Monday, 17 October 2011
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
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
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, 8 October 2011
block the bridge, block the bill
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
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.
- 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.
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Squatters extend solidarity to the TUC
After Plan A fell through early this morning, we occupied 101 Liverpool Road, a building to our knowledge disused since July. We then discovered that, coincidentally, the TUC were also planning to use the space tomorrow for steward prep work. We made immediate contact and the TUC expressed enthusiasm for working together against the tories. We have offered our full logistical support and have given them the following letter:
After some discussion with --------, we in occupation at 101 Liverpool Road would like first to reassure you that we have every intention to assist and facilitate the TUC stewards' planned use of the building over the next two days. We will work with the stewards so that they can have full access to the building as the need and we'll even make tea and coffee.
Signed,
The Occupiers
The following excerpt was taken from a blogpost on Occupy Manchester, and outlines briefly why its important we work alongside groups like the TUC.
Posted on September 29, 2011
After some discussion with --------, we in occupation at 101 Liverpool Road would like first to reassure you that we have every intention to assist and facilitate the TUC stewards' planned use of the building over the next two days. We will work with the stewards so that they can have full access to the building as the need and we'll even make tea and coffee.
Signed,
The Occupiers
The following excerpt was taken from a blogpost on Occupy Manchester, and outlines briefly why its important we work alongside groups like the TUC.
Posted on September 29, 2011
This weekend we are all in Manchester to march against the Conservative Party conference and to occupy part of the city to take a stand against the cuts and policies of a government no one voted in.
Once again, every aspect of our lives is under attack by a Conservative government. Under the smokescreen of crisis and austerity working class people are seeing their wages stagnate, their rents rise and the last scraps of the welfare state being taken from them and sold on.
And, once again, the conservative government is planning to criminalise squatting and with it student, workplace and shopfront occupations. This would criminalise people’s ability to house themselves in the middle of a housing crisis, put the tens of thousands currently squatting out on the streets and on the doorsteps of homeless charities already overworked and underfunded, affect the rights of tenants, and would be a serious assault on the use of occupations as a form of protest.
Manchester Meeting at 2PM - Location Announced!
After some minor technical difficulties, including an owner with a fox-shooting gun, a jeep and some hired meat heads backed up by the pigs, we have found a resting, meeting and resources space for the weekend.
It can be found at the (former) Castlefield Centre, 101 Liverpool Road, Castlefield. It's opposite the Museum of Science and Industry, check the map...
View Larger Map
Occupation Phone Number: 07521906793
See you later.x.
.xx.
It can be found at the (former) Castlefield Centre, 101 Liverpool Road, Castlefield. It's opposite the Museum of Science and Industry, check the map...
View Larger Map
Occupation Phone Number: 07521906793
See you later.x.
.xx.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)