, but we need to be having those conversations, we need to make the effort to get out and meet each other, have some arguments and get the ball rolling... 

nuff love, nuff respect  

there is a comment section, roll with it

From Seth Toboccman's 'War in The Neighbourhood', that focusses around Tompkins Square in 1980s Lower East Side New York, and the various squatter and homelessness movements it was home to:

when i was lookin for pictures of thomkins square, a bunch of stupid dog pictures came up cos apparantly now it is home to the annual halloween doggy parade or something. so err ...here u go.  for the lulz (but scuze me while i sick myself a bit)

SOLIDARITY FROM PRAGUE!!!

The Factory received the following message from comrades in Prague, Czech Republic:

hey!

yesterday we made a little action in prague to support the struggle
against the criminalisation of squatting in UK and to send our love and solidarity to our friends and comrades from Orange Fence and The Factory. Our attempt to occupy the british embassy failed but we at least managed to block the front door with our banner and spread some english/czech flyers:We are here today to show our solidarity with the English squatter’s movement which is now facing a wave of repression and as well the government efforts to criminalise it.

The UK parliament is planning on Tuesday 1st of November to take the first step towards the criminalization of squatting, voting a clause that makes squatting in residential building a criminal offence, with up to 51 weeks of imprisonment. In the mean time anarchist squats like The Factory in Bristol and The Orange Fence in London are already under treatment of eviction and they are currently fighting to resist that abuse:

“We will always lose in their courts. We will always lose in their
elections, their wars, their boardrooms and all their other games.
The only people who win in these settings are the people who already have money and power.
We’re not going to win our freedom fighting rigged battles within their system.
We will win together, outside of and against that system: in the streets; in the squares; in the occupied spaces.”

Criminalization of squatting doesn’t mean end of autonomous spaces. It will not suffocate our desire of self-organization and it will not even stop us from liberating houses from the capitalist machine.

We want and we need homes not shopping malls, banks and posh hotels. Here in Czech Republic, in UK and everywhere else.

HANDS OFF THE FACTORY, ORANGE FENCE AND ALL THE OTHER SQUATS!

2 EVICTIONS - 1 RESISTANCE

Friday 4th November

The storm is coming... Are we gonna ride it?

Join us to resist 2x evictions in one morning, starting at 8:30am, 184 Well Street, and moving swiftly on to 320 Mare Street for 9:45am.

Bring Banners, tea and music, spread the word. THEIR LAWS, NOT OURS!
STILL WE SQUAT, STILL WE RESIST.

ACAB.

NO HOUSING NO PEACE

Show your Support in Court! Friday 11 November 9:45am, Westminster Magistrates Court - 181 Marylebone Road, NW1 5BR

yep we're all still here, it's been traumatic, but we're definately still here. jus need to emphasise how important our networks are, we really need to be there for each other from now on cos the next while is probably gonna be pretty shit. in the face of so much unbelievable bullshit its so fuckin important. coming out of police custody  to find a bunch of ur friends and other squatters there eclipses all the crap from the previous day or so, we really really really need to make sure we get out onto the streets to be there for each other in the coming months. there are a bunch of evictions coming up that r gonna be resisted, lets try and show them that we aint gonna take this lying down. 

Brighton March for Squatting

November 5th, 12pm, Victoria Gardens

The UK Government is trying to criminalise squatting in residential buildings despite 95% of responses to their own 'consultation' being opposed to any change in law.

There are enough empty buildings in the UK to house every destitute person in this country. It is criminal that people are forced to sleep in the cold whilst thousands of properties are unused and left to deteriorate.
Criminalising the homeless is no solution to a housing crisis, it will only marginalise homeless people further.

HOUSING SHOULD BE A RIGHT NOT A PRIVILEGE

March with us against the change in law on Saturday 5th November.
Meet at Victoria Gardens at 12pm, bring your instruments, your friends, and your best friend squatdogs!

For more info see..
http://www.squashcampaign.org/
https://network23.org/snob/2011/10/28/s-n-o-b-statement-regarding-clarke’s-anti-squatting-amendmen

t-to-the-legal-aid-bill/
Or follow
https://twitter.com/snobaha

See you on the streets!

OUT OF THE SQUATS AND ONTO THE STREETS

LONDON: MEET 6:30PM MON 31ST HIGH ST. KEN

MANCHESTER: MEET 5:30PM MON 31ST OUTSIDE TOWN HALL

TBC...

CALL TO ACTION

The Government want to sneak through the criminalisation of squatting, which will be voted on in Parliament this Tuesday 1st November 2011.

Over 95% of responses to the ‘consultation’ on squatting were against the criminalisation.
Despite this, the government is still going ahead with their proposals - effectively bypassing democracy.

SQUASH have tried engaging with the democratic processes but despite overwhelming support to not criminalise squatting we have been ignored.

Our only rational response now is to call for people to TAKE ACTION. We have been forced into this position. See you on the streets!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MONDAY 31st OCTOBER : CALL OUT FOR A MASS SLEEP OUT


MEET AT HIGH KEN TUBE STATION 6.30PM - EVENING STANDARD HQ - NORTHCLIFFE HOUSE, 2 DERRY ROAD W8 5TT.
CRITICAL MASS (BIKES) MEET AT WATERLOO BRIDGE 7PM

BRING SLEEPING BAGS!

if you would like to propose an event to hold during the sleep out
- teach outs, comedy shows, face-painting, music, cardboard house making, trick or treating, pumpkin soup kitchen
- get in touch, or just make it happen! remember, we're going to be there all night, so bring things to keep everyone warm and busy!

TUSESDAY 1st NOVEMBER: EN MASS REGISTRATION OF HOMELESSNESS

9am - Outside Westminster Housing Options Service, 101 Orchardson Street, LONDON NW8.
THIS ACTION IS TO SYMBOLISE THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CRIMINALISING SQUATTING ON THE ALREADY STRETCHED HOMELESSNESS SERVICES

THIS CALL OUT EXTENDS TO OTHER CITIES TO TAKE ACTION OUTSIDE THEIR REGIONAL HOMELESS PERSON UNITS WITH MASS SLEEP OUTS, SOUP KITCHENS, AND OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT.
FOLLOWED THE NEXT DAY BY A SYMBOLIC MASS REGISTRATION OF HOMELESSNESS.

WWW.SQUASHCAMPAIGN.ORG

A positive look on squatting

Whatever They Say, Squatting Will STAY!

The session will also take place:

- TODAY (Thursday 27 October) at 4pm, OCCUPY LONDON, outside ST PAULS CATHEDRAL, London
- Saturday 29th October - Bradford, 1in12 Club, 7pm

Off Market Free School

Off Market has opened a Free School! 68 Dalston Lane, here's the schedule for the next two weeks:

 

WHATEVER THEY SAY SQUATTING WILL STAY

WEDNESDAY 26TH OCT: LONDON, RATSTAR 8PM
THURSDAY 27TH OCT: ST. PAULS OCCUPATION, 4PM
FRIDAY 28TH OCT: MANCHESTER, OKasional CAFE 6PM
SATURDAY 29TH OCT: BRADFORD, 1in12 CLUB, 7PM
might be a good opportunity to get together and talk about wot to do regarding the fuckwits (see previous post).

GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO MAKE SQUATTING IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE

DESPITE AN ASTOUNDING 2165 OUT OF 2217 RESPONSES RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CRIMINALISATION OF SQUATTING IN THE RECENT PUBLIC "CONSULTATION", GOVERNMENT MINISTERS ARE RUNNING WITH IT ANYWAY AND SEEK TO MAKE SQUATTING IN ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. THEY PLAN TO SLIDE THIS IN WITH THE LEGAL AID, SENTENCING, AND PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS BILL. 

they are a bunch of fuckwits and their democracy is a joke. this is really bad and we need to take action.

 FROM SQUASH:
Government 'bypasses democracy' to sneak through anti-squatting laws

Housing charities, MPs, squatters, property consultants, activists, lawyers and artists have accused the government of sneaking in an amendment to the Legal Aid and Sentencing Bill announced today by Justice Secretary Ken Clarke to “make squatting in residential buildings a criminal offence”. Campaigners say the amendment will not take into account the thousands of consultation responses submitted earlier this month and will not add any further protection to residents.

Over the past 3 months the government have been undertaking a consultation process entitled “Options for Dealing with squatters” which came to an end on October 5th. Squatters Action for Secure Homes (SQUASH) have accused the government of “ignoring the consultation” by rushing through anti-squatting laws only 3 weeks after the consultation has ended.

The amendment states that making squatting in residential building a criminal offence will “end the misery of home-owners whose properties have been preyed on by squatters”. However strong legislation already exists to protect residents from having there home squatted. Last month 160 leading legal figures wrote an open letter which was published in The Guardian explaining that under Section 7 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 it is already a criminal offence to squat someone’s home.1

SQUASH spokesperson Paul Reynolds, said:

“ The governent is ignoring the results of its own consultation which shows that the criminalisation of squatting in empty residential properties will do nothing to protect residents who are already protected by strong legislation. This amendment will criminalise the homeless in the middle of a housing crisis who use squatting as the last remaining option to keep a roof over their heads.”

John Mcdonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington said:

“By trying to sneak this amendment through the back door the government are attempting to bypass democracy. There was over 2,200 responses to the consultation on squatting so there is no way the government could have acknowledged all the evidence”.
 
FROM THE FUCKWITS:

Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has announced a raft of tough measures to better protect people from intruders, dangerous criminals and excessive no-win no-fee legal costs.

He set out plans for the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill as the latest in a series of radical moves to reduce reoffending, improve sentencing and reform the legal aid system.

The amendments include measures to:

Make squatting in residential buildings a criminal offence to end the misery of home-owners whose properties have been preyed on by squatters.
Strengthen people's rights to use force to defend themselves from intruders in their own homes.
Give magistrates power to hand down bigger fines.
Ban the referral fees which have allowed middle-men to profit from encouraging others to make unnecessary compensation claims.
The new measures will be debated in the House of Commons next week and, if passed by vote, will be added to Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which is currently progressing through Parliament. The full amendment notes can be found here.

If you are interested in continuing to receive updates on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, you can register on the MoJ website.

MoJ response to the consultation http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/dealing-with-squatters.htm

STUDENT PROTEST: OCCUPATION UNDER ATTACK...02NOV @ULU LONDON

Defend the Factory! March and Demonstration!

AGAINST EVICTION & GENTRIFICATION!
In defence of autonomous spaces!

Factory Squat Bristol in Court 26th October. Demo called.

The Factory social center in Bristol has received court papers for possession for next Wednesday the 26th of October. A demonstration to the courts has been called for that day. Meet outside the building at 12 noon in Portland Square.

WHATEVER THEY SAY SQUATTING WILL STAY!

October the 1st 2011 marked one year since the Kraakverbod made squatting illegal in the Netherlands. However, hundreds of people still squat and will continue to squat.

With squatting in the UK coming under threat, join us to hear 3 squatters from Amsterdam talk in several cities across the UK about squatting before the ban, resistance to the criminalisation and what's been happening since the Kraakverbod became law.

Sunday 23rd October - Brighton, Cowley Club 2pm

Tuesday 25th October - Bristol, Cave St Factory 8pm

Wednesday 26th October - London, Ratstar 8pm

Friday 28th October - Manchester, OKasional Cafe 6pm

Saturday 29th October - Bradford, 1in12 Club, 7pm

The talk will include;

-a brief history of squatting in the Netherlands,

-an run-down of the various attempts to criminalise squatting, the most recent campaign and what the Kraakverbod is,

-Anti-Kraak companies like Camelot, Ad Hoc

-what the speakers felt was successful in the campaigns and mobilisation before the criminalisation, what was not successful, and what's been happening since

- the consequences of the Kraakverbod for for housing general, cultural life, political activism and the squatting community

with some space for questions and discussions afterwards.

Where ever you are, see you there!

KRAKEN GAAT DOOR!

kraakverbod.squat.net

photos from Marien Van Os' flickr

Audio recording from Sheffield Free School

SQUATTING AND AUTONOMOUS SPACES

Find out how groups in Sheffield are actively challenging the absurd abundance of empty buildings by reclaiming and redefining so-called private property. Squatting makes use of unused buildings to meet real needs such as for a home or a social space. Come along and discuss why it’s necessary and how you can you get involved.

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/10/487033.html
http://sheffieldsocialcentre.org.uk/

ONE MONTH UNTIL COURT FOR GROW HEATHROW

On Thursday 17th November 2011, exactly one month from today, Grow Heathrow will be heading back to court. Despite no support from the local community, the local council and our local MP, the owners of the land at Grow Heathrow are going ahead with a third attempt to remove us from the site.
It makes no sense. We have tried negotiating  to come to some agreement from the start but they will now only let us speak to their lawyers. They have no plans for the land and as it is greenbelt land they can’t get planning permission to do anything. All that will happen is a return to a site where regular activities include car scrapping, car breaking and contamination of agricultural land. We will not let this happen!
What can people do to support us in the run up to court proceedings?

1. Sign the petition for court – http://www.petitiononline.com/heathrow/petition.html
   
2. Send a supportive testimony to info@transitionheathrow.com or to Grow Heathrow, Vineries Close, Sipson, West Drayton, UB7 0JG (Full list of statements so far found at www.transitionheathrow.com/statements)
   
3. Follow us on Twitter @transheathrow. #defendGrowHrow
   
4. Get down to Uxbridge County Court for 9.30am on Thursday 17th November for a big show of support outside the court.
   

As well as all this we will be launching a new photo campaign soon so keep checking our blog to find out how to get involved with this. Thankyou all for your continued support.

Spread the word. http://www.transitionheathrow.com/2011/10/one-month-until-court/

DALE FARM

Try and head over. Our struggles are most certainly connected.

UPDATE - EVICTION UNDERWAY - SUPPORT NEEDED

The Court of Appeal has just rejected the residents' right to a judicial review, which means that Basildon Council will be able to come on to conduct an eviction from now onwards.

We need supporters to come down as soon as possible to help resist this eviction. We need people to come willing to engage in civil disobedience as well as support residents and activists in resisting the eviction through non-arrestable roles. It may seem like a scary thing to do, but coming down to Dale Farm is one of the most important things we can do for the community here, and to protest the injustice that even the United Nations and Amnesty International have unreservedly condemned. This is a historic moment of resistance- let's do something.

The residents have nowhere to go. They are united in resisting the eviction, and we have been working with them to develop plans and strategies. Travellers in the UK are at the receiving end of state violence. The way the Dale Farm community is being treated is a form of ethnic cleansing which criminalizes a people and a culture, and it is vital that we come together in solidarity to resist it. We are ready to resist the eviction, and we need more people to join us and the residents as soon as you can come down. Bring a sleeping bag, food and resistance paraphernalia. (For a full list of things to bring, how to get here - only 30 min from London- and other important info, see http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/activity/ or call 07583621312).

In addition to getting supporters down to Dale Farm, we still need a lot of funds to cover the work we have been doing so far. Please donate at: http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/donate/

...

NEW SQUATTED EXHIBITION CENTRE IN TUFNELL PARK / HOLLOWAY

squatters have secured a building in north london, and have negotiated with the owners to present a temporary squat exhibition which will open to the public from wednesday

In response to badly biased mainstream media coverage, the threat of new laws criminalising squatting, and the dale farm eviction, a new squat exhibition will open this week to offer the public an alternative viewpoint and show the positive side of squatting, and its connection to providing solutions rather than causing problems.

In a perfect example of how squatting can be a positive experience, the organisers have held conversations and meetings with the current owner of the building and have not only negotiated a temporary stay with the opening of the exhibition to the public, but also the possibility of some rent-free space at a local theatre school to continue the exhibition on an 'official' basis.

The new centre can be found at 2-4 tufnell park road n7 0dl just behind the holloway road multiplex odeon.

The organisers are asking for artists, photographers and other creatives to donate work towards the exhibition, highlighting the contrast between the recent rising demonisation of squatting with a celebration of diy culture, a look at the history of squatting and positive images of successful squatted social centres. they are looking for photographs or art works on the theme of squatting, travelling and protest.
the exhibition will also focus on the stupidity of having empty buildings unused when homelessness is increasing due to the "austerity cut" assault on the poorest people in our society.
opening times will be announced shortly and more info will be available athttp://squattershousingactiongroup.wordpress.com/
and contributors can access the site before wednesday by contacting the current caretaker on O7721375374

Contact email: rikkiindymedia(At)gmail[dot]com

Against eviction and gentrification in St Pauls: for the defence of liberated spaces

From Bristol Space Invaders


We are people who live in or use the Factory Social Centre, the building on the corner of Cave Street and Portland Square. A company called the PG Group wants to develop the building we are occupying. They plan to turn it into luxury flats, offices, a cafe, an art gallery and a small health centre. Aside from the possible health centre, we don’t see their development plans as good for this area. Also, when all other information suggests that the NHS is cutting back on public outpatient nursing, we have doubts about what kind of heath centre it would be and if it will really happen.
We don’t want to be moved on and we don’t want this building to be developed. We are asking for your support.
We have worked hard since we squatted here a year and a half ago to turn this building into a home and into a space for free activities, creativity and political discussion. All of these things are under threat from this development. They are also threatened by similar developments in many other places.
We don’t believe that St Pauls needs more luxury flats and offices. On Portland Square alone there are three buildings full of empty offices. We don’t want to be removed in order to create more “beautiful” sterile vacant spaces. We see the PG Group’s proposal as part of a process that is changing our city – and St Pauls in particular – by making more places that are only comfortable for people with more money. This process – often called gentrification – pushes up prices and displaces existing residents, destroying the relationships that people have built with their neighbours and their neighbourhood. It leads to even more security cameras and police to stop people gathering in public space. We want this to stop.
The PG Group say that their aim is to “improve the environment of their community and, if possible, to make donations to charity.” However, nearly all of their developments are luxury accommodation – which is useful to only a small section of the “community”. For example, they developed the flats and serviced apartments on Portland Square. They were also part of the failed onedovelane development, which proposed building the second-highest skyscraper in the UK in St Pauls.
In addition to this, the main aim of the Grant Bradley Trust, the organisation PG give money to, is “the advancement of the Roman Catholic and Christian faith in any part of the world.” It is a religious, rather than a charitable, organisation. Despite what they say, the PG Group are a development company like any other – who just use some of their profits to promote their own beliefs.
The PG Group are trying to get us to leave voluntarily by holding out the promise of another building that we could use. So far all they have offered is a shipping container for storage and the use of some meeting rooms. We reject this offer.
We want to make it clear: even if they offered us a suitable building, we do not want to leave. We believe that, in this situation, accepting another building in order to vacate this one for development would be the same as supporting what the PG Group want to do. We do not want to help them promote themselves as ethical and caring as they continue to damage neighbourhoods. We do not agree with their development and we do not intend to cooperate with it.
We are squatting this building. We do not legally own it. However, we believe that buildings should belong to the people who use them and open them up for others to use together, not to those who only want to make money off them. Laws exist to protect the interests of the rich and keep the rest of us shut out. That is why, if we have to, we will defy them. We know that this means that we are likely to face violent eviction but we believe that resistance is essential. We have to take a stand.
We are staying where we are and we call for those who support us to join us in struggle – for this building, for free spaces and against eviction and gentrification.

block the bridge, block the bill

the government is about to piss all over the NHS. meet tomorrow, sunday october 9th 1pm on Westminster Bridge...  http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/

CALL OUT TO CREATE AN ANTI EVICTION NETWORK

from Hackney Anarchist Group...

Housing is a major issue for all of us. Times are hard for people to put a roof over their heads, whether they are tenants, squatters or even mortgage buyers!

The national and local governments have shown their true ugly faces by threatening to evict families in which a member had been arrested during the recent riots. As if making council tenants homeless was a solution to anything… This was the quickest reaction ever from a council regarding housing, shame it was to evict people!

We say that everyone deserves a home, and a decent one!

When people are being threatened or actually evicted from their home, we should all react, resist and show solidarity in anyway we can. Evictions have to stop!

The idea is very simple: we are inviting you to create a network of people/groups that will be able to mobilise quickly in the event of anyone being evicted from their home in Hackney, whatever their housing situation is (council flat, housing association, squat, hotel, private…).

The meeting will be held on Saturday 15th of October, 2pm at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond road, London E8 4AA(Dalston junction, Haggerston).

Let’s get together, discuss where we’re at in our local struggles and build a structure that will allow us to communicate efficiently so we can stop bailiffs and police from putting people on the streets!

The proposed meeting structure will be:
- a first part (one hour) where people/representative of groups will give a brief account of what they’re doing and updates on housing in hackney.
- a second part (one hour) for all of us to discuss the practicalities of creating an anti-eviction network.

We are hoping that this will be a good tool to fight back for ourselves and our homes.

HAG is also organising a public meeting/information night about Housing on the 25th of October 7pm. Please contact us if you would like to speak about Housing in hackney on the day, any contribution is welcome.

Thank you and hope to see you all! Please forward to any group/person you think would be interested.