On Tuesday April 04, members of Police Intelligence and the regular police carried out two coordinated raids linked to the La Solidaria Social Center. The raids ended with 5 comrades detained, one of whom was charged and bailed, accused of criminal damage. This accusation could be upgraded to to robbery charges and is a result of investigations by the repressive organs of the State that have been carried out since the eviction of the social center and the protests that followed.
The state has promised more arrests in the coming days. Presumably then, there will be more detainees. Private property was put into question and self-organization was made the culprit. The clash between the State standards that defend the existing order based on profit and exploitation and the ability of the self-organized to struggle for radical social transformation was inevitable.
The ability to transform spaces and give them a real life, placing them at the service of the autonomous social struggle and the ability to disrespect the world of dominion will never be forgiven by the defenders of capital…
At the moment, clarity in ideas is very important and the ability to remain strong is crucial.
Defend our social centers, defend the struggle for freedom.
For self-organization and direct action. [Read More]
Montevideo: About the raids and arrests linked to La Solidaria Social Center
Thessaloniki: About the eviction of the squatted house Albatross
In the morning of Wednesday the 5th of April, the police, led by an OPKE unit, evicted a house in Ano Poli, Thessaloniki. Under the threat of fire-weapons, 13 people were arrested and brought to the police station in Monastiriou. The cops refused to let the arrested use their right to contact a lawyer and get translators for 5 hours. 9 people that came to in solidarity were also brought to the “megaron” and kept 3 hours for identity control. One of them now faces the charge of resistance after the pigs beat him up.
During the day, 2 people had to be transferred to the hospital : one with a severe head-wound after the treatment he received in the police station (the physical and psychological violence of the cops following him even in the walls of the hospital) ; the other because of his health, the pigs refusing for hours to take in consideration his signed appointment with a doctor for this precise day, and for hours refusing giving their prescribed medication to him and another person.
After 32 hours, only 12 people were set free before the trial, one being kept imprisoned for having no paper. He may stay in up to six month for this only, and is also accused, like the others, of both squatting and damaging private property. The asylum process in Greece is still so insufficient that thousands of people are not able to obtain a “legal status” and have therefore no possibilities to get access to accommodation or other forms of support. Living in a squat is often the only option they have. [Read More]
Amsterdam: Finally clarity about ADM terrain
Chidda admits, Koole Maritime is not intending building a shipyard.
The ADM terrain in the port of Amsterdam has been disused since 1977. From that time, the land was ‘owned’ by various speculators, who however still had to deal with a limitation that the municipality had included in the Act of Ownership, when they gifted the then ADM shipyard in 1970; “the terrain is destined for a company, which aims to build and repair ships.” The Supreme Court ruled earlier that this destination restriction (the ‘perpetual clause’) is still in place. The current ‘owner’, Chidda Vastgoed BV, argued for some time that they had found a company that would indeed plan to launch a genuine shipyard on the terrain. In the appeal court-case of the ‘Bodemprocedure’ (=> in-depth court case), which took place Tuesday (March 28th. 2017), Chidda was forced to admit that it is not about a shipyard, but “a displacement of the current activities.” The company in question, Koole Maritime BV, is known for, among others, asbestos removal, waste treatment and excavation works.
That real estate company Chidda BV insisted this long that it indeed was about a shipyard, has to do with the fact that they’re attempting already for about two years to remove the more than 200 residents, who settled in the area in the past 40 years, through various procedures. However, in order to accomplish this, the real estate company must have a “demonstrable and law respecting interest in the matter”, according to the judges in the three previous court cases. For the ADM terrain it means that there must be serious plans presented for a shipyard. These plans were proven again and again below par. Last Tuesday it became finally clear why. [Read More]
Maastricht: Landbouwbelang 15 Years Cultural freezone
Throughout the years, the Landbouwbelang has been an experience for many people. A diverse group of artists, designers, producers, organisers, performers, artisans, students and many others made it their social place, their workspace and even their home.
Trough their ideas, ideals, creations, constructions and energy they created the Landbouwbelang in its current form. By organising, creating and sharing experiences together a big community has formed itself around this place. In April 2017 the Landbouwbelang will celebrate it´s 15th birthday.
[Read More]
Vienna: Squatting action
Soon we are going to squat a house, to create a room of struggle and to reclaim a piece of our lifes. From this publication in advance we expect, that everyone who recognizes her*himself in the ideas as they are formulated here, develops her*his own initiatives, plan her*his own activities and actions and intensifies the struggles.
For us, the misappropriation, the conscious break with the logic of property, which is the base of the capitalist system, is central. There’s no way that we will cooperate or negotiate with owners or politicians. As we want to live self-determined, we will not place any demands to the state as its task is to keep this order, which we reject, alive. The social democracy of Vienna uses different strategies of pacification to defuse social conflicts. Often, only the current urban development is criticized, without having the intention of an active break with the state and capital. Therefore we deepen the social tensions whenever it is possible for us.
The conditions of life, which are forced on us, make us rageous. All areas of our lifes are submitted to the logic of profit and authority. Everywhere we are faced with owners and bosses who profit from the exploitation of our lifes.
Also in the scope of housing. What they call „upgrading“ means the complete opposite for many others: rising rents, forced eviction, displacement, compulsion into homelessness. We are fed up with this normality and don’t want to watch it any longer. Therefore we seize the initiative and fight this order. [Read More]
Athens: Trial against activists who re-occupied Villa Amalias begins
On January 9, 2013, 93 anarchists fight their way in against riot cops in and re-occupied Villa Amalias, after it was evicted on December 20th, 2012. After more than 4 years, the trial against the 93 anarchists will start on March 28th.
On December 2012 as part of a far-right delirium, the State targets Squats and proceeds to evict several of them in Greece. On 20 December 2012 the State evicts one of the historical and oldest squats in Athens (since 1991) named Villa Amalias. In the morning of 9 January 2013, 93 comrades moving collectively and decisively fight their way in against riot policemen that continue to guard the building and succeed to retake the grounds, sending a message of resistance and solidarity, against the onslaught of State and capitalist barbarism. After a few hours special police forces invade the building and arrest the 93 activists.
After more than 4 years, (a usual State and judicial tactic to keep activists’s lives “imprisoned” in perpetual waiting) on March 28, 2017, the 93 are being taken to trial for the reccupation of Villa Amalias, because they dared to disturb the “peace” during the regime’s war and because they remained unruly against the imposed state of emergency and the authoritarian rules, whilst they declare that ‘for the “crime” of fighting for a world of equality, solidarity and freedom they remain consciously “guilty”’.
Solidarity to the 93 activists that retook the grounds of Villa Amalias Squat. [Read More]
Athens: Repression against Villa Zografou. It concerns you
Statement by the assembly of Villa Zografou and supporters after the eviction on March 13th in Athens, Greece.
1. Because you have been and you are still paying for it.
50% of the Villa Zografou estate was bought with an illegal loan in 2006 amounting to €19.000.000 (excluding interest). A loan which was legalized in 2013 through a majority vote by a municipal faction consisting of the parties: PASOK, NEW DEMOCRACY and SYRIZA.
2. Because you will continue to pay for it.
The ink is still wet on a €154.430 contract budgeted by the municipal and regional authorities for the renovation of the villas Kotopouli, Bougra and Bonaparte. And let us not forget the recent purchase of the theater Dimitris Potamitis amounting to €550.000, likewise bought under the pretext to create a „cultural center,“ and whose renovation will require a truck load of licenses and money. Apparently, municipal funds for „cultural centers,“ „cultural events“ and top artistic directors with annual salaries amounting to €23.000 exist and are available. But when it comes to providing stable and dignified work conditions for municipal workers, who disenfranchised slave away under so-called „charity work“ austerity programs, funds are missing – despite all the electoral and post-electoral declarations and promises to the contrary. These workers are exceptionally poorly payed and are denied basic worker right such as sick leave, right to strike, etc. In the end, it was only through a prolonged strike that municipal cleaning workers succeeded at re-claiming a few basic labor rights. These are the priorities not only of the municipal officials of Zografou, but of each and every municipal authority. [Read More]
Porto Alegre (Brazil): New space for Biblioteca Kaos
Let’s occupy again! Biblioteca Kaos (Kaos Library) has a new space.
On Sunday, March 12, we entered the house at 641 Coronel João Manoel street, near the start of the hill. The house was abandoned three years ago and it is in the middle of the historical center of Porto Alegre, it forms part of the inheritances of two of the most bourgeois families and owners of the city for centuries: Chaves Barcellos and Wallig.
We are absolutely certain that we are irritating the powerful who have already appeared to threaten us and very ludicrously invite us to be part of their alternative capitalism projects. Our answer is unanimous: we are anarchists and squatters, and we will not have any conversation with the bourgeoisie at all.
To our surprise and joy, the neighborhood fully supports the occupation because they can see that a few people have set up a space that has been unused for years. The interactions with them have had a clear attitude of solidarity and initiative not only in words but above all in action, they participated bit by bit in the cleaning of the space and supported us with their presence during some of the visits by the owners.
After the threats by the owners to throw us out with their henchmen and pit bulls, the other squatters of the city arrived to show us their solidarity and support.
At the moment we are still fighting for the space but our decision from the start is still to remain without either legal or verbal negotiation with the owners. Occupation is a subversive practice that can’t be swallowed up by real estate rules, it is an effective response to the absurd accumulation of land into the hands of a privileged few. Our determination in the face of this is clear: abandoned house, occupied house. [Read More]
Amsterdam: New squat on the Singel
This afternoon a building was squatted at Singel 356 in Amsterdam. The canal house, which has monument status, was last sold in 2014 to a British hedge fund banker based in Switzerland. Prior to the sale, the building was uninhabited for a number of years, with planning permits denied, and only minor works carried out by a now bankrupt construction firm. Since acquiring the property in 2014, the current owner has continued the trend of his predecessor: leaving the building vacant.
Like the majority of these typical Amsterdam canal houses, the property has been deemed monumental. Generally, this status is given to structures and buildings of significance in particular to preserve an area’s historic architectural value. Future plans for this property remain unclear, and we strongly believe that unique, significant monumental buildings such as this should not be left empty to deteriorate over time – particularly when the reasons behind this likely involve some means of speculation. As a group we intend to look after this property, which its current wealthy owner appears to be unconcerned with.
The continuing housing crisis in Amsterdam shows no sign of improvement anytime soon. The accommodation shortage we are witnessing is driven by surging prices in both real estate and rental accommodation. At the same time, increasing numbers of social housing properties are being switched into the free sector or even sold, with very few being added to the social sector. Understandably, waiting lists for social housing have ballooned in recent years – 15-20 years on average across the city. [Read More]
Athens (Greece): List of needs of Themistokleous 58 squat
After more than a year of existence, Themistokleous 58 anarchist squat and housing project for people with and without papers in Exarchia, downtown Athens, still needs some very practical solidarity to stay functional. Here goes our current list of needs.
Food supplies: Oil (olive oil/corn oil), rice, pasta, tomato sauce, beans, lentils, chick peas, eggs, potatoes, canned milk, dog-food. [Read More]
Athens: Hands off Themistokleous 58 Squat!
HANDS OFF THE 58!
The purpose of this text is to clarify the position of our squat regarding some incidents that took place over the last months in Exarchia, and defend our physical and political integrity by all means necessary.
We refer to the practices of gossiping, slandering and violative behavior against the structure and the actions of the 58, practices that we consider equal as snitching, regardless of whether or not the person using them each time is expecting something in return from the persecuting authorities. The outcome is the same, in the sense that they are singling out specific individuals as a target, they attempt to strip our project of its political characteristics, and prepare the ground for the direct or indirect repression that lurks in the corner.
We also refer to physical assaults that took place the last 2 months, like bullying attempts at our front door, a group ambush against squatters of the 58 at Dervenion street (Exarchia), and even threats and attacks against us with the use of sharp/lethal objects (like a knife and an awl) only a few meters away from the 58. [Read More]
Athens: Eviction report
Following the raids on squats and the evictions (previously on s!n), some 60 people have been moved to other squats, after spending hours in police station and rejecting the offer to be transferred to one of the camps nearby Athens. Many experienced life in camps before, and they choose no to go back but rather to rely on alternative accommodation, mostly in squats. City Plaza, as well as other squats, took them in, and volunteers and activists found emergency shelter for everyone else.
[Read More]
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