Home | Friday 13th March 2009 | Issue 668
SQUATS YER LOT
Bailiffs sneakily tried to get possession of the long lasting RampArts squatted social centre in east London on Thursday. Pretending to be security guards wanting to do a fire check – there had been a fire next door – upon gaining entry they then claimed to be forcibly evicting everyone and taking possession. When challenged they produced an eviction order from December 2007, which was no longer valid. The local bill appeared and the bailiffs started boarding up the windows while residents climbed back inside. After a two-hour stand off the cops retreated leaving the bailiffs and owner on their own facing the residents who now had their home back.
For more see http://therampart.wordpress.com
A few weeks back some Brighton locals reclaimed one of the numerous empty city centre shops and set about turning into a social space, which opened with a cultural night of music, films and an art exhibition. Days later bailiffs duly arrived and issued a 24-hour eviction notice using a spurious law. Locals rallied and the next day there were no bailiffs in sight. Then last Monday cops tried to get in on false pretences claiming to be somebody’s mate called ‘Phil’ and, when denied entry, unsuccessfully proceeded to try and kick the door in. Those inside recognised them as cops who had recently evicted another squat. See www.brightonfreespace.webs.com
With more and more empty buildings it’s a squatters’ market and now is the time to get on the ladder. But, as this week’s skullduggery shows, it pays to make sure who you let in. This weekend in Bristol is the National Squat Meet but as we go to press word has come through that police are trying to evict the newly opened space.
See http://squatmeet09.wordpress.com
