Fresh squat evicted in Jyväskylä, Finland

from imc-dk, 3 April 2008:

Summer of squatting has been opened in Jyväskylä, Finland. Tuesday a group of people squatted a house in University grounds. They got evicted the next day, when the owner of the building, state owned Senaatti-kiinteistöt, wanted squatters out. But it's not over, it was only a start. All solidarity gestures are very welcome.

Tuesday April 1st, a group of people occupied an empty building on the Jyväskylä University campus area. Wednesday around 1pm the police, the fire department and an ambulance arrived at the venue, part of the police force in riot gear. The occupiers locked themselves inside the building and the police started the eviction late in the evening.

Communique from the squatters:
"On April 1st we occupied the former special pedagogy department "Polaari" on the campus of the Jyväskylä University, as an autonomous university and urban space. The building has been vacant for a long time. We plan to develop the squat as an autonomous student and cultural space. A people's kitchen opened up in the building on the very first day and an occupation party was held. The first house meeting, the highest deciding organ of the squat, was held immediately after the occupation. Everyone interested in the idea of an autonomous faculty are welcome in the house meetings. You get to participate simply by visiting the building. The university and urban spaces are in crisis. Many talk. We act."

The occupiers call themselves the "Autonomous Faculty" and oppose the university's and society's current trends with strong words in their handout, wanting to "build mutual space for autonomous studying, culture, hanging out, gatherings, plottings, meetings, inventing and loving."

However the owner of the building, state owned Senaatti-kiinteistöt, has asked the police to assist in clearing the building. The occupiers stated that they won't leave voluntarily but also that they will not violently resist the police. At around one p.m. about 25 police officers showed up, some in riot gear. The area was sealed off with police tape and an ambulance and a fire truck were also present.

Tuesday evening a guard assaulted a young person on his/her way home. The assaulted victim suffered injuries in the face, hands and knee.

The building is the "Polaari"-building situated in the campus of the university, which has been previously used by the department of special pedagogy. It has been vacant for more than a year due to repairs to improve the air inside the building.

The last time a building was publicly occupied in Jyväskylä was in 1991.

Source: Dark streets of Jyväskylä, "Autonomous Faculty", Takku.net, Valtamedia.net

[original article]

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