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The first squat was above a coffeeshop in an otherwise derelict block, some of which is really fucked (no roof). The coffeeshop owner was at first quite unhappy and waved a spade around enthusiastically. Perhaps he was eager to get gardening in the large vacant piece of land behind the building. He soon calmed down. Fifty people stood outside the door and two people spoke to the assorted cops who turned up. After a while the police decided there wasn't much they could do and jogged on, with the exception of one car left for "our own safety." We then all had a look round the house, on three stories, which was pretty destroyed but certainly will be a cosy place soon.
More information in Dutch -
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The second squat was quite close, next to some water. There were about thirty of us that time and it went a bit faster. The same chief cop turned up and didn't seem all that bothered. What was nice was that all the neighbours were completely on our side and happy that the place was no longer empty.
More information in Dutch -
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There was an alarm later that day at the first squat, but it turned out to be not much, just the police hassling people for checking out the vacant lot.
Great that squatting continues in Amsterdam and indeed across the Netherlands! There's an interesting article on squat.net with more information about other squatting actions going on recently -
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Comments
Hide the following 16 comments
Update - coffee shop lost to court order
16.07.2012 15:14
The government is also passing new legislation which will require a "persoon van juridische autoriteit" in effect a person who will be legally responsible for a squat and can be sued later on if costs are awarded by a court to the owner if there is any damage to a building while it is squatted. As would be expected nobody will wish to be this 'persoon van juridische autoriteit' so the police can then remove everybody because of that.
ACU Politiek Cultureel Centrum
Voorstraat 71 Utrecht,
Netherlands 3512 AK
011-31-30-231-4590 acu.nl
Bart van Meeston - ACU Politiek
Homepage:
acu.nl
How to fight
16.07.2012 16:10
I know that here in England the Queens government is talking with the Dutch government to perhaps do something the same for UK, they are sharing ideas also with Germany.
Dutch person in Bristol
Squat 2 now also lost
16.07.2012 16:13
We stand strong and not defeated !
Bart van Meeston - ACU Politiek
amsterdam kraakers
16.07.2012 18:23
nn
"Bart van Meeston" = scam
16.07.2012 20:39
please be warned that the comment posted by "Bart van Meeston" is fake. There is no such thing as 'bericht van afwijzing' in the practice of squatting in The Netherlands right now. Yes we have the 'new' law on squatting ban, bu the only serious juridical challenge on it up till now, after some case was brought to the Raad van State (highest court in NL) is that the authorities have to notice the inhabitants that they are suspected of being squatters (a crime by the new law) and give them some time to start a court case themselves against the state to prevent eviction. As far as I am aware, all such court cases have been lost until now, but nevertheless it does give squatters some time to live in the place and try to campaign against eviction. It also gives some local authorities the possibility to 'tolerate' the squatters by waiting with notifying them, so in some cases houses that were squatted after the squatting ban are still occupied, living in some juridical limbo.
I have no idea why someone should post such irrelevant disinformation as this "Bart van Meeston" person, and I'm quite positive he is not related in any way with the ACU - a legalized place by the way, that has ties with the squatting movement but would in no way pretend to have inside knowledge of how things work nowadays.
nn
feyenord
16.07.2012 22:00
feyenord
Still there
16.07.2012 22:02
Bart van Meeston is fake.
A bericht van afwijzing is really not the case and is also not possible according to the new anti-squat laws. It only may be so if it's a criminal scene or the police needs the place for further investigation.
It can't be used for a eviction as the Hoge Raad (highest courd) decided.
Technically the anti-squat laws made squatting easier and gave more prospect on a longer stay.
nn
votdefuck
16.07.2012 22:30
wow this beats that fake social centre in brixton post in terms of sophistication
what the fuck? haha
kraken gaat door
wow
Bart van Meeston / ACU
17.07.2012 07:07
michiel
Amsterdam Disinformation Spill
17.07.2012 11:47
Abolitionist
"Amsterdam Disinformation Spill"
17.07.2012 14:36
Hertz Van Rental
Fascinating view...
17.07.2012 17:31
Ebb & Flow
@ Ebb and Flow
18.07.2012 06:38
Let me put your mind at rest, the government don't care about you, they are not posting here, they regard 99% of us here as of no consequence and certainly no threat.
The series of posts above are just somebody taking the piss.
Grown up
@06:38
18.07.2012 13:01
I can understand why any responsibility would be rejected, but as the saying goes where there is a leak something must have been swallowed, and in this case it very likely is not from the coffeeshop. Furthermore, government supporters seem to indicate that its only reasons to exclude such a scenario were of tactical nature (as opposed to constitutional).
303
@06:38
18.07.2012 13:17
I can understand why any responsibility would be rejected, but as the saying goes where there is a leak something must have been swallowed, and in this case it very likely is not from the coffeeshop. Furthermore, government supporters seem to indicate its only reasons to exclude such a thing were of tactical nature (as opposed to constitutional).
303
@ 13:17
19.07.2012 16:13
13:01