Squatting / Free Spaces / Protest Sites – Page 74

New Norwich Social Centre! Events update

The Where Will It Be Collective (WWIB) announce the opening of a social centre in a squatted building in Norwich city centre. Come and visit! Here’s the press release:

Press release
For immediate release 17 November 2007

Collective squats city centre building

A group calling itself the “Where Will It Be Collective” (WWIB) has announced the opening of a social centre in a squatted building in Norwich city centre. The Duke Street building is open for art exhibitions, music, workshops and many other activities.

The squatters, who have been advertising events under the slogan “Where Will It Be?” have announced that their occupation is protected under the 1977 Housing Act and have decorated the building with giant banners.

The Collective has made the following statement about their aims and intentions:

“The WWIB Collective hopes to create a place where anything can and will happen. We will run art shows, music events, a free shop and workshops on everything from climate change to bicycle repair.

“The Collective is creating a place that is truly free and truly democratic. It is free from corporate profits and authority. At a time when much of our city is dominated by expensive, commercial venues and chain stores, we want to show what can happen when people are given the space to entertain themselves.

“We are democratic in that we operate without leaders or committees – allowing all comers a say in what happens and how the centre operates.”

The Collective stated that it warmly welcomes visitors with refreshments by donation and will be promoting its events over the next few weeks.

Notes to editors
Further information on the Where Will It Be Collective and their events can be found at http://www.myspace.com/wherewillitbe, or by phoning 07944874393

The Where Will It Be Collective operates with a full equal opportunities policy and is actively opposed to any form of discrimination. The Collective is not affiliated to any political party.

—

* We now have a name! I am proud to formally announce the existence of Section Six Social Centre.

* On Saturday we held our inaugural gig, a well-attended and extremely convivial evening of acoustic music featuring Paul Gill and Sam Choi, Spidermilk and Twisted Routes. The evening was made a little more stressful than necessary by kids breaking stuff in an adjacent building and the police trying to hold us responsible and gain entry, but we managed to calm them down and have a great evening.

* On Sunday evening and Monday morning workmen and security from Dardan Security announced their intention to board up the front door, thereby preventing several people including three young children from exiting the building. Thankfully on both occasions the police were eventually persuaded that entombment of living people had potentially embarrassing legal consequences and asked them to stop working.

* Come and visit! We could really do with more people to help out and keep the rota staffed, especially during these early days of security paranoia.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday November 22nd, 4pm: Bike maintenance / repair workshop followed by bike related films New York Critical Mass and Belleville Rendezvous.

Friday November 23rd, 8pm: ’80s disco featuring the PortaParty.

Saturday November 24th, 8pm: Live bands Fletch Cadillac, Stem Cells, Skatabrain (tbc) +Ska DJ (tbc) + more (tbc)

Monday November 26th: Climate Change evening, including a showing of the environmental documentary “The Planet”.

Coming soon (we hope…):

* More gigs
* Capoeira

Protect Tasmania’s Old growth Forests

*Summer Campaign Update and Events 2008*

Tasmania angel on tripod *Summer Campaign Update and Events 2008*
*Southern Tasmania *

Hi all –

Its going to be a great summer to come to Tasmania and be involved in the campaign to protect Tasmania’s old growth forests!

It has been a huge year for the forests of Tasmania, particularly with the national emphasis on the proposed Bell Bay pulp mill. Despite huge community opposition to this proposal, it has been approved by both Federal and State Governments and building of the facility is scheduled to start in January 2008. However the community campaign against this environmentally polluting mill which will have a huge appetite for native forests continues.

So too does the unprecedented level of destruction of our southern Tasmanian old growth and high conservation level forests. The campaigns to protect the southern forests of the Weld Valley, the Styx Valley, and the Florentine Valley continue on and 2007 has seen more community based campaigning and direct action than ever.

Since the destruction of Camp Weld – the Pirate Ship Blockade – in November 2006, the whole of the valley has been declared an exclusion zone, shutting out the general public, however activists have not been deterred and have continued to keep the spotlight on the destruction. This year saw clear-felling on the World Heritage border in the Weld Valley, and forestry plan to build a road and bridge over the Weld River to open up 2000 hectares of untouched ancient forest for logging. This is the largest piece of rainforest in Southern Tasmania. This is planned to start in the next few months.

A road is also planned to be pushed 3km into the Picton opening up 2000 hectares to logging which used to be national park. Old growth logging is also continuing on in the Arve, Esperence and Little Denison Regions. The moratorium on the Florentine Valley ends at the time of the Federal election in November, meaning once again this majestic forest will be under attack. With the recent global focus on climate change, now more than ever we must protect our ancient forests as they play an integral role in climate change mitigation through their role of storing carbon.

We are all working incredibly hard in Tasmania to protect these ancient forests, however we need your help. Please consider coming to Tasmania this summer and supporting our campaign. Walk in the bush, witness the majesty of these forests before they are gone. Learn new skills, get informed about the issues and how you can help. Below is a list of summer events that you can take part in.

Can’t come to tassie but still want to help?? Then consider holding a film night or fundraiser. Distribute information and raise awareness in your own area. Become a member of the Huon Valley Environment Centre and be updated regularly. Make a donation. Check out the websites. Be part of what is an incredible community campaign! Email: centre@huon.org or campflorentine@gmail.com for more information.

*Southern Forests Convergence
January 18th – 20th
Forest Skillshare.*
Learn about the southern forest campaigns, forests and climate change and how you can help.
Speakers, workshops, films, music.
Camping. No Dogs.

*Gunn’s n Dozers
Lose Your Exclusion Tour
January 21st – 28th
Community Action Week*
Addressing Tasmania’s Southern Forests Exclusion Zones.
Including an RTS and Music Event.

*TAZ
D.I.Y Gathering
February 8th – 10th*
Electronic music, live performances, cabaret, films, workshops and more.
Kids welcome. Camping. No dogs.

*For more information:*
www.huon.org
www.myspace.com/stillwildstillthreatened
email:centre@huon.org or campflorentine@gmail.com
phone: 03 62641286

Huon Valley Environment Centre
www.huon.org

The Huon Valley Environment Centre is a grassroots, not for profit, volunteer run charity based in the Huon Valley, Southern Tasmania. The centre opened 6 years ago as a result of huge community concern over the devastation of local forests, which form a huge part of the majesty and magic of Tasmania’s unique landscape. Since then it has been at the forefront of the campaign to protect these ancient forests in Southern Tasmania.

The Environment Centre facilitates a community working space, an eco-shop and library, a community awareness raising campaign, film nights, musical events, fundraising events, festivals, direct action, lobbying, information
stalls, and the Black Sassy Art collective.

The Huon Valley Environment Centre is one of the Gunns 20 defendants, and is currently being sued by the woodchipping giant Gunns Ltd. for over half a million dollars for standing up for Tasmania’s ancient forests.

300 on the streets of Helsinki for squat Elimäki – International Days Of Action For Squats & Autonomous Spaces – April 08

Helsinki, Finland: We get more time – 300 on the streets of Helsinki for squat Elimäki

Thursday was a day of victory for the squatting scene in Helsinki. 300 people defied the really shitty weather and gathered to demonstrate at the Youth Department of the city to show their support to the social centre Elimäki, aka squat E15.

Helsinki, Finland: We get more time – 300 on the streets of Helsinki for squat Elimäki

The Youth Department of Helsinki had gathered to decide on whether to rent the squatted house on Elimäenkatu (Elimäkistreet) to be used as a social centre for the youth of the city. This was the second time officials from the city came together to decide on the issue. After postponing the decision at their first meeting a month ago the board now unanimously decided to investigate the real condition of our house. The decision can be understood as an official recognition of the importance to have an autonomous space in Helsinki.

The house on Elimäenkatu has been deemed in very bad condition by the officials of the city. The statement has been supported by no real measurements or data whatsoever and on the contrary been proved wrong by the investigations we ourselves have made. This fact got recognized by the board of the Youth Department in their decision to appoint a private construction firm to investigate further on the matter.

The solution that the squatters and some people from the city have been working on is to have the house rented by the Youth Department to be used as an autonomous social centre. The house has been in this use since it was squatted in the beginning of August. After a long period of bad events on our issue the outlook is now better. But it would be overtly optimistic to say that if the investigations on our house turn out to be good the city would support us. During the last months the politicians and officials of the city have been changing their statements on whether to legalise the house or not on a daily basis. The Finnish media does not follow the game in the side-scenes where politicians and officials are manipulating each other to topple our project. We are far from securing the only social centre in Helsinki but much closer than before.

However the situation of Squat E15 develops the squatting scene in Helsinki and other Finnish cities is now stronger than ever before. We are constantly growing in numbers and a support demo of 300 people (or more) is more than we ever could have mustered half a year ago. We now have recognition for our needs and will not give up until we have this house or an equally good place guaranteed to us. Last but not least the international support we have been getting (Ghent, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Tallinn and Malmö as far as we know) means a lot to a small
but growing scene like ours. The struggle for free spaces continues!

Love and solidarity
Social centre Elimäki
www.valtaus.org

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On Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of April 2008, we call for two days of demonstration, direct action, public information, street-party, squatting… in defence of free spaces and for an anti-capitalist popular culture. Through these two days, we want to help create more visibility of autonomous spaces and squats as a european/global political movement. We want to develop interconnections and solidarity between squats and autonomous spaces. We want to keep linking our spaces with new people and new struggles, and support the creation of autonomous spaces in places where there has not been a history of this kind of action. We want to build, step by step, our ability to overcome the wave of repression falling on us.

We call for decentralised and autonomous actions of all kinds, depending on what people feel to be the most appropriate to their local context. You’ll find below the political content we wish to give to these two days.

= We are everywhere…

For centuries, people have used squats and autonomous spaces, either urban or rural, to take control of their own lives. They are a tool, a tactic, a practice, and a way for people to live out their struggles. For decades, squat movements across Europe and beyond have fought capitalist development, contributing to local struggles against destruction; providing alternatives to profit-making and consumer culture; running social centres and participatory activities outside of the mainstream economy. Demonstrating the possibilities for self-organising without hierarchy; creating international networks of exchange and solidarity. These networks have changed many lives, breaking out of social control and providing free spaces where people can live outside the norm.

Among other things, these places provide bases for meetings and projects, for the creation and distribution of subversive culture, for the non-monetary based exchange of goods, resources and knowledge, for experimentating with new ways of living, for collective debates, for recycling and construction, for agricultural activities, for the production of independant media.

Whether we speak of urban squats or of purchased land, of negotiated or re-appropriated rural land, of restored factories or self-built buildings, these spaces are refuges for rebels and outlaws, poor and homeless people, radical activists, illegal immigrants. Social centres are crucial to us as part of a movement for social change.

= All over Europe, repressive agendas are being pushed by governments

They are attacking long-standing autonomous spaces such as the Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen, Koepi and Rigaer Straße in Berlin, EKH in Vienna and Les Tanneries in Dijon, squatted social centres in London and Amsterdam, Ifanet in Thessaloniki, etc. In France, squats have become a priority target for the police after the anti-CPE movement and the wave of actions and riots that happened during the presidential elections period. In Germany, many autonomous spaces have been searched and attacked before the G8 summit. In Geneva and Barcelona, two old and big squatting “fortresses”, the authorities have decided to try to put an end to the movement. Whereas it is still possible to occupy empty buildings in some countries, it has already become a crime in some others. In the countryside, access to land is becoming harder and communes face increasing problems from legislation on hygiene, security and gentrification by the bourgeoisie and tourists. All over Europe, independent cultures are being threatened.

Several months ago we saw running battles in the streets of Copenhagen and actions everywhere in Europe in an explosion of anger at the eviction of the Ungdomshuset social centre. Since then, and with a few other big resistance stories that happened over the last months, we’ve managed to renew the meaning of international solidarity.

We are motivated by the same passions, we feel the same determination, face a common enemy in repression, and are united across borders by our desire to build a world of equality and self-determination. As unaligned and ungovernable islands of uncontrolled freedom we want to continue to act in solidarity, and strengthen our international links, no matter how many kilometres there are between us.

= Issues beyond the actions

We also would like these days of actions to enable and inspire discussion, to demonstrate various possibilities & strategies, to be an occasion to share skills. These are some of the issues we would like to push:
* what do we expect from and understand by autonomous spaces?
* What is their role in the pursuit of radical social change?
* Where do they lie on the scale of’alternative’ to ‘confrontational’?
* share information on the range of activities that take place in autonomous social spaces along with ideas for how to make them work;
*question the production of goods and services; and encourage the exchange of knowledge particularly between the town and the countryside.
* share experiences, inspire each other, find out how others live collectively, and their activities, alternative economic exchange systems…
* share various ways of getting spaces all over europe: illegal occupations, Do It Yourself constructions, wagenburgs, buying collectively, free contracts…
* share practical resources and a feeling of solidarity between:
different users of autonomous spaces (either current or potential): co-operatives, people without papers, activists, travellers, immigrants, urbanites, rural dwellers, small farms;
different ways of using spaces; activities for the community, meeting area for groups, living spaces;
* enable the forming of common strategies when faced with state repression or eviction;

= Who are we, how can we collaborate on this project, and make it happen?

At the moment, we are a group of people involved with various autonomous spaces around Europe, who decided to start discussing this call. We’ll meet various collectives in the coming months and see how people feel about this proposal for european days of action, and how they want to get involved. Its success depends a lot on our capacity to create a bigger international working group. This would mean everybody who wanted to take part into it would try to start discssing the idea in various spaces, creating and distributing some propaganda materials and networking information about what’s going on near them during those days. We would also like to organize a physical meeting about all this in the upcoming months. Get in touch!

= Materials

Flyers etc can be found on our website. Please download the PDF file, print it and spread it around squats and autonomous spaces in your area.

= Preparation meeting

The success of this call now depends upon our capacity to create a bigger international working group. The whole event will happen without any “central commitee”, and will be made of a various autonomous decentralised actions. Still, we think it is important to have a physical meeting, in order to exchange ideas and strategies, discuss the contents of the call, see how to create common information tools around that project, how to connect and help the various local initiatives.
Thus, we’re calling for an international preparation & coordination meeting on November 24th & 25th 2007, in the autonomous space “Les Tanneries”, located in Dijon, France. It is a squatted social centre in a post-industrial environment, occupied since 1998. Thanks to years of struggle against the city council owning the buildings, the project has reached a certain degree of stability. It hosts a collective house, a gig room, a hacklab, a free shop, an infoshop, a collective garden, a library…

We hope that many of you will be able to join. Please tell us a bit in advance if you’re planning to come, so that we get an idea of the number of people we have to accomodate and plan food for. You’re very welcome to pass this invitation to squats and autonomous spaces that you know.

= Getting in touch & helping out

Please get in touch, by writing to april2008 at squat dot net. Any help with translations in whatever languages is greatly appreciated.
http://april2008.squat.net/

Occupation Struggles Heat Up In Reading – Common Ground Community Garden

Press Release (For Immediate Release):
THREE ARRESTED @ COMMON GROUND!

At 11am on Monday 5th November, three people were stopped by police in an unmarked police car whilst removing boarding from the entrance of the Common Ground Community Garden in Katesgrove. Carl, one of the arrestees, explained that he told the police officer he was “removing the boarding of the community garden so that the community could use the garden”. “The police officer then called the council,” said carl, and “I overheard that the council official wanted the police to arrest us so that they could have a photo of our faces”. The three young men were arrested for ‘attempted burglary’ and ‘going equipped’, hand cuffed and taken to Reading police station where they were added to the ever growing Police DNA database and then held in custody cells for almost eight hours. One of them commented that he could see his teaching career go down the drain as he sat in the cell.

Press Release (For Immediate Release):
THREE ARRESTED @ COMMON GROUND!

The Common Ground Community Garden Collective had decided to reopen the garden despite council opposition. Since the council regained control over the garden site it has returned to being vandalised and criminal groups have been entering the derelict houses to steal copper piping and lead from the roofs. “We want this damage to stop” said local resident Stu. “Having the community garden open here stopped 5 years of crime, vandalism and decay. Two weeks of council control threatened to reverse that. So on Sunday we repaired the fences and benches, secured the buildings and tidied the litter up. Opening up the front entrance was the last thing we needed to do to reopen the garden for public use”.

After eight hours in custody the young men were questioned. “When the police finally understood that we were gaining access to the garden from the road, not one of the buildings, they dropped the case and let us go”. One officer said to Carl “we dont have a problem with you doing good things for the community”.

This is a prime example of how important it is for people to know their legal rights in the face of police officers and other authorities who often do not know or care.

Common Ground Collective now have new plans to continue our fight, to find out more or get involved or offer your help please email us at:

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk

Thanks!

http://www.myspace.co.uk/common_ground_garden

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In Reading, as the entire town is flogged off to international money-men and and the needs of the people go ignored, its difficult to make the priorities and forces running our neighbourhoods and our world, and the injustice that results, more obvious. But two ongoing struggles in the Katesgrove area of the town do just that.

Common Ground Community Garden was created early this year by local residents, squatters and activists on derelict council owned land. For five years the council had left three buildings and the surrounding land in Silver Street as a junkyard, filled with trash and needles. When a cut in council funding meant that the voluntary ‘Womens Information Centre’ next door also became derelict, squatters moved in, and quickly decided to do something about the site next to them. From January to May, they worked directly-democratically, using recycling and the generosity of neighbours and family to create a community garden.

Two days before the opening day on May 19th, Reading Council began to respond in the same way they planned to carry on: with criminalisation and threats. Of course, the collective also set their tone: resistance! The council secured an injunction banning the open day and up to 200 local residents ignored it, enjoying the garden, live music and a BBQ. The council then secured an injunction banning the daily opening of the garden and the holding of community events. Yet every day for the next five months the garden was open to all, and has been enjoyed by many local residents of all ages and colours. Some even took the initiative to regularly work in the garden, weeding and cutting the grass. Meanwhile more community BBQ’s were held throughout the summer. The council then obtained an eviction order to evict the squatters and close down the garden. Twice, in June and August, local residents and activist friends mobilised to defend the garden, and both times the council chickened out. Finally, on October 18th council officials and baillifs, backed up by cops, evicted the squatters and dragged one local resident (also an AFer) from the garden, before boarding the site up.

However, it aint over yet! Since that day, the buildings have been repeatedly re-opened by squatters and re-sealed by builders, pissing the council off no end. Less-positively the garden began to return to the state of disrepair it was in a year ago, as vandalism and theft crept back in. So, this week, people involved in Common Ground decided to re-open the garden – an act which is not illegal. However, since when has the law ever mattered to people in power? Cops in an ummarked car arrested the three gardeners half way through their task. When they phoned the council to ask if they wanted the gardeners arrested, the reply overheard was “yes, so we can get a photo of their faces”. The three were nicked for ‘attempted burglary and going equipped’ before being added to the DNA database and held in the cells for eight hours. Eventually, after explaining to the interviewing cops that they werent breaking into a building, but opening the garden (as they had originally explained to the arresting officers!), the three were released without charge.

The reasons for the councils attacks on this wondeful community initiative are obvious: They want to privatise the site, dumping their responsibility to use land to fulfill social needs and facilitating a developer making huge profits. The company in question is named Unite, and plan to build private student accomodation (renowned for ripping students off), despite the university holding two student halls buildings empty round the corner so they can flog them for development into more unnafordable flats – its all about profit over people. Despite this, Common Ground aim to offer their services to the authorities as ‘caretakers’ for the site, while planning a campaign against the development and for a directly-democratic process for the community to decide what happens to the site long-term. In addition, they plan to re-open the garden next weekend for a one-day community event.

Meanwhile a little way down the road, similar processes are at work, as profiteering bosses are seeking the eviction of up to 40 squatters. Townsend House is a 53 bedroom building, in the same area as Common Ground which was originally run by a charity as a shelter for vulnerable women. However, in what looks like a seriously dodgy deal, the building was ‘internally’ sold in 2006 to the charities parent company for less than £100,000 and the women were re-housed by the council! The property then stood empty for a year before being squatted in June this year. Since then it has become home to a diverse community of people, including migrants, families with children, unemployed or retired workers and assorted young people. It is organised through weekly assemblies, and though definitely not perfect, it is an interesting example of a self-managed community.

Of course, now the corporation wants it back, ironically claiming they want to ‘house vulnerable people’! A recent court hearing gave the squatters a three week adjournment, but no doubt the law will protect the bosses ‘property rights’ over the needs of the residents in the end. However, it looks possible that the residents could resist eviction through direct-action if legal means fail, and local activists could lend their support.

For more info or to offer your support and help to either of these projects please contact

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk
defendtownsendhousehotmail.co.uk

Autumn EF! Action Update out – and advance notice of the Winter Moot, 22-24 February (gathering of eco-activists), Nottingham

The latest issue of the quarterly EF!AU was dished up at the Anarchist Bookfair – bursting at the seams, it had to be turned into a bumper issue, with a round-up of the actions around the time of the Camp for Climate Action, plus loads of action reports from around the world since then – from pieing oil executives, blockading garages & airports, polar bears locking-on, sabotage, prisoners, occupied spaces, digger-diving, GM crop-trashing, to cake and the cunning use of mung beans (oh, and of course, much much more).

Download it to print out and share here. Do get in touch with the editorial collective to let them know if you’re dishing it up round your way, or need paper copies, or want to give them one of the rarer ingredients, dosh (to send it to prisoners, protest camps and far beyond) – their contact details and more are here

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The EF! Winter Moot will happen from 22nd – 24th February 2008, in Nottingham – more details nearer the time, as this is just advance notice.

It’s a gathering for environmental activists – in the past, it’s been a chance for people involved in all kinds of ecological direct action to get together for a weekend indoors to chat about where things are at in the UK, and so improve all aspects of how we work together, in order to take direct action in defence of the earth.

Contact 0845-0223 5254 for more info

Activists set up “Camp Hope” at Gloucester Airport

Activists have set up Camp Hope at Gloucester Airport in a protest over proposed expansion and increased aviation at Staverton in Gloucester

Peaceful protest against the airport’s impacts on noise, the environment, and the area’s image

The airport claims “only a small minority are opposed to the development,” Come and show them that you are not part of a small minority by making your voice heard.

This campaign is about more than an airport. It is about our resolve to adapt to climate change.

You can come and camp for the weekend, or just come for the Saturday or Sunday.

For more information email CampForTheFuture@btinternet.com

Take Action at Camp Hope 20th/21st October. A Climate Camp @ Staverton Airport, Gloucestershire.

Camp Hope 20th/21st October, Staverton Airport, Gloucestershire Airport

At a location close to the airport, see

http://www.myspace.com/campofhope

http://CampForHopeAtStaverton.blogspot.com/

More images can be found at http://www.radical-images.co.uk
and on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/radical_images/sets/72157602561523510/

New Ring Fort discovered at hill of Tara-activist arrested, plus reminder of Samhain action & celebration weekend

October 19, 2007

URGENT

Calling out for support NOW and for the rest of the day at main gate Soldiers Hill N3.

2 Protestors are locked on to a tripod and are not moving until an independent archaeological survey is carried out on the newly revealed site.

October 19, 2007

URGENT

Calling out for support NOW and for the rest of the day at main gate Soldiers Hill N3.

2 Protestors are locked on to a tripod and are not moving until an independent archaeological survey is carried out on the newly revealed site.

Please bring banners, leaflets, warm and waterproof clothing, phone credit, cameras, video equipment, food and water.

SPREAD THE WORD, CONTACT ALL MEDIA.

Thank you

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Reminder: Tara the Great Feast and Samhain celebration Oct31/Nov3rd

Samhain Celebration and big Actions come and revel and resist,calling out to all up for it possee.

Calling ALL PEOPLE to the defence of the Tara Valley, Ireland.
Halt the destruction of this ancient sacred site by the proposed M3 Motorway. We need you NOW! Diggers are destroying this World Heritage site NOW.

We invite you to come to the Hill of Tara and celebrate Samhain, Wed. Oct31st-Sat. Nov.3rd, the ancient Celtic New Year.
As well as havin it actions on Thurs Nov1st and Fri 2nd.
Also a regular monday route walk and action,digger diving and free adrenalin rush.

Experienced activists urgently needed,tree house builders,tunnelers,techies,networkers,media spinners,and midnight pixie commandos.

Dust off your climbing harness and come,all help and support appreciated.
If u cant make it to Tara,network where u are,organise a benefit,film showing,network flyers email the EU commissioner Stavros Dimos info on websites below.

Also to come and support ongoing actions throughout the coming year.
The tide is turning the resistance grows these road building culture destroying crazies aint seen nothing yet.The people are awakening,hear the call of the Ancestors

Please download flyer and posters,from www.tarapixie.net. or view info on www.circlecommunity.org ( Liftshares are available from London,Bristol,Brighton,Wales check website above)
Email to all contacts on your network.
Print copies and distribute, particularly in public places community centres and libraries.
Network it to the maximum.Thanks from Tara Support.

For more information

www.tarapixie.net www.tarawatch.org
www.circlecommunity.org www.savetara.com
www.indymedia.ie www.indymedia.org.uk

Posters and flyers downloadable from www.tarapixie.net

tarasupport@googlemail.com

“Common Ground” Community Garden Finally Evicted

Report on Thursday 18th Octobers eviction of Common Ground Community Garden.

It seems it was “fourth time lucky” for Reading Borough Council bailiffs today, when they finally realised that it’s not a good idea to inform anarcho-commies (and other assorted revolutionary reprobates) 2 weeks in advance if you want to evict them from council land. Arriving unannounced at 9.00am this morning, they began by evicting our squatting neighbours, giving us enough time to form an impromptu resistance of 3 people.

Report on Thursday 18th Octobers eviction of Common Ground Community Garden.

This reporter arrived at 10.00am, to find approximately 8 police, 4 bailiffs, 4 council representatives and a bunch of burly builders boarding up buildings. Council bailiffs had kicked a large hole in our garden fence, which they left unguarded. After a short consultation we decided to climb through it, sit in our garden and peacefully resist. This reporter is ashamed to say that his resistance lasted a matter of minutes, before he was convinced to leave the garden rather than face the possibility of arrest. The resilience of his comrades was somewhat more respectable.

Leaving the garden, he discovered that the 8 police had left just as the fun seemed to be starting, begging the question “why had they come in the first place?”

Bailiffs and council employees attempted to use diplomacy (a facet for which they are not well known) to convince the remaining two gardeners to leave. Both refused, and there ensued a minor kafuffle. A charming gentleman, sporting a fashionable red coat (pictured) blocked our photographer from taking any pictures of this. At one point, he even attempted to steal the camera prompting the question “What the fuck are you doing?”. He immediately desisted in his kleptomaniac-like actions, but refused to stand aside and allow further pictures to be taken of this incident.

By this time, there was but one comrade remaining in the garden. Council employees and bailiffs, unsure what to do about this final potential menace, decided to call for back-up. After a wait of 15 minutes, a riot van arrived containing 2 of Thames Valleys finest, aka da Five-0, da Fuzz, da Filth, da Feds aka PC 5479 A Hunt, PC 5292.

The officers of the law entered the garden and a new arrival from our group followed them. He was asked to leave, with the promise of some conversation, which he did not get. Once again we were down to one solitary individual, peacefully refusing to leave. The officers of the law asked him to move on; he refused. This called for extreme solutions: one police man got on the phone and asked his boss what he should do. The answer was clearly “do nothing”, for that is what they did….

It seemed that no police or bailiffs actually wanted to arrest our “last man standing”. Perhaps they realised the potential danger that they would be putting themselves in (for he is a 3rd dan black belt in origami…), but more likely there was nobody that was prepared to be “the one that arrested a gardener”. In any case, it eventually fell to a gentleman from the council to forcibly pick him up and remove him from the garden. This signalled the end of our resistance, and we called it a day.

At the time of going to press, several ideas are being floated about to keep up the momentum and build upon the community spirit that Common Ground has created so far. Needless to say, this is not the last that Reading Borough Council will hear from us, and it may not be the last time we set foot in our garden

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Common Ground Community Garden – on squatted land in Silver Street, Katesgrove – was evicted Friday morning. This is the third eviction attempt, the previous two, which the council announced in advance, were met with strong local resistance.

At about 9am on 18th October 2007 council officials, bailliffs, police and PCSO’s arrived, and council officials broke down the door to number 6 Silver Street (ex-Womens Information Centre). Police and officials entered the property and evicted the two people living there. They also broke a hole in the garden fence.

Around this time a couple of local residents, who have worked and relaxed in the community garden over the past 10 months, arrived on the scene, asking questions and attempting to take photographs of the event. After the eviction teams plans to “board-up” the garden were overheard, two more local people who have worked in Common Ground arrived.

Three people entered the garden and sat at a table, before council officials entered and told them to leave. An argument followed as the residents demanded that the community should be asked what it wanted to happen to the site, rather than a development being imposed without consultation, while council officials simply replied “its private property” – as if this is more important than social and environmental concerns or local democracy. When told “This isn’t right and you know it!”, officials replied “You may have a moral argument, but by the law this is right”. Surely there is something wrong with law when it conflicts with what is morally right or with local democracy?

One council official began to get aggressive and pulled one person’s seat from underneath them, throwing it across the garden. He then started shoving the resident and squaring up to him, while the resident stood his ground and asked the official his name. Eventually, two residents had to leave the garden for personal reasons, while one remained. Officials asked him to leave again, before asking the police, who had left, to return.

The Police once again asked the resident to leave, to avoid “embarrassment”, only to be told “I’m not embarrassed to defend this garden”. Eventually, following discussions between the council and the police, a reluctant council official was told to use reasonable force to evict the person. The protester was physically lifted and dragged out of the garden, before builders fitted boards over the garden gate and over the hole in the fence.

This is definitely not the end, and Common Ground Collective will discuss various options over the weekend.

The Council have stated in press releases and in the recent full council meeting that offers of alternative land had been rejected ‘out of hand’ by the gardeners. This is a misleading statement. Common Ground gave careful consideration to the offers and, as a group, agreed to continue defend the garden where it is, and push for a local democratic process where the community would decide what happens to the site long term.

However, individuals involved in Common Ground have begun engaging in discussion with local councillors and the Katesgrove Residents Association to discuss the viability of creating other community gardens on the land offered by the council. It should be pointed out however, that both alternatives are not without immediate problems as one is very small and slopes down to the river making it potentially dangerous, and the other is not wholly owned by the council. The identity of the part owner in the latter case is seemingly unknown. But all options will be considered and pursued as far as they can go.

Thanks for all support we have recieved over the last year, we’ll be back!

katesgrovegarden(AT)yahoo.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/common_ground_garden

Activist Film Festival is seeking submissions

Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.

Subject: Political Activist videos wanted
From: undercurrents

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OF FILMS

FOR BEYONDTV FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 2007

What is BEYONDTV?
From November 28 to December 2, 2007, Radical media charity, Undercurrents will host the 8th annual BEYONDTV festival of political documentaries, animations and music videos from inspiring media directors.

Undercurrents is calling for submissions of short videos and animations on the theme of the festival: social justice and environmental action.

Important Note: We do not screen dramas using actors

BEYONDTV will be hosted at the Dylan Thomas Centre and Taliesin Cinema Swansea from November 28 – December 2, 2007

More details at http://www.beyondtvfestival.info
beyondtv@undercurrents.org

Undercurrents
Old Exchange
Pier st
Swansea
SA1 1RY
UK

Brighton police make early morning raid against squat.

16.10.2007
At 4am Brighton police demanded squatters leave a new squat on Franklin road. Despite resistance by 5am the squatters had been evicted by the police, who were acting unlawfully without a court order.

The police refused to acknowledge the ‘Section 6’ notice and said they were ignorant of the law, even though the group of squatters had been previously evicted by the some of the same police recently.

There was a dog unit, 4 squad cars, drugs unit, and 2 undercover/civil cars (whose registration plates were noted), as well as a senior officer who was overheard saying that he would personally not tolerate squatting in Brighton. Not really a surprise there.

3 coppers kicked the door in, whilst 8 squatters resisted their efforts. Whilst this was happening the pigs laughed and joked about going holiday outside.

When the squatters were hauled out of the building they were threatened with arrest for not paying electricity or water bills. When the cops saw that there was 8 people, they couldn’t be bothered with the paper work and just took peoples names instead.

The squatters argued with the cops for half an hour until they were threatened with detention, as the squatters left the area with the few possessions they could manage to take from the disused building which had been empty for the last 3 years, they were followed and harrassed by undercover police for about an hour.

It comes as no surprise that the police don’t follow the law, they are an armed gang protecting what they think is normal society, but it is clear that if they think kicking young homeless people out into the rain at 4am is normal, they got a lot to learn.

Right now we are not going to give up squatting, because we have no choice, but organising ourselves against the pigs, landlords and politicians is the best adventure going right now – and we sure as hell ain’t going to work for a living!

We won’t stop squatting until the pigs fly off a cliff !

Squatters Association of Brighton