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Demotix article on Squatters evict government

Wat Tyler | 02.09.2012 22:32


 http://www.demotix.com/news/1420872/squatters-evict-government#slide-1



The new law criminalising squatting in residential buildings came in effect on September 1st 2012. A group of squatters and housing activists took action by serving an eviction order on Number 10 Downing Street and the Gates Of Parliament.

The UK government has introduced a law to criminalise the homeless, by making it illegal to squat in residential buildings from saturday 1st september 2012.
After a public consultation asking should squatting be criminalised in which 96% of the replies said NO, do not criminalise, Including the police federation, judges, lawyers association, housing and homeless charities.
The government undemocratically ignored this consultation and attached a clause onto the massively unpopular LASPO bill (legal aid sentencing and punishment of offenders bill) to criminalise squatting in residential buildings.
The LASPO act will remove legal aid from the vast majority of UK cases. Including domestic violence and children's cases. Sections of the bill were defeated a record number of times as they passed through both houses of parliament.

On saturday 1st september a large group of very concerned citizens and squatters met up at Trafalgar Square and proceeded to the gates of number 10 Downing Street. Where they served an eviction notice on the government from the peoples court. Named as defendants were David Cameron, Nick Clegg and the housing ministers Grant Shapps and Crispin Blunt.

They protested against this new law delivering long speeches on the undemocratic , unfair , unworkable and tyrannical nature of this new law, that seem to have been created by certain sections of the media and property developer supporters of the conservative party who have donated over 3 million pounds to the conservative party over the last three years.

Full Video of the action can be viewed at Occupy News Network
 http://onnplayer.occupynewsnetwork.co.uk/squatters-rights-people-call-on-eviction-of-government/

The group then went onto The Gates Of Parliament in front of BIG Ben once again serving an eviction notice and speeches on the situation.

There were no arrests on the action during the day, however several reports came in of residential squats which had been occupied in the months before this new law came in, being evicted by squads of territorial support group police. It appears that the crack down on the homeless and dispossessed has just begun in Britain.

More information on this draconian new law and the unfolding story can be found at;

www.squatter.org.uk
www.squashcampaign.org
www.evictionresistance.blogspot.co.uk
www.phoenixrainbow23.blogspot.co.uk

Wat Tyler

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

serving an eviction order on the government

02.09.2012 22:44

hmmm... yeah right - let me know how that one turns out

hint: you can't "evict" the government. Secondly, they arn't squatting Number 10.

epic FAIL!!!!!!


there are a number of ways to evict a government

03.09.2012 01:52

to the troll comment above,regime change begins at home.......
there are a number of ways to evict a government,by the ballot box,by force of armies with bullets,by direct action,violent revolutions or velvet revolutions.
By supplying arms to factions and stirring up civil wars as we have seen applied in some countries recently.
Time to wake up. The problem is the million empty buildings unused not the squatters.if the buildings were reused,rents would come down and house prices.
But is that what the faltering banking/media cartel system needs,no so instead scape goat the squatters,travellers and gypsies for your economic woes.....sound familiar....
regime change begins at home.
Eviction order served as a piece of guerrilla theatre a brave action an epic win for the squatter david vs media goliath.
Stand up stand firm,better to squat than live on your knees

jo squatter


Am I living on my knees

08.09.2012 23:24

@jo squatter:

I am an ex-squatter who squatted for 10 or so years or more. Now I am living in a council flat. Am I living on my knees now? Do tell me please.

Moses Makepeace