[Squat!net]

Yes, let`s squat again
Trapped by contracts, orders an regulations – it’s time to break free.

If the legal contract with an autonomous center is terminated we* are able to take a new step towards empowerment. The uprising takes shape and we can already feel it´s warmth, like numbed hands coming back to life in a mad tickling. We won´t complain no more, that the shitsystem as it is won´t let us have spaces of dissent. We understand that we will always have to fight for our politics, art and culture, since our ideas draw a line against the ruling class – razor sharp.

The autonomous center in Cologne has been the crystallization point of our debates and struggles in the last years – may all of it continue. The ideals that have been present in this house, for which we argued and which we celebrated, for which we had discussions and worked for, those ideals are independent of any rigid building. After all a building is just a small space in a world of force and oppression. [Read More]

OUR NEW HOME!

We’re really happy to tell you that the new home for the London Queer Social Centre is …..

63 Sancroft Street, London SE11 5UG – in an abandoned pub called The Duchy Arms. Here’s a map.

We’ve been working away at making it nice, and we think you’ll like it. It’s wheelchair-accessible (though without adapted toilets unfortunately), and has space for all the events we have planned, plus a nice outside area for smoking. We open on Saturday. Be sure to check our full programme of events, and come by and see us. [Read More]

The UK and French government have been trying to ‘free’ Calais of migrants for years through a strategy of tight surveillance at the border and relentless harassment by the police in town.

In Calais undocumented people, asylum seekers and refugees sleep wherever they can find shelter : in abandoned buildings, under bridges, in parks or the jungles in and around town. Evictions are frequent, leaving people of all ages to sleep rough.
[Read More]

Since 2010, the anti squat law is stating house owners would get fined if they leave their buildings empty for more than six months. Well, years later, not a single owner has been fined. That’s is no surprise knowing the City of Amsterdam. Parallel to that, 15% of office buildings in Amsterdam are officially empty. The reality would be the double.
Amsterdam is gearing up to evict squatters these coming days. The house on Swammerdamstraat 12 will be evicted for a fourth time in a few years. Let’s hope this ‘monument’ won’t make place to a sand yard for the coming years. Other squats in Amsterdam who received the eviction announcement are Bessemerstraat 23 (El Taller), Cornelis Drebbelstraat 35 (LaRage), Simon Stevinsstraat 25hs (Willem Beukels Alternatief).
On May 31st, activists and squatters were taking over the empty office building on the Jan Tooropstraat 29. The door magically opened and within minutes, the refugees from the Vluchtkerk moved in. Off course, Eberhard van der Laan the apathetic mayor was again forced to show a bit of concern. Lucky us, there weren’t any comment from the Dutch squatting expert Eric D. that day. [Read More]

On the 11th of June, 10am, on the day of the G8 protests Riot Police surrounded the squatted Beak Street Convergance Space, kettling many of the days protesters before they even got out of bed. Some estimates put the number of occupants at 200. That is 200 people who were prevented from attending the G8 demonstrating, and excercising their right to protest. The excuse that was given; they were searching for articles likely to cause criminal damage on the march. Although there has been vandalism in the past we must ask, why could they not have searched people on their way out? A crowbar or a hammer is not going to cause any damage sitting in a squat. For many, it was clear that the massive police presence had one aim: to shut down the organisation of the G8 march and prevent them from protesting.
[Read More]

Come on down and join us to reclaim an empty building in the heart of London’s West End, and turn it into a vibrant social centre for talks, films, food, socialising, information and action. The address is:

40 Beak Street, Soho, W1F 9RQ.

Just off Regent street, in between Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus tube stations. (It’s also right in the centre of the #J11 carnival against capitalism map.)

There is room for people to stay, but please bring your own sleeping bags and bedding. Also note this is NOT a party space (gigs during the week will take place in separate venues), and please respect the safer spaces policy which you can read here.

The building is brilliant but, having been neglected and left empty, it needs some work to make it into a great space for the week. We are right now hard at work repairing, cleaning, and making stuff beautiful. Come along and join in. Also here is a list of stuff we need:

Cordless Drill

Furniture (all kinds)

Carpet / tiles

Sawdust

BRAG IS BACK!

We found another beautiful, empty and lonely-looking building. Ze told us to bring all our queer friends and come party with hir forever. We said we’d do 2 weeks, and ze said fine I guess that’ll do.

We’ll tell you where ze is nearer the time obvs.

We’re running from June 22nd to July 6th as an alternative to Pride London, an event that has become increasingly alienating and depoliticised as it has become larger, feeding on funds from ugly banks and corporations.

We run everything for free, spend as little money as possible and make things back from donations.

There’s going to be a full schedule of events coming up over the next couple of weeks, including more instalments of the intersectionality series, queer cinema, street parties, queering anarchism, queers in squatting, Bash Back! street patrols, poetry and a queer literary salon. More things to be confirmed and full programme coming soon. [Read More]

A few days ago, we received a letter from the court summoning us to a civil trial against the Expropriated Bank in the Gracia hood of Barcelona. We did not know that there was a civil process opened against our space (Banc Expropiat de Gràcia), and so we did not expect this letter. The oral hearing will take place next Tuesday, June 11th — that is, in less than two weeks.
[Read More]

LA NAVE ESPACIAL is self-run Artistic Social Center that for the last five years has offered a free space for circus, music, theater and dance creation. Over the years we have successfully developed free workshops, cabarets, musical showcases, projections, expositions, family days and festivals (PobreNou, now in its fourth year).
On 01/06/2013 between 1:30 and 4:30am la Nave has experienced an urban police intervention, that we consider excessive and political, which ended in confiscation of all sound equipment, musical instruments and the light board. The amount of fine is yet to be found out.
[Read More]