After two adjournments and much legal shenanniganing the Camberwell Squatted Centre at 192 Warham Street SE5 has entered its final phase…

Twice we have managed to gain adjournments on the grounds that we had a licence to stay in the place granted by Sean Davey and John Desmond, the two characters we had been dealing with from the owners’ side, which had not been properly ended before the case was brought… This time the licence argument was properly tested in a court. We thought we would lose.

Although we were telling the truth and Sean had granted a licence, the other side claimed Sean and John hadn’t done any such thing and anyway even if they had, had no authority to do so, ie they aren’t the owners, only caretakers and builders, not entitled to give us permission to stay…
They gave evidence, we gave evidence. The Judge chose to believe them.

Property being nine tenths of the law, we had expected that this would happen, regardless of the facts in the case. The Judge in fact called us liars, though not in such words. And said they were reliable witnesses. I.e. we were squatters and they businessmen. They want the space to demolish
it, build yuppie flats or whatever money-making scheme they can concoct. Our whole project was about subverting their world-view.

So it goes. When we squatted the building, we expected a short time there; the licence, quickly revoked, gave us hope of longer, but in fact we have strung it out thus far and achieved much, We have had some brilliant events, met and got to know some fine people, explored new ways of being, in a space under our control, not for profit but for fun and with a view to working towards a different world.

We always knew we would be moving on some time – but this is not the end. Every such occupied space is a creation in itself, as well as a stage along a road. The processes we have evolved in running the space, interacting there, as well as the ideas, information, socialising, exchange of ideas and experiences, add up to more than the rickety four walls or the dead hand of property.

Other projects will arise, other spaces will be squatted, all of us who have been through the building will take the four months we have spent there forward in our hearts.

We don’t yet know how long we have before the bailiffs arrive. While we are still there we will carry on having events, using the space, celebrating the time we still have. We hope you will all come by, hang out, help to keep up the amazing atmosphere that has grown up in the place. We do need people to come and hang out in the day, to keep the building secure, in case of early eviction attempts… Do drop by. You have all helped to make this project a living thing.

Check the website or come by the Squat to keep in touch with what’s happening on the eviction front.

Camberwell Versus Death!

EVENTS PLANNED –

Obviously we could be evicted before the later ones here!

WEDNESDAY 11th?FILM NIGHT: THE WORKING CLASS GOES TO HEAVEN
Lulù is a real hard worker. For this reason he is loved by the masters and hated by his own colleagues. The unions decide agitations against the masters. Lulù doesn't agree...Classic REFUSAL of WORK movie from Italy!! Subtitles. 7.30pm

THURSDAY 12th:A talk about the Operation Spanner case of the 1990s, the prosecution and jailing of consenting gay men for their sado-masochistic sex lives and the struggle against their criminalization. Talk by a founder of the Spanner Campaign.

FRIDAY 13TH: Café/Bar, 8 till 1… Is there anyone out there fancies
cooking for this…? The usual cooks are a bit tired and all Ramsayed out… Any volunteers email us…  blackfrog@alphabetthreat.co.uk. It’s not that hard.

SATURDAY 14th
Starbucks Workers Rebel… A film night, talk and social in support of
Starbucks workers organising against their evil capitalist bosses in 3
continents. We will be showing the film ’Coffee Sirens’ about Starbucks workers organising, plus talks from people involved in picketing Starbucks here over their attacks on union organisers in the USA and elsewhere. 8pm onwards, plus social after.

SUNDAY 15th
3pm: open meeting to discuss what happens next. For those who want to see another local autonomous social and rebellious space, we’re meeting to work out where to go and how things carry on.

MONDAY 16th
BUILDING MEETING
7pm

TUESDAY 17th
POLISH LESSONS. For the very beginners and very commited. Bring pen and paper. Some homework. 7.30pm
SPANISH LESSONS. For the not so beginners. 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 18th FILM NIGHT: INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION
Another classic movie from 1970's Italy!! A disturbing portrait of police power as played out through twisted eroticism and State repression. Subtitles. 7.30pm

THURSDAY 19th Peace Time In Palestine: Illegal occupation. Illegal
Confiscation. Humiliation.The Wall of Shame. International Support. A
talk and slideshow by a witness and human rights observer after two months in Palestine (more on  http://ana-en.blogspot.com). 7.30pm