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Events & actions during the squatting ban (Netherlands) part II

amsterdoom | 25.01.2011 20:09 | Free Spaces

A timeline of events and actions in the Netherlands during the squatting ban

First part of the timeline was posted in November and can be found at
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/11/468333.html




November 16th
The squatter arrested on the 7th of November in suspicion of sedition gets sentenced to 25 days of jail, the maximum penalty for his charges.

November 19th
A YouTube channel, called Squatter Sounds, is started in order to collect and share squatting-related music.

Check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/user/squattersounds

November 21st
A house is squatted in Amsterdam.

November 25th
Around 60 people demonstrate in Utrecht to symbolically bury the failed law. garrested the police decides to confiscate the cargobike with the sound system and attack the people around it. Police horses ride through the protesters injuring people.

November 26th
Court case about the eviction on the 1st of November in Utrecht takes place. It is the first court case based on article 138a, the new squatting ban. During the court case a demonstration under the slogan “Your laws, not ours” gathers around 150 people.

Six out of the eight accused get sentenced to 40 hours of community service or 20 days in jail. Two of the accused, who were both arrested outside, get acquitted because it can't be proved they were inside the evicted building. The judge declares the eviction unlawful but the actions of the public prosecution service (that led to the eviction) acceptable. The squatters do not get the house back. In the evening a new house is squatted in the center of Utrecht.

In miniature city Madurodam, a major tourist attraction in The Hague, pro-squatting banners appear on the tiny houses.

Photos:  http://www.ravagedigitaal.org/opzien/opzien64/opzien.php

December 4 th
The person arrested on the 7th of November in The Hague is released from prison after serving his sentence of 25 days. The whole time he refused to tell the cops his identity and he is still anonymous when released.

December 6 th
A building is squatted in Ede.

December 17th
A building is squatted in Wageningen.

December 20th
A call out for countrywide squatting days is published on Indymedia. The squatting days will take place in the beginning of January.

The call out:  http://indymedia.nl/nl/2010/12/72533.shtml

December 26th
The city of Zaandam announces that the squatting ban will not change their policy towards squatting, stating that executing the squatting ban would lead into increasing emptiness of buildings.

January 8th
Nationwide squatting days begin! In Arnhem the municipality is obviously scared of squatters and places security in a neighbourhood where several municipality-owned buildings are squatted. A house is squatted in Utrecht. In Tilburg 250 people attend a demonstration and afterwards a squat a building. In Doordrecht squatters invite children to see a puppet show about squatting.

Photos of the puppet show:  http://www.indymedia.nl/nl/2011/01/72698.shtml

January 9th
In Utrecht a house is squatted and evicted during the same day. A few people get arrested. Later the same night the squatters get released and immediately proceed to re-squat the building.

In Amsterdam 100 people participate in squatting three buildings. Two out of the three buildings had been squatted before and left voluntarily months earlier when the owner was supposed to start renovating these social rent houses. A few hours later another building, owned by a known speculant, is squatted in the city center. A huge banner is hung from the house, stating “These Amsterdammer squatters wish all speculators an exciting 2011!”

Photos:  http://www.indymedia.nl/nl/2011/01/72746.shtml
 http://www.indymedia.nl/nl/2011/01/72738.shtml

January 13th
The legendary radio Patapoe is on air again!

Listen to radio Patapoe:  http://www.freeteam.nl/patapoe/listen.htm

January 14th
A squat in Amsterdam wins their bodemprocedure/main proceedings. The verdict states that the owner couldn't prove to have enough interest for the eviction of the house and that an eventual eviction would only lead to emptiness.

January 17th
Squatters make noise outside the building where the VVD, a right-wing party known for their hatred of squatters and having just demanded immediate evictions for the houses squatted during the action weekend, is throwing having their new year party.

January 22nd
Two squats in Utrecht receive letters from the public prosecutor, stating that the houses will be evicted based on the new law.

January 23rd
A building is re-squatted in Utrecht. The former autonomous center was left voluntarily in November when the squatters got told it would be used for a homeless shelter. Since then nothing had happened with the building. The squatters plan to open a give away shop there.

An appartment is squatted in Amsterdam.

January 24th
In Amsterdam the mayor, the public prosecutor and the district chief of the police release a statement announcing how squats will be evicted in the future based on the new law. In general, the squatters will be informed that the eviction will take place within the next eight weeks, and will then have one week to take the case to court in order to challenge the eviction decision.

amsterdoom
- Homepage: http://kraakverbod.squat.net/