Prison squat resists eviction from High Court bailiffs in Cardiff
Cardiff Squatters Network | 08.08.2013 19:47 | Free Spaces | Social Struggles | Wales
On Thursday 8th August, at approximately 10am, High Court bailiffs showed up to join United Welsh representatives, police and contractors booked to secure buildings, in an attempt to evict Rumpoles, Moira Terrace, Cardiff, CF24 0NE (aka: prison squat / 0ne squat). By 12pm, without even attempting to enter, they left the occupiers in possession of the building.
At 9:30am the first few supporters started arriving outside, while some squatters took to the peak of the roof. The outside had been barricaded with furniture, gas bottles, compressed air canisters and a piano, while the inside was well secured. A ‘Fire 2 the prisons’ banner had also been dropped from the windows the night before, during significant disturbances within Cardiff prison over the road.
Four police officers from Roath arrived warning the resisters that possessions used to barricade would be cleared away by the council, stating ‘Your rubbish makes Roath look poor’, even though the squat is in Adamsdown, but otherwise ignored the situation and promptly left. At this point neighbouring prisoners began shouting in support of the squatters and against the cops.
The rest of the day was spent receiving strong support from, passersby and locals, particularly in the neighbouring Adamscourt, also owned by United Welsh Housing Association. While supporters continued to play piano and eat the skipped bakery goods from the night before.
Prison squat has been lived in for 3 weeks, and has hosted an anti-fascist benefit gig, No Borders film screening, prisoner letter writing, as well as other events. United Welsh plan to demolish the building. This work is to start no sooner than February 2014, in order to build 49 1 to 2 bedroom flats for ‘vulnerable people’, whilst denying the Adamscourt residents access to communal greenland in the process. Attempts from squatters to negotiate with owners have repeatedly failed.
South Wales Echo article -
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/masked-squatters-barricade-themselves-inside-5680263
Four police officers from Roath arrived warning the resisters that possessions used to barricade would be cleared away by the council, stating ‘Your rubbish makes Roath look poor’, even though the squat is in Adamsdown, but otherwise ignored the situation and promptly left. At this point neighbouring prisoners began shouting in support of the squatters and against the cops.
The rest of the day was spent receiving strong support from, passersby and locals, particularly in the neighbouring Adamscourt, also owned by United Welsh Housing Association. While supporters continued to play piano and eat the skipped bakery goods from the night before.
Prison squat has been lived in for 3 weeks, and has hosted an anti-fascist benefit gig, No Borders film screening, prisoner letter writing, as well as other events. United Welsh plan to demolish the building. This work is to start no sooner than February 2014, in order to build 49 1 to 2 bedroom flats for ‘vulnerable people’, whilst denying the Adamscourt residents access to communal greenland in the process. Attempts from squatters to negotiate with owners have repeatedly failed.
South Wales Echo article -
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Cardiff Squatters Network
e-mail:
cardiffsquatters@riseup.net
Homepage:
http://cardiff.squat.net
Comments
Hide the following 4 comments
musical barricades
09.08.2013 14:38
Barricades that are also musical instruments! Which you can play while you wait for the bailiffs to leave! I love it!
anon
Impressive
09.08.2013 22:09
Any idea why are the housing association is pushing it so hard? Three weeks is about as fast as it gets and High Court bailiffs aren't cheap - they start at about £5000 a booking. It sounds odd to put that amount of effort into evicting a building that's going to be demolished at some fairly indefinite sounding time in the future.
Solidarity and good luck from Bristol squatters
BHAM
‘Your rubbish makes Roath look poor’
10.08.2013 16:28
Fuck tha cops
United Welsh Housing Association
11.08.2013 11:33
United Welsh run nearby 'Adamscourt'; temporary accommodation for homeless families. In the past at least the condition of this accommodation has been really poor. The rent that is charged is £200+ week. They use dubious tenancy agreements where families can be easily evicted or moved onto other unfurnished temp accommodation with less than a day's notice and no furniture or money for utilities.
John