Squatting "not dead yet" in Netherlands

Biero Hinkelmaan | 16.07.2012 13:40 | Free Spaces | Social Struggles | World

Two houses cracked this weekend and lots else going on, check

http://en.squat.net/2012/07/16/netherlands-squatting-not-dead-yet/ for a report with more fotos.

Squat one after cracking

Squat two before cracking

Yesterday, Sunday, on the traditional day of the week to go out cracking, two buildings were squatted in Amsterdam Oost.

The first squat was above a coffeeshop in an otherwise derelict block, some of which is really fucked (no roof). The coffeeshop owner was at first quite unhappy and waved a spade around enthusiastically. Perhaps he was eager to get gardening in the large vacant piece of land behind the building. He soon calmed down. Fifty people stood outside the door and two people spoke to the assorted cops who turned up. After a while the police decided there wasn't much they could do and jogged on, with the exception of one car left for "our own safety." We then all had a look round the house, on three stories, which was pretty destroyed but certainly will be a cosy place soon.

More information in Dutch -

https://www.indymedia.nl/node/6137

The second squat was quite close, next to some water. There were about thirty of us that time and it went a bit faster. The same chief cop turned up and didn't seem all that bothered. What was nice was that all the neighbours were completely on our side and happy that the place was no longer empty.

More information in Dutch -

https://www.indymedia.nl/node/6127

There was an alarm later that day at the first squat, but it turned out to be not much, just the police hassling people for checking out the vacant lot.

Great that squatting continues in Amsterdam and indeed across the Netherlands! There's an interesting article on squat.net with more information about other squatting actions going on recently -

http://en.squat.net/2012/07/16/netherlands-squatting-not-dead-yet/

Biero Hinkelmaan

Additions

Video from squatting action

17.07.2012 00:16

Spirit Of Squatters Collective TV

here you can watch video

http://ourmediaindymedia.blogspot.nl/2012/07/tuin-en-huis-bezet.html
more info at indy nl:

https://www.indymedia.nl/node/6137

Making of this video, like most of our videos, is our way of showing solidarity. And since solidarity is stronger when it is seen by as many people as possible, please spread this video! Pass it on to anybody who could be interested! Feel free to embed, link, send and screen it etc. Use it, don’t loose it! Reclaim the media with us!

Get inspired. Together we are stronger!

You can see more of our videos at

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Spirit of Squatters Collective is always trying to support and report on good things that are happening around us. We try to being you some news every day, but because of time constraint and lack of (wo)manpower this is not always possible. Our biggest problem is that we don’t have enough time to edit or film the videos. That is why we need YOU to help us! You can email us at

mgriks@gmail.com

Real life begins when you turn off the tv, when you turn off your computer!
See you in the streets, see you at the actions!

Watch! Read! Think! Realize! Talk! Communicate! Listen! Defend! Destroy! Create! Change! Get inspired! Unite! Reclaim the media with us! Join us! Fight for Your rights! Love!!! Squat!

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http://vimeo.com/user1942686/videos ( just some )
at fake book:

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Bizarre case of fake message on Indymedia UK

17.07.2012 07:33

Recently in Amsterdam two buildings were cracked. Someone has posted an article on Indymedia UK, with beautiful pictures. But in the comments someone pretending to be from the ACU, has posted a bullshit comment claiming the squats were evicted, which is simply untrue.

We have never heard of a "bericht van afwijzing" (notice of rejection)

Our Media
Homepage: http://ourmediaindymedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/bizar-geval-van-fake-bericht-op.html

Comments

Hide the following 16 comments

Update - coffee shop lost to court order

16.07.2012 15:14

The squat at the coffee shop was today lost after the owner obtained a "Bericht van Afwijzing" a new legal order which requires all "Krackers" (occupants) to leave until a decision is made. Unfortunately these orders are now being used more often as the owners know that they require us to be out of the property for at least three months while the paperwork goes through the court system, often once a judgement is made people have given up on the take. We feel this is discriminatory and have launched a legal challenge to the law however that will not be heard for about nine months.

The government is also passing new legislation which will require a "persoon van juridische autoriteit" in effect a person who will be legally responsible for a squat and can be sued later on if costs are awarded by a court to the owner if there is any damage to a building while it is squatted. As would be expected nobody will wish to be this 'persoon van juridische autoriteit' so the police can then remove everybody because of that.

ACU Politiek Cultureel Centrum
Voorstraat 71 Utrecht,
Netherlands 3512 AK
011-31-30-231-4590 acu.nl

Bart van Meeston - ACU Politiek
Homepage: acu.nl

How to fight

16.07.2012 16:10

The 'Bericht van Afwijzing' is very difficult to fight because it does not rule the squat illegal it just makes the property under the protection of the police and nobody allowed in until a decision is made. All of the work done to fight the squatting ban is undermined by the "Bericht" because it is another part of law. At present getting a judegment for a Bericht van Afwijzing is taking about 6 months and the owners have the right of appeal if they lose at first which can add another 3 months. A property empty for 9 months in total.

I know that here in England the Queens government is talking with the Dutch government to perhaps do something the same for UK, they are sharing ideas also with Germany.

Dutch person in Bristol

Squat 2 now also lost

16.07.2012 16:13

I am sorry to say that the second squat has also now been lost after court action.

We stand strong and not defeated !

Bart van Meeston - ACU Politiek

amsterdam kraakers

16.07.2012 18:23

whats going on here ??? why you are posting this shit if the squats didnt get evicted or even threat .. stop with the bullshit what a asshole kraken gaat door amsterdoom kraakers

"Bart van Meeston" = scam

16.07.2012 20:39

Hello,
please be warned that the comment posted by "Bart van Meeston" is fake. There is no such thing as 'bericht van afwijzing' in the practice of squatting in The Netherlands right now. Yes we have the 'new' law on squatting ban, bu the only serious juridical challenge on it up till now, after some case was brought to the Raad van State (highest court in NL) is that the authorities have to notice the inhabitants that they are suspected of being squatters (a crime by the new law) and give them some time to start a court case themselves against the state to prevent eviction. As far as I am aware, all such court cases have been lost until now, but nevertheless it does give squatters some time to live in the place and try to campaign against eviction. It also gives some local authorities the possibility to 'tolerate' the squatters by waiting with notifying them, so in some cases houses that were squatted after the squatting ban are still occupied, living in some juridical limbo.

I have no idea why someone should post such irrelevant disinformation as this "Bart van Meeston" person, and I'm quite positive he is not related in any way with the ACU - a legalized place by the way, that has ties with the squatting movement but would in no way pretend to have inside knowledge of how things work nowadays.

feyenord

16.07.2012 22:00

The working class live in rotterdam funny how thats the biggest right wing club in the world.

feyenord

Still there

16.07.2012 22:02

Just went by, both squats are still there.

Bart van Meeston is fake.
A bericht van afwijzing is really not the case and is also not possible according to the new anti-squat laws. It only may be so if it's a criminal scene or the police needs the place for further investigation.
It can't be used for a eviction as the Hoge Raad (highest courd) decided.

Technically the anti-squat laws made squatting easier and gave more prospect on a longer stay.

votdefuck

16.07.2012 22:30

wow i can confirm both squats are still there, just spoke to a guy from ringdijk

wow this beats that fake social centre in brixton post in terms of sophistication

what the fuck? haha

kraken gaat door

wow

Bart van Meeston / ACU

17.07.2012 07:07

Ik work at the ACU and don't know Bart van Meeston. His post is definitely not coming from us and as far as I can see it's full of bullshit.

michiel

Amsterdam Disinformation Spill

17.07.2012 11:47

It probably is a smokescreen to cover up current high profile frictions between the repressive institutions of these countries. The degree of empty patterns in the content implies a representation of bureaucratic infighting in the guise of damaging the credibility of anyone being abused in it. And these career idiots keep wondering why nobody loves them.

Abolitionist

"Amsterdam Disinformation Spill"

17.07.2012 14:36

Looks more like somebody having a bit of fun winding people up here. And succeeding

Hertz Van Rental

Fascinating view...

17.07.2012 17:31

A government minder sitting in a cyberwar bunker typing its own death warrant!

Ebb & Flow

@ Ebb and Flow

18.07.2012 06:38

"A government minder sitting in a cyberwar bunker typing its own death warrant!"

Let me put your mind at rest, the government don't care about you, they are not posting here, they regard 99% of us here as of no consequence and certainly no threat.

The series of posts above are just somebody taking the piss.

Grown up

@06:38

18.07.2012 13:01

So when people have to clean up bizarre disinformation about themselves and their activities on the internet, this results from the same category of behaviour that also includes unsolicitedly relieving oneself on their house entrance?

I can understand why any responsibility would be rejected, but as the saying goes where there is a leak something must have been swallowed, and in this case it very likely is not from the coffeeshop. Furthermore, government supporters seem to indicate that its only reasons to exclude such a scenario were of tactical nature (as opposed to constitutional).

303

@06:38

18.07.2012 13:17

So when people have to clean up bizarre disinformation about themselves and their activities on the internet, this results from the same category of behaviour that also includes unsolicitedly relieving oneself on their house entrance?

I can understand why any responsibility would be rejected, but as the saying goes where there is a leak something must have been swallowed, and in this case it very likely is not from the coffeeshop. Furthermore, government supporters seem to indicate its only reasons to exclude such a thing were of tactical nature (as opposed to constitutional).

303

@ 13:17

19.07.2012 16:13

Get out of my comms!

13:01