The eviction of St Agnes Place in Kennington (South London) by Lambeth Council finally took place on Tuesday 29th, after years of court battles and previous eviction attempts [Report]. The oldest squatted street in London was swarmed with hundreds of riot police the whole day, as residents were resisting the bailiffs and specialist climbers that were emptying the street of its 150 strong community set up 30 years ago [Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 and Video]. Throughout the day there were reports of police stopping people on their way to show support to St Agnes Place residents outside Oval, Kennington, Stockwell and Brixton tubes. Later in the evening there was a demonstration outside Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton to celebrate St Agnes Place community, as well as to show support to the people that has become homeless as a result of the eviction [Photos 1 and 2].

By mid-afternoon there were still three houses resisting the eviction, as residents and supporters pledged to hold for as long as they could. But later in the evening, reports came in that the last resisting squatter had been removed from the remaining occupied house in an ambulance, as the eviction was brutally completed [Video]. He was taken to hospital after he was badly beaten on the head with truncheons. Click here for St Agnes place map and location.

Latest info and Timeline of Events
Netcast from Wireless FM live here - a free radio that has been broadcasting from number 81 in St. Agnes Place for the last two years.
More info on St Agnes Place from the Indymedia archives.

The Circle Community Centre at the old St.Georges Theatre 49 Tufnell Park Rd, London was occupied just over a year ago, but sadly was evicted last week by 30 police and and 10 bailiffs. [1] [2]

It will be fondly remembered not least for indymedia's 5th Birthday party, but also for the many workshops and events held there over the years, and their work with the local community. To hear an Audio interview on the eviction.

This Saturday 11 June sees the third edition of the infamous Reclaim The Future benefit parties in a self-organised space in London.

RTF III is set to be one of the biggest parties-with-purpose to take place in London for a long time. From eight to eigth 5+ rooms including live stages, bands, djs, chillout, bar, cafe, Indymedia cinema, performance and vjs, will keep the crowd on its toes. Musical flavours will include Punk, Techno, Reggae, Drum & Bass, Breaks, World Music and Cabaret. The address is S&W Nightware Factory, Alie St. E1 near Aldgate East tube station.

The concept of RTF arose from a meeting of London Reclaim The Streets (RTS) on June 2002. The idea and call went out, and soon many of the people from the groups that RTS had spawned came together. These included Indymedia, Wombles, Rhythms of Resistance samba band, London Rising Tide, LARC, Disarm DSEi and it started to grow and grow. Quoting one of the party organisers she states:

"RTF was created as a way to show that the streets are ours and we will not be prevented from partying and protesting by laws which have tried to squash the reclaim the streets movement. RTF is also about working togther for a future that we all want, free from capitalism and freedom from exploitation for all peoples and for a planet free from the destruction and pollution it currently endures."

For more information about past RTF events see:

• Squall review

• RTF I photo gallery

• RTF II photo gallery 1 and 2.

The UK has had its share of squatted political spaces over the decades but the last few years has seen something of a resurgence in activity, inspired by the strong social centres movement found in Spain and Italy etc. Social Centres have been springing up all over the country but their existence is often precarious, dependent either on maintaining rent or retaining a squatted property.

The average lifespan of a squat typically clocks in at around three months. However the rampART (www.rampart.co.nr) will be celebrating its first anniversary this weekend (21st May)

Established May 21st 2004, rampART took it's name from Rampart Street E1, home of the abandoned warehouse which was previously used as an Islamic girls school. For the last twelve months the derelict building has hosted over 100 cultural and political events - placing the rampART firmly and literally on the activist map of London (see ramPARTY details and lineup)

Other coming events:
22nd May - Movimientos Day School | 27th May - Post-criticalmass G8 Bike Ride Benefit (flyer) | >28th May - GUADALAJARE Benefit

Other UK social centres:
See and add to user contributd list | Institute of Autonomy opens | Leeds gets new social centre | Search indymedia.org.uk for social centres

To celebrate 10 years of critical mass, over 800 cyclists took to the streets in London last year with a bike samba band, live guitar from a rickshaw, multiple sound systems, mad bikes the like of which have to be seen to be believed. It was massive, and it happened again on Friday April 29. At least 500 cyclists, rollerbladers and skateboards joined the 11th Annivesary in London [photos 1, 2, 3, report]. There will also critical masses in Glasgow, Liverpool and Nottingham [photos] - and probably other cities around the country as well.

On Saturday 30th April there was a successful mass "against climate change, pollution and the G8" in Worthing, Sussex. Meanwhile, in Sheffield on June 11th and the 15th there are more rides to coincide with an anti-war demo and the G8 meeting of Justice and Interior Ministers in Sheffield taking place 15th/17th.

The Institute for Autonomy is a newly occupied social centre in central London. Created in a disused university building in a city where house & rent prices continue to climb far out of the reach of the majority, it has lain empty and forgotten for over 5 years.

The Institute for Autonomy aims to be an open space for daily development towards autonomy. It is organised by open assemblies, and it is formed by a collective of people of different backgrounds and experiences. They state that "it’s vital for us to create a space where a different reality can be experienced, where new paths can be walked, along which can emerge common action, interest and identity amongst people".

The Centre is at 76-78 Gower Street, London WC1, and opened to the public on Saturday 19th March with a party that included films, music, cafe zapatista, info-shop and kids space.

Other ongoing projects and activities in the centre include: a library, a printing workshop and banner making, fortnightly Precarity Info/Sharing, regular film nights, a solidarity kitchen that opens three lunch-times a week, and a Cafeteria Rebelde.

See also: Advisory Service for Squatters | Wombles Social Centres Page | Squat.net

Indymedia cinema and the RampART Creative Centre have been hosting a week long festival of documentary films from India. From Monday 10th to Saturday 16th January, each day focused on a particular social or political issue. This festival brings to London’s East End some documentaries that are rarely seen, inside or outside India, with the intention of creating spaces for debate. Some disturbing, some impassioned, others humorous, all inspiring and controversial, these films provide a glimpse into some of the most difficult challenges facing Indian society.

During film festivals in India attempts have been made to censor films covering these events. Now the same is happening in London. Last week, the ramparts social centre started to receive threatening emails, and anonymous comments posted on the ramparts web pages [1] from people trying to force the venue to cancel the film festival. They claim that the films present Hinduism in a bad light and that the organisers have an anti-Hindu agenda. The threats began after an email posted on nationalist Hindu mailing list alerted members of right wing Hindu groups such as the BJP and the VHP (both part of the Sangh Parivar, the family of Hindu fundamentalist organizations spawned and led by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh). However, of course, the organizers refused to bow to the threats and the festival went on as other venues came forward to offer alternative places to show the film should disruption take place. In the end, there was no disruption, and attendance was very good. [2]

Activists arrested over Gujarat videos | Festival programme | rampart newsletter

This last year has been a pretty active and productive year for the social centres movement in the UK...

At the begining of the year, the Wombles occupied 93 Fortess Rd for several months before moving into the ex-Grand Banks in Tufnell Park. Both occupations saw successfully resistance against eviction and were highly successful and popular. After eviction in August the wombles took a break to concentrate on the 'Beyond ESF event' but they'll be back in 2005.

Perhaps also to return in 2005, Use Your Loaf, an ex-bakery in Deptford which had been occupied as a centre for social solidarity since summer 2002, but was finally evicted in September. Currently without a building, the collective has remained active and are having a xmas party this coming Friday.

Also having a party on the Friday 17th AND Saturday 18th Dec, the 'rampART' in East London [details] . The building opened around six months ago and has been host to a wide variety of political and cultural events. To celebrate and raise funds to cover bills, there is a two day festival with bands, workshops, DJs, fashion show, VJs, films etc. Full details on www.rampart.co.nr

Court proceedings are underway once more in Barcelona to evict some thirty residents from their home, and over one hundred neighbours from their gardens and collective autonomous land, in order to sell the land to property developers. When the building was first occupied it was in a state of imminent collapse, it has taken three years of hard work and money to save the building.

Previous attempts to prosecute the residents of Can Masdeu for occupying, utilising and renovating the building have failed. In May 2002 Can Masdeu squatters and their supporters resisted for a full week an eviction attempt. [See photos 1 | 2]

An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people are expected to come to London this month to attend the third European Social Forum taking place between Friday 15th and Sunday 17th (although many other ESF related events start earlier). Around 1,000 people have been registering per day and paying £20 or £30 to attend (nb the first 20,000 will recieve a free three day travelcard). The ESF will be a massive event that will see hundred of seminars, workshops, and cultural events taking place at Alexandra Palace and in the Bloosmbury area of London. However, with less than two weeks to go before the ESF begins, there is a potentially politically embarrassing severe accomodation crisis, with thousands wanting to come from europe unsure if they can afford London prices and requesting free accomodation. Recently several coordinations of the Babels volunteer interpreters threatened to quit over what they claim is a looming accommodation and reimbursement crisis [see response].

APPEAL: If you can help with providing free communal accomodation or homestay during the ESF, please contact either the official accomodation people or autospaces(at)yahoo.co.uk.

Stop Press: The Guardian says that the Millennium Dome for ESF Accomodation

Over the last year the ESF organising process has repeatedly been accused of being untransparent and non-participatory. Accusations have centred around the actions of the Socialist Workers Party, Socialist Action and the political and financial control of Mayor Ken Livingstone's Greater London Authority (GLA). Much has been written about this, for a sample see: UK NGO Letter | esf2004.net | Radical Philosphy Critique | ESF technology, media centres, and politics | Enrager | Weekly Worker (extensive reports)

Partly in response to this there are now several Autonomous Spaces and initiatives with well over two hundred workshops and seminars and other events scheduled from Wednesday 13th - Sunday 17th (read more).

Indymedia is organising a four-day Indymedia centre to facilitate reporting and DIY media production. Themes will include Surveillance and the Security State, Biometric ID Cards, Migrants and Noborders, Gender, Intellectual Property, Copyright, Creative Commons, Corporate media and Alternative media etc. Thursday 14th sees the European Forum on Communication Rights, Friday 15th sees a full day programme including a workshop and launch presentation on the "Eyes on International Financial Institutions (IFIs)" film portal website [www.ifiwatch.tv]. Saturday also sees the 10th Birthday Conference of SchNEWS.

Other alt-media initiatives includes an ESF Breakfast Radio Show on Resonance FM and 24/7 streaming ESF coverage from rampART radio. Further sources of information will include info-points located at the Camden Centre, the rampART and LARC.

LISTEN NOW - STREAMING AUDIO FROM LONDON

TODAY (Tues) Eviction alert and demo 9am at Nursey Social Centre Birmingham

Recently there has been a spate of stories about social centres and evictions. At 5.30am 25th August, around 40 police and 30 bailiffs smashed down the front door of the Ex-Grand Banks in north London. This high profile centre had proven to be one of the most successful squatted community projects for some time, despite occasional police harrassment of people attending meetings there (see video). On Saturday 4th there was a street party in protest against the eviction.

Use Your Loaf, an ex-bakery on Deptford High Street which had been occupied as a centre for social solidarity since summer 2002, has also now been evicted after managing to resist eviction a week before.

...Another Occupation!

Meanwhile, in Birmingham, a disused nursey has just been occupied. In Arms Reach, a squat just off Oxford Street in central London, provided a one-off week-long series of workshops, films and gigs. Back in north London, the AUTONOMOUS LAB in Chalk Farm Road, having already resisted eviction at the beginning of August, have now expanded into a second vaccant shop front!

There are plenty of other successful projects nationally and internationally as well: read on for more details...

This Sunday, Venezuelans will vote on whether to keep their controversial president, Hugo Chávez. Elected with a promise to redistribute Venezuela's enormous oil wealth (before Chávez it was the number one supplier to the US) this referendum will be a chance to find out if he still has the support of the people. Having failed to oust him with a traditional (US backed)coup in 2002, and a general "strike" (bosses lock-out) the following Christmas, the opposition's referendum might actually end up strengthening his legitimacy.

This week, groups in London held a week of solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their right to self-determination without US interference. Daily events (see programme) took place at the rampART creative centre in Whitechapel, starting on Monday 9th with the opening of a "Latinamerican Liberation" exhibition. The main event is a picket of the US Embassy on the day of the referendum, Sunday 15th, from 2pm; meet beforehand in Hyde Park near Speakers' Corner for a 'Bolivarian picnic'.

Final event at the rampART from 6pm sunday, party and what next, plus indymedia access point.

Check out: Latest programme details | Rampart venue website | MultiMap venue map |
opening night review, photos | day two | full week review

New topic created: See Venezuela 2004 for all related posts.

Dalston junction in Hackney, was closed off on the afternoon of Friday 30 as a huge police operation took place to evict the popular and well-known occupied venue and social centre, the Poison club. At aproximatly 3:00pm the police axed down the door, roughly handling the occupants, immediatly evicting them from the building, whilst filming the operation. This raid was on the basis of a drug search, followed by a second 'explanation' that the building was structurally unsound due to a fire next door the night before.

The Poison Club was home to around nine residents and has been in existence for almost 2 years. Described as a non-commercial D.I.Y meeting point for friends of punk rock, hardcore and grindcore, the residents and users of the Poison Club also regularly facilitated its use as a venue for benefits such as Zapatista solidarity. The centre has also been a focal point for the queer punk community. The Poison Club is the latest eviction in a continued drive to harass and evict squats in the Hackney area. Full report

Meanwhile, an eviction is also looming at the Autonomüs Lab Resistance and Rebellion for Tuesday 3rd August. This occupied space in Camden Town was opened in early June for the "Greenwash or Us, Exibition of Resistance Against BP and Big Oil", and it has been open daily to the local community ever since. A series of events such as exhibitions, meetings, workshops, screening and music nights have been taking place at the centre on a weekly basis. See flyer of upcoming events.

The Autonomüs Lab is now engaged in "resistance and rebellion", and throwing some fun and games to go along starting on Sunday 1st August. A three day non stop bike protest running along a circuit around Camden Town has been called, as well as a series of local actions which include "carring out random ID checks on the local population in a solidarity action with the palestinian people". Also the "Camden Town Apartheid Wall" will be erected by the Zapatista Palestine Solidarity Group. The Auonomüs Lab is also calling for active resistance to the eviction starting on Monday night, and will be providing food, zapatista coffee and sleeping space for everyone that makes it down to the occupied space at 50 Chalk Farm Road NW1.

More reports to follow ...

An Indymedia screening night is being organised tonight Friday 30th at the Grand Banks Occupied Social Centre. The address is: 156-158 Fortess Road, Tufnell Park, NW5. Opposite Tufnell Park tube station.

The screening is a benefit event in support of the Indymedia Italy Legal Support Team, that is currently working around the clock archiving about 1600 hours of photographic and video material. This evidence will then be used by the defense teams of the ongoing court cases against demonstrators brutalised during the anti-G8 protests of Genoa 2001.

The films being shown are all Indymedia Italy's edits, and include: Update 01, Nothing to Drop and Genoa: Denied Rights. Update 01 was the first video ever edited on the Genoa events, realesed the 10th of August 2001. Nothing to Drop (realesed in 2003) focusses on Carlo Giuliani's murder by a Carabinieri coscript, and Genoa: Denied Rights (released in 2004) is a general update on the different trials still open against demontrators as well as the police forces.

More info about Indymedia Italy Legal Support Team in their multilingual page.

A week long Exhibition of Resistance to BP and Big Oil, and the corporate hijacking of the arts is now under way on in London. A space has been squatted specially for the event [Photos]. The address is 50 Chalk Farm Road, Camden.

Update Tuesday 22nd: Another protest was called on Monday night during the BP sponsored awards ceremony at the Portrait Gallery. As protestors were gathering at around 7pm, four London Rising Tide activists chained themselves across the front door effectively shutting down the National Portrait Gallery. It was also announced that the alternative exhibition has been extended for a week, and it is now likely to be open until Saturday 26th June in the squatted gallery.

On Wednesday 16th climate change activists and artists held a 'Greenwash or US' Street Party outside BP HQ, many carrying artworks revealing a true portrait of an oil company. The street party then marched to the private view of the BP sponsored National Portrait Gallery Awards. When protesters tried to move towards the entrance of the National Gallery, police rapidly moved in and pushed people back. In the resulting scuffles one person got arrested for "not moving" [video of the arrest] The party then continued for several hours without any more incidents, and later in the evening it was followed by the opening of the art exhibition at the squatted venue [Report | Photos of street party].

Over the weekend, there will be daily workshops and events in the exhibition space as well as on the streets. These will include speakers from West Papua and Colombia, a Jam Night, film night, and lots of other fun stuff such as painting, subvertising, guerilla cinema, radio, food and discussion. See Programme of Events.


London Rising Tide | Burning Planet

Anarchism on wheels? Or just a bunch of cyclists getting together on a Friday evening? Sit back, close your eyes and imagine a thousand people cycling along a central London street... filling the street... there aren't any cars... the noise of the traffic is drowned out by music, whistles, bike bells and people having conversations while cycling together…

On the last Friday of April 1994 London’s first Critical Mass took place with about 50 cyclists, and this month's ride on Friday 30th April will be a celebration of 10 years of reclaiming London’s tarmac.

Update Fri 5th March: A new Social Centre has been squatted in 156 Fortess Rd in Kentish Town! Read report and list of events.

Update Thurs 26: People in and around the building are still determined to resist the eviction. [Report | Short video of picket]. Meanwhile, events at the Occupied Social Centre will continue as normal in resistance to the threat of eviction.

Update Wed 25th: The Occupied Social Centre still needs people urgently, as it is thought the police will be round sometime between now and the weekend. Supporters of the Centre state: "we intend to continue our resistance to the eviction".

On the 6th of January this year, after 6 months of neglect, 93 Fortess Road was occupied. The aim of the people involved was to set up a social centre, a free space for people in the local community to use as a resource and to create a place where people can come together and get creative. A place which is free, fun and accessible to everyone.

On Wednesday January 21st, the Social Centre was taken to court by the building’s owners - Mark Oliver Homes - property developers, who plan to demolish the building and turn it into commercial space and luxury flats. Following the court hearing, an eviction date was set for Tuesday 24th February. Early in the morning police and bailiffs arrived to Fortess Rd, but around 70 supporters of the Social Centre gathered o defend the space. With people occupying the rooftop, new defences having been constructed overnight (both inside and outside), supporters out on the streets and people inside ready to lock-on, it seems the eviction has been stalled, at least temporarily. It is not certain what will happen in the next few days, but what it seems clear now is that any eviction would require specialist bailiffs to remove people from the roof, cut others out of lock-ons and deal with the extensive barricade defences inside.

[Photos 24/02 | Fortess Rd Background | UK Social Centres | WOMBLES]

On Oct 30/31st, residents at St.Agnes were on alert, building baricades and erecting a scaffolding tower. Police was seen several times during these days, but the bailiffs didn't turn up - St. Agnes Place is still going!

The previous eviction due 24th Oct of 14 houses on St. Agnes Place, London, was called off when bailiffs saw the number of people who had turned up to help resist.

Update 23 Oct 03 | Pictures: St Agnes Community | Defending the Houses | Videos: 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9 | Street Webcam
Use Your Loaf social centre

Website with news and updates: www.stagnesplace.org | email:  info@stagnesplace.org | radio Wireless FM Net Radio