DAM SQUATTERS

Amsterdam’s squatters aren’t taking the new anti-squatting laws (see SchNEWS 741) lying down. In answer to the new eviction policy 800 squatters and sympathisers demonstrated on October 1st.

One house was immediately squatted and the demo remained for a while to support and celebrate this first “illegal squatting action”. The protest was later violently attacked by police on foot and horse-back - which was initially resisted and pushed back - but eventually managed to split the demo. This didn’t stop the squatters from fighting back and taking over the streets, which resulted in riots for several hours in Amsterdam’s inner city. For the first time in a decade cops used tear gas.

Since Friday riot cops, special military police, water cannons and helicopters have been stationed throughout the city. The strategy seems to be one of keeping all the squatters in a constant state of emergency, leading to a rising tension in the city which the police are not used dealing with. People are expecting the first eviction wave to begin soon.

* Put http://indymedia.nl through Google translator