[Squat!net]

The Creative Platform Inde Collective is issuing a public call to DUTB (the so called: bad bank) to start a dialogue with regard to making arrangements to remove asbestos from the former factory Inde. We reiterate that the spaces which are in use by UPI have already been cleaned long ago and are in fact asbetos-free. We expect a response from DUTB so that in agreement with the cleaning contractors a temporary access to our premises during the clean-up will be arranged. There are several entrances to the UPI premises and we are sure it is possible to provide safe access to at least one of them. Also, the building which UPI uses is not covered with asbestos roofing.
We are willing to show the premises to licensed contractors to convince them that the cleaning of the area that we occupy is not necessary. We have also prepared proposals on how to facilitate access without hindering the clean-up. [Read More]

Call for solidarity actions for INDE squat in Koper, Slovenia

In the last few years we have seen new autonomous spaces emerging in Slovenia, joining the struggles of older squats all over the country. Along the Slovenian coast, two enormous buildings were occupied until recently. The occupations brought radical politics and different social relations to their environment. Both squats were always open to a variety of projects and initiatives, but had strong anarchist presence and activities as well. The spaces used to be factories, which were destroyed by the brutal privatization.

Right after New Years, ARGO squat in Izola was forcefully evicted. Eviction was preceded by a series of harassments from police and security company, that in some cases resulted in serious bodily injuries and fines for comrades there. The second coastal squat, called INDE, got an eviction notice just a few days ago. We are supposed to leave the premises on January 30. [Read More]

The Creative Platform Inde (hereinafter UPI) welcomes the planned remediation of hazardous waste (asbestos, used needles) in the former factory INDE. However, we are announcing that we are not consenting to emptying the already restored spaces which from October, 5th 2014 have been in the use of UPI. We believe that the cleaning of hazardous waste is perfectly feasible without interrupting the activities of the collective.

Since October 2014 we have proved through active involvement and massive response of visitors that this space is one of tremendous importance to the region. At the premises of UPI we are carrying out social programs (food for the socially disadvantaged, gathering supplies for the refugees, etc.), cultural programs (more than 300 concerts, roundtables, art exhibitions, film evenings, etc.), educational programs (lectures, workshops, practical training, etc. .), environmental campaigns, remedial actions, sports programs (skate park, dance workshops, self-defense, sporting competitions and sports days) and so on. [Read More]

C.P. Inde strongly condemns the violent police attack on comrades from Argo, which happened on Friday 28/10 2016. Recently we have witnessed repeated attacks on several autonomus communites in Slovenia (Rog, Sokolc, Metelkova). It is clear that with any start of collective creative and critical thinking, there also appears repression. Izola has for long years lacked autonomous cultural venues and has just recently got its own Autonomous Zone Argo. This kind of space is necessary for the development of an active society. Argo is a young collective that still hasn’t blossomed and come to life in full, because power structures immediately cut down the first germs of critical thought. Oppressive authority brutally stamped down on basic human rights of two activists who suffered serious injuries. Both had to seek medical help that the police even refused to provide. Sometimes the fight for a better world has such high price as head concussions and internal bleedings.
To Argo we express the broadest solidarity, because the attack on them is also an attack on every other autonomous community. Only solidarity and mutual aid can bring about a better tomorrow. At the same time we have to fight against the media, which grasped the corrupted story of policemen and demonized our comrades. It has become increasingly clear to whom they serve. Certainly not the people, but rather the capital and power. We must condemn the police violence that has crippled our comrades and we must not remain indifferent or turn the other side. We express our full solidarity with the Argo Collective and we send them a message that in this fight they are not alone. We also strongly condemn any violence against autonomous spaces and communities! They shall not pass! [Read More]

The events in Izola/Isola culminated today after several days of harassment in the form of unprovoked visits of the police and criminal police officers during which they verbally threatened the community of autonomous space Argo. Today 28th October 2016 two members of the collective went for an innocent walk to bring water and instead were subjected to violent harassment from the police officers – a real case of tyranny of power. It all happened at around 1pm when two people wanted to bring water supplies for the place that is the last fed days being frequented by more and more people, also in response to these pressures and threats with eviction.

But instead of water to clench our thirst we were served with an abundant dose of violence, name-calling and threats. Two members of the collective are seriously injured: one will have to spend the night in the hospital because of head injures, the other is at the moment of writing also still in the hospital and is under strict observation due to suspicion of internal bleeding. [Read More]

While most of us turned our brains off and connected ourselves to solar charging, the second issue of the community Inde’s newspaper Počasnik was very quietly released into the world. It outed in mid-August, and you can grab your copy at the premises of The Creative Platform Inde, as well as around town … at different places – in libraries, at faculties and other educational houses, and if you ask nicely, maybe even your neighbour can lend it to you…

In it you can find a range of articles that were written by co-workers and colleagues of our newsroom. The topics discussed in Počasnik# 2 are among others: a presentation of the (Istrian) game pandolo, a biography of the life of the coastal skater community, reflection on the events from the time of the defence of the autonomous space Rog Factory, an interview with Mladen Jovičič from the Union of Crane Operators in Luka Koper, an illumination of what is hapenening with the Trieste’s polluting giant Ferriera, a presentation of the practice of urban gardening, a column, which is not that, and much more …

The media platform Inde is slowly getting its shape. Contractions before the birth of the second baby were at times jerky and painful, but we heard that this is always the case. Because things that are too easy, do not settle in the heart. We hope we have weighed well the weight of our words; when we haven’t, let’s not forget – we are all learning. [Read More]

During the night between 27th and 28th of August 2016 another one of a series of attacks organized by neo-Nazi groups took place in the autonomous area of Metelkova City in Ljubljana. The Nazis attacked by throwing bottles, pyrotechnics, stones, and shouting fascist slogans which resulted in a few people being hurt, one of them seriously. The police came to the scene and sadly even tried to treat the hurt people as criminals. We stand in solidarity with all the injured and join them in a clearly handed down: “They shall not pass!”

The antimigration discourses that have recently escalated through sensational reporting of the profit-oriented media apparatus, and which are constantly also the agenda of political elites to achieve their populist goals, are creating fertile ground for seemingly isolated and sporadic attacks on autonomous spaces. From our analysis and experience from the field we understand that states as institutions through their antimigration policies, systematic discrimination and racism do not allow to breathe neither to the autonomous spaces nor to people seeking refuge. So it is obvious that we cannot place our trust and hope in these and similar formations. We are aware that in order to fight the ideologies of exclusion the responsability rests in all community members, always and everywhere. [Read More]

The Rog Factory is a squat in Ljubljana, Slovenia, occupied since 2006. During June it resisted a brutal eviction by the municipality and a neo-nazi-shit attack during the night. [Read More]

In cooperation with Crna Luknja, the anarchist radio show on Radio Student in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, we produced the following interview on the ongoing struggle against the attempted eviction of Rog, a former bicycle factory and an active squat for 10 years now. The interview focuses on the resistance against the attempts of eviction by the city as well as Nazi attacks and also on the political framework right now in Slovenia.

Length: 11:55 min

You can download the audio at: archive.org (wav | mp3 | ogg).

Here you can listen to it directly:

Here is the website of ROG (with information in different languages). [Read More]

The question of the Rog Factory is a political question. After Monday’s morning, it is in our interest, as well as in the interest of the municipality of Ljubljana, to calm the situation down. However, in contrast to the municipality, we are in full control of the situation. The Rog Factory is today a de facto autonomous area and we, the people of Rog, are also controlling the entry. Before Monday’s aggression by the security sent by the municipality, the entry was under the control of the security company Valina. After Monday’s brutality, Valina is not welcome in the Rog Factory anymore. We will be protecting the entry by ourselves.

The municipality was the one who provoked the tensions by sending payed violent securities upon us. The mayor is personally choosing the violent means, we are only responding defensively. On Monday we proved that we are successful in doing so. It is of most perversion that the mayor, Zoran Janković, is now avoiding taking responsibility for the acts of his own securities. No one will carry out violence against us and we hope that Mr. Janković knows that. Every arbitrary step taken by the municipality made us stronger, and the farce that they performed on Monday forced us into full action. The movement is alive and well organized; it includes new and organized structures and is composed of more than one hundred individuals. We are prepared for new attempts of interventions into our community and we are convinced that we will ward them off successfully. [Read More]

We all know that the factory Rog is being threatened with demolition by the mayor of Ljubljana, which was planned for June, 14 2016. Today, June, 6, an attack was carried out at 3:15 AM. A bunch of security guards used severe violence on people and the police that was also present there, allowed it. Now there are barricades in front of the main entrance.

A PROTEST AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF ROG is being called for at Petkovškovo nabrežje (the rear side of the factory).
We urge all those of you who care for autonomous spaces to join us in defending Rog. Your presence will help, so come whenever you have the time, up until June, 14.

Together we will defend ROG!! [Read More]

Today in the morning (3:30) the city mayor of Ljubljana with security forces and police attacked the autonomous factory ROG that is squatted since 2006. They tried to evict the place and start to demolish the place. People reacted fast and soon after the initial attack few hundred people successfully resisted the violence, eviction and demolition. Barricades were lifted and after few hours security forces and police were pushed out of the factory. The space is since morning again under the control of the people. Different activities are planned for next days since the situation is unclear. [Read More]