26 September: The battle over the derelict Newtown squat that sold for $1.725 million last weekend has broken into a bitter war of words, with inflammatory messages from both sides posted throughout the building.
Warnings aimed at the new owners have been spray-painted across the facade with the words “Be careful what you bid for” and “Yuppies, developers, investors beware”.
23 September: At some stage on Saturday night or early Sunday morning “Evict the rich” and “Developers f— off our city” were spray-painted across the windows of Cooley Auctions headquarters in Double Bay. The locks of the office were also filled with super glue.
Damien Cooley, from Cooley Auctions suggested the incident could be related to the scheduled auction of 164-166 Wilson Street, Newtown, a warehouse in Newtown that had been used as a long-running squat. It sold for $1,725,000 under the hammer.
“As well as spray-painting all sorts of colourful words they also spray-painted a symbol,” Mr Cooley said of the vandals. He said the symbol, an O with a zig-zag through the middle, also featured on a banner that appeared outside the Newtown squat.
Last month police evicted squatters from the warehouse. They had reportedly been occupying the building since 2001. The squatters were given notice ahead of their eviction and had left the premises by the time police arrived. At the time, several residents told Fairfax Media they had belongings locked inside the property. Continue reading “Sydney: real estate agency vandalised, Hat Factory sold, man arrested”
16 September: They had stocked the kitchen with food, hauled in crate-loads of belongings and even brought their tortoiseshell cat.
But the two-month long rent-free bliss enjoyed by a group of squatters at Millers Point ended abruptly on Tuesday, as the state government pushed ahead with its plan to empty the harbourside suburb of vulnerable residents.
The small group of 20-somethings left the Argyle Place property about midday after being ordered out by police.
The Argyle Place property “is being prepared for sale”, officials said. Banners draped from the balcony read “Millers Point Not 4 Sale” and “Communities Not Commodities”.
Tayce, a 27-year-old squatter who declined to give her last name, said the eviction was a “farce”. “I’m homeless – there are so many people on the waiting list for [public] housing and this house was empty for two years,” she said. “There is nothing wrong with the house, it’s beautiful. I don’t think houses should be sitting empty.” The house was connected to electricity and, despite a bit of mould, was otherwise “amazing”, Tayce said.
About four squatters had occupied the terrace house after finding the back door unlocked and the property empty. Squatters are also known to be occupying other homes in the area.
Scores of properties at Millers Point are lying idle as the government embarks on a two-year program to evict public housing tenants and sell hundreds of homes. The first four sales well exceeded price guides and netted the government $11.1 million. Continue reading “Sydney: Squatters evicted from Millers Point”
On the poster written about Pandang Raya inhabitants who are now living in the shelter, they need help. It can be read on the poster. The slogan said “Pandang Raya Haven’t Lost!” They need donation such as money, medicines, clothes, bed, etc. Contact person is written on the poster.
Friday 12 September, at 5 o’clock in the morning. Pandang Raya inhabitants and other rebels, build a barricade across the street with wood, tires, and rocks. At 6am, there’s appearance of pigs without uniform watching the blockade. Two of them watching the blockade close by. About an hour more, police vehicles filled with 600 pigs in uniform, including 365 the notorious Brimob (special police–my ass).
Not long after that the battle began: Pandang Raya combatants throw molotovs, rocks, and other traditional weapon (such as arrows). The resistance were responded by huge blows of water canons and after that, large numbers of gangsters, who claimed that they got orders from Court of Law tried to entered the fights but were denied by the pigs because they don’t carry their ID’s.
At 8.30 the pigs have successfully break the resistance. Other combatants have successfully fled from police arrest. But 9 person were arrested.
Afterwards, several years of organizing side by side with anti-authoritarians, leftist, and other organisations; creating library and meeting place; in which Pandang Raya have already become their own ‘Cinema Paradiso’, have been destroyed to the ground entirely using big excavators and other heavy machines. The last stand and they were lost.
Ps: Rich people and their politicians, and also with their dogs or pigs in uniform, wanted Pandang Raya to be developed for their business purposes due to its strategic geographical location in the city.
31 July 2014- Australia: A known squat in the territory known as Sydney has been evicted
Some courageous occupiers and supporters made the decision to barricade and defend as much as they could a space full of history, dreams and resistance.
The autonomous, liberated social centre known as the Hat Factory has for over at least 12 years hosted hundreds of events and people in its quarters – encouraging creativity, mutual aid, rebelliousness and respect.
At the time of its eviction, the Hat Factory was known for is great fundraisers, library, its free shop, where people could come and find free clothes and a whole array of tools and facilities to take care of spaces and each other.
1 August: The group evicted from an iconic Newtown squat and community hub this week have vowed to find a new base.
Dozens of police donned riot gear to search the premises after smashing in the now boarded up doors of the Hat Factory Social Centre shortly after 3.30pm on Thursday afternoon. Many were wearing helmets and several in white police jump suits.
Two Aboriginal flags and several home-made banners had been unfurled along the property earlier in the week. One declared the property “reclaimed community space”.
Reading from a statement prepared by the group, resident Jack Summers-Webb said the eviction was difficult for residents, who intended to continue to reclaim unused buildings.
325, 23 October: … Yesterday when I was cooking, me and subcommandante ***** heard about some eviction quite near to Pandan Raya, in Mapanyukki. We heard in the radio that two of the police were severely injured by molotov cocktails and we rushed to the place. But by the time we get there its all tear gas and the confrontation have calmed down, but you can see how the police forces were very large, including some military trucks, it was a full force eviction. But the occupants fought very hard too. The little boys fights with arrows, molotov cocktails, the women, rocks, but the tear gas easily dispersed them. I can still feel the pain in my eyes as we passed through the former battleground. This eviction grew unease to the comrades because its like signal for Pandan Raya as the next target. …
18 April: From Stuff: More than 100 protesters were gathered outside a police station in that Auckland suburb of Glen Innes tonight to demonstrate against what they say was excessive force used against them by police.
Contractors started work on April 2 to remove 40 state houses from Silverton Ave, Glenn Innes, and last night police and protesters clashed as houses were moved from two properties.
A woman required hospital treatment and witnesses have claimed police were heavy handed, something they deny.
Protesters, which included affected tenants, the Tamaki Housing Group, Occupy Auckland and Mana Maori, tonight picketed and chanted “Our civil rights are under attack! Stand up! Fight back!”.
Marion Peta claims six protesters were “manhandled” by officers last night.
“It’s my first experience with being pushed around like that. They were so rough with us and they walked over us. Police absolutely over reacted.”
Police have not addressed the protesters.
A woman needed hospital treatment after a confrontation between protesters and police in Glen Innes last night where activists including John Minto were arrested.
The Argyle Place property “is being prepared for sale”, officials said. Banners draped from the balcony read “Millers Point Not 4 Sale” and “Communities Not Commodities”.
