Social Centres / Free Spaces

from email, 21 April 2008: Responding to the threatened eviction of the Hackney Social Centre people turned up prepared to resist. Those inside the centre climbed on the roof and raised the black flag as well as dropping a number of banners.

After sitting around for probably 3 hours news filtered through that some bailiffs had been and said they would be back at some point before Friday. Soon after this there was word that the police were outside the Wominspace so we all bailed down there to check it out. The cops had left when we got there so there was more tea and some bike fixing.

The Hackney Social Centre is still under threat, it now looks like the bailiffs could turn up at any time so be ready. more

from email, 15 April 2008: After this last weekend's decentralised actions for squats and autonomous spaces we'll be having a follow-up event at the new Bowl Court social centre on Saturday 19th April 2008. It will be a chance to hear about what went on in other cities in the UK and elsewhere in the world. More importantly it will be a chance for people from different spaces to get together (everyone was too busy during the days of action themselves) and discuss some of the issues raised. more

from mcraz, 14 April 2008: "Kesselberg, Berlin 24th - 26th May 2008 - The time and the place for the meeting in May are now fixed. The Second International Squatters and Autonomous Spaces meeting will be from the 24th to the 26th of May 2008 on the Kesselberg near Berlin. We of course have some ideas and have included the suggestions already made in Dijon, but the agenda is open and in the end determined by the people who come..." more

updated 15 April 2008: A Call for decentralized days of action for squats and autonomous spaces has mobilized a number of actions throughout Europe so as to promote and disperse the ideas and ideals that created such places. Their role in the autonomous movements, the experiment and projection of ideal communities and practices and other subjects are to be the main core around which discussions and other events will take place on the 11th and 12nd of April. more

from imc-dk, 9 April 2008: On the Monday [7 April 2008] meeting yesterday it was agreed to say yes to a new Ungdomshus in Northwest on Dortheavej 61. The new solution for an Ungdomshus in Copenhagen has been agreed by all parties involved. The final decision still rests with the city council and will be formalized on June 11th, but publicly several politicians, including the mayor Ritt Bjerregaard, have ok'ed the solution and Ungdomshuset's Monday meeting has agreed as well. more

from email, 5 April 2008: On the run up to the decentralised days of action for squats and autonomous spaces (http://april2008.squat.net), a new squat has been opened to provide yet another autonomous social centre in London. more

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. more

from email 3 April,2008: We are in the building, come on down to 105 Wellington Road, Portslade. THS building on the corner of Church Road and Seafront Road: bring your artwork early to grab a space. more

updated 6 April 2008: The BlokR action in support of creating a new Youth House in Copenhagen went off without a hitch. About 5000 people joined the demo which took nearly four hours to walk and ended in a massive street party in Nørrebro. The transformed BlokR action was held on April 3rd as planned. About 5-6000 people took part in the massive demo, that went by many of the places in Copenhagen that have supported Ungdomshuset and housed its activities for the last year or more.  more

from email, updated 3 April 2008: To update you on the progress in our new building. It now has stairs (well the first flight anyway) and a toilet (bucket to flush it) and floor boards pretty much everywhere it needs them. We urgently need help with the occupation and work rota! Please contact us at rampart@mutualaid.org or come along to the next Monday meeting at 7pm at old Rampart, but we need help sooner than Monday! more

from imc-dk, updated 1 April 2008: The BlokR action is becoming a major press story and a final meeting has been scheduled. Meanwhile building workshops and gas mask sales continue. In one week activists from all over Denmark as well as different parts of Europe will try to make their way to the City Hall in Copenhagen demanding that the council members remain in session until they have decided on a location for a new house. more

from hsc, 25 March 2008: Behind Bars VIII: On Saturday 29th March, HSC will host a queer benefit night of music, DJs and VJs to raise money for the IUSW. Live bands & acts:, Juha, Spiritwo, Skitzopolis, Prolapse, Villain, Roc Roc it, Husbands, Rouge et Noir VJs, Oskur, Monogaze, Filippo DJs, Fake Face, Foll@nes, PJ, Sturamsey, Cheeky Half, Lakuti, Amila, Stay B. 10pm - 8am, with donations on the door. more

from various sources, 22 March 2008: Following the granting of an Interim Possession Order on Thursday 20th March, RAMpart2 was left empty by squatters after a final party. The rampART has outlived it's backup venue which was opened new years eve. Meanwhile, the rampART itself is still open four months after being served court papers for a repossession hearing ++++ The Hackney Social Centre at 231 Lower Clapton Road has an eviction date of the 15th April although it may last longer. more

from indymedia-dk, 20 March 2008: "Blok R is intended to increase the pressure on Copenhagen City Council to come up with a new Youth House (one year after the brutal eviction of Ungdomshuset). Blok R happens on 3rd April 2008, after which all participating groups have agreed to quit negotiations and take the battle to the streets for as long as it takes. Action BlokR is an open action that consists of self organized groups that has the qualifications to make decisions about their own missions and relations, as long as they respect the guidelines of the action. The groups have been sending representatives to a weekly coordinating meeting, where the groups have the possibility to discuss things that reaches farther than the single groups’ mission..." more

from dk-imc, 17 March 2008: Recently 26 demonstrators, including a retired 70-odd year old surgeon and a journalist, arrested after the eviction of the Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen on March 1st 2007 were acquitted in the City Court. Another 250 minor charges were also dropped en masse.  more

from email, 13 March 2008: Good news from the autonomous scene in Berlin. It has been possible, even tho the condition have been hard, to get into proceedings with the owner of the building and to ensure a survival of the KØPI as living and cultural Project. more