In São Paulo, Brazil, major José Serra has made it his mission to 'gentrify' the city centre and ultimately expel thousands of the low-earning families and street dwellers. He wants to evict 'Prestes Maia', a 22 storey tower block, probably the biggest single squat in the whole of South America which is home to 468 families, a library, workshops, and a venue for numerous autonomous educational, social and cultural activities. Now the 'apparent owner' wants it emptied. The 'owner' has accumulated a debt in municipal taxes of around 1.5 million pounds during the last 15 years of 'ownership' (more than he paid for the building). This, together with long years of abandonment, should justify a claim for the building to become public property, but despite this, a massive police operation paid for by public money was planned to make over 1,600 people homeless in the name of gentrification.
However, the residents of Prestes Maia have enjoyed a last minute reprieve and the eviction has been postponed for at least two months. Nether-the-less, on Thursday 16th, people in London held a solidarity demo outside the Brazillian Embassy [ Call out | report and photos | video ]. In the evening, a film about Prestes Maia was screened at the rampART social centre along with a UK premiere of documentary about police violence in the favelas of Rio.
Video of solidarity action in London
More links: Online Petition | Blog | Ongoing coverage from CMI Brazil (Portuguese)
Like many buildings in downtown São Paulo, the block had abandoned for years and left to rot. The new squatters cleaned out tonnes of rubbish and litter (200 trucks to be exact!), organized it, expelled drugs and other criminal bosses always there to take advantage, turning it into an exciting and lively human dwelling.
On January 27th, the family's representatives met with the police authorities in charge of the forthcoming eviction. During the meeting, it was made clear that the action will take place somewhere between the 15th and 21st of February (an exact date was not given for 'strategic' reasons). Last week, february 7th, the residents of Prestes Maia’s blocked the street in a two hour protest aimed at publicising their plight.
'PRESTES MAIA MUST STAY' The story of the threat of eviction against this massive autonomous community has spread rapidly around the world sparking outrage.
On Thursday 16th there will be a solidarity demo outside the Brazilian Embassy at 1pm
It's near Marble Arch Station - 32 Green St, London. W1
The organisers are asking people to bring banners, drums, carnival costumes and cardboard boxes with which to erect a shanty town to symbolise the plight of those 468 families who will be made homeless should the eviction take place.
Comments
Display the following 9 comments