Actioncamp Lapperfront vs. asphalt
lappersfront and imc-belgium | 28.08.2001 11:46
Since a few weeks, activists occupy the “Lappersfort” in Bruges (Belgium). The purpose of the action camp is the preservation of the forest, a little piece of nature that’s been threatened by asphalt and the always progressing economy
The City council and the owner of the forest (Fabricom) have other plans with it: they want to build a road on it (which means a lot less free space, and a lot more noise for the locals) and want to expand the nearby industrial estate
A group of activists decided not to wait until the forest getting destroyed and started the occupation a few weeks ago. A few treehuts were built and the old coach house was made livable again. About 30 people are living there, and invite newcomers, as long as they respect the forest, its habitants and the other activists. They won’t leave before they get the assurance that the forest will stay untouched.
Meanwhile, the police is putting a lot of pressure on the owner (who bought it for speculation) to evict the activists, while the company rather wants to “go into dialogue” with the occupants, probably for image-purposes.
Nevertheless, the activists fear an eviction before the 6th of september, when there are protests planned against the EU-summit about trade in Bruges. Police is blaming the action group by saying to fear that the forest will be used as an operating base by “extreme anti-globalists”,…. Or how a group of adventurers, idealists and commited people, who set up a beautiful project, become criminalized.
A group of activists decided not to wait until the forest getting destroyed and started the occupation a few weeks ago. A few treehuts were built and the old coach house was made livable again. About 30 people are living there, and invite newcomers, as long as they respect the forest, its habitants and the other activists. They won’t leave before they get the assurance that the forest will stay untouched.
Meanwhile, the police is putting a lot of pressure on the owner (who bought it for speculation) to evict the activists, while the company rather wants to “go into dialogue” with the occupants, probably for image-purposes.
Nevertheless, the activists fear an eviction before the 6th of september, when there are protests planned against the EU-summit about trade in Bruges. Police is blaming the action group by saying to fear that the forest will be used as an operating base by “extreme anti-globalists”,…. Or how a group of adventurers, idealists and commited people, who set up a beautiful project, become criminalized.
lappersfront and imc-belgium
