Thousands demonstrate in Barcelona in defense of squatted Social Centres

Sat 4th October

The international demonstation against evictions and property speculation is taking place in downton Barcelona under heavy police presence. Between 3 and 5,000 people (with a bycicle critical mass in front) are marching behind a banner that reads "in defense of liberated spaces and against evictions". Another big banner states: "evictons, torture ... if this is your peace we declare war on you". People from all over the Spanish State have travelled to Barcelona to join the march, as well as people from Holland, France, Germany and Italy (imc-barcelona reports). Some demonstrators have engaged in a series of actions and performances that have taken place along the march. These have included: the hanging or huge banners from official buidings, throwing fireworks, bringing in a sound system, graffity to banks and shopping malls, throwing red paint onto the Court buidling and the occupation of an old supermarket near Las Ramblas.

For up to the minute information see:
IMC-Barcelona(eng)
La Haine(esp).

Also for further and background info in english see feature in IMC-UK World page.

Whilst all this goes on in Barcelona, activists in Holland are mobilising to defend from eviction the oldest squat of the country. The "Blauwe Aanslag" in The Hague is a former tax office that has been open for the past 23 years, grewing into a vibrant D.I.Y. living-working environment containing a concerthall, cinema, food-kitchen, professional offset printingplant as well as livingspace for more than 70 people. But on Friday 3rd October, and after a long judicial procedure, a judge decided that the squat can be demolished… The eviction has started [Report | Pics | Squat's history]