squatting news – London, Leeds & Manchester – updated

Second court reprieve for RAMpart2
3.03.2008
The squat opened as a backup venue to the rampART social centre in east london today enjoyed it’s second courtroom reprieve. Twice now it has been served with an application for a Interim Possession Order. The first time the claimants failed to turn up at the hearing and today they admitted that they had failed to correctly serve notice on the defendants so it was thrown out of court. The owners will be apply for the third time and the papers are expected to be served sometime Tuesday with a court date probably sometime next week (although it could be earlier if there is an available time slot at the court).

Second court reprieve for RAMpart2
3.03.2008
The squat opened as a backup venue to the rampART social centre in east london today enjoyed it’s second courtroom reprieve. Twice now it has been served with an application for a Interim Possession Order. The first time the claimants failed to turn up at the hearing and today they admitted that they had failed to correctly serve notice on the defendants so it was thrown out of court. The owners will be apply for the third time and the papers are expected to be served sometime Tuesday with a court date probably sometime next week (although it could be earlier if there is an available time slot at the court).

Whether it will be rampART or RAMpart2 which gets evicted first remains a neck and neck race. A new building is being sought. If you have suggestions please contact the collective via rampart at mutualaid dot org.

Check out the photo essay about london’s secret social centre…

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2008/02/392529.html

///////

rampART and RAMpart2 evictions
25.2.2008

All very gloomy news from the various parts of the rampART. This morning there was a hearing to decide whether there would be an appeal against the granting of the possession order relating to Rampart Street. The judge decided there would be no appeal.

The possession order originally granted for the 3rd of Jan is now active and the owners may now get a warrant to enforce the order and book the bailiffs for an eviction. This could be within two or three weeks although this is just a guess and we’ll know more in a day or two.

Meanwhile, a new set of papers was served (kind of) on RAMpart2 and the hearing date is the 3rd of March (ie. next monday). The hearing is both for an IPO and ordinary possession order (which seems a little weird) and assuming they actually bother to turn up this time we seem to have no defense beyond a few technicalities. If they get the IPO then we’d be evicted tuesday 4th March.

A new building is urgently required.

===============

Part of the international weekend of action in support of squats and autonomous spaces around the world (see www.april2008.squat.net for more info).

A Celebration of Free Spaces
Leeds City Centre, Friday 11th – Saturday 12th April 2008

Across the world, communities are under threat as city “regeneration schemes” favour a glamorous , business-friendly environment over and above issues such as community,. social housing and diversity. Leeds is no exception as PFIs and similar privatised “regeneration” programmes threaten communities across the city.

We want to show that communities throughout our city are not prepared to lie down and accept this!

For this weekend we are planning a squatted space in Leeds City Centre, featuring:

– cafe
– focus on housing / squatting / gentrification
– free shop
– family friendly space: daytime cafe will be alcohol-free & drug-free space
– opportunity to link up with other communities threatened by the above issues

…but most importantly the space will be open for whatever you want it to be: an opportunity for films, displays, art, workshops… to get involved give us an email on leedssquat@googlemail.com or call 07526 261061.

===============

Manchester Space Invaders Landing April

11th & 12th April have been named as ‘international days of action on autonomous
spaces’. There will be things happening in Europe including squatted
buildings, parties, Reclaim the Streets, land occupations and more!
We have started an organising group to kick start ideas for action in Manchester. From reclaiming the streets to guerilla gardening..from a ceilidh to a
vegan cafe…free party to permaculture space…

MANCHESTER SPACE INVADERS LANDING SOON!

Decentralised days of action (April 11-12th) meeting
Thursday 21st February 7-9pm

15 people met from various different networks to begin planning for the autonomous
days of action in April..

What are the days of action?

11th & 12th April have been named as ‘international days of action on autonomous
spaces’. There will be things happening in Europe including squatted
buildings, parties, Reclaim the Streets, land occupations and more!

The squatting network met recently in Leeds, and the next national squat meeting
will be in September 2008, in Manchester and the focus will be on skill sharing, and
the possibility of a mass squatting action.

Ideas for action for 11-12 April. We discussed lots of options for the days of
action… From reclaiming the streets to guerilla gardening..from a ceilidh to a
vegan cafe… Consensus was that it would be good to combine doing a squat with a
positive, inclusive, outdoor event, reclaiming a public space in the city..

We discussed the capacity needed to make these ideas happen..so if you have time,
equipment or skills please get involved! People are up for making squatted social
spaces, there have been 2 previous TAA’s (Temporary Autonomous Art spaces) in
Manchester that have been in squatted buildings. There have been TAAs all over the
country.

To find out more about potential areas we are looking at for the squat, street party
and park, come to the next meeting.

A building could be the nucleus for what we do and somewhere to base the weekend.
Everyone agreed that it’s vital to have time and space set aside for
workshops, meeting space and events. It could create a collective that
wants to keep a squatted social centre going for a while. There are community
centres being shut down all over the city at the minute.

We need money and people with skills to share and squatting experience. Please get
in touch if this applies to you! you don;t have to come to lots of meetings, but it
would be great if you could join our team to help make these plans a reality!

We are developing a resource for legal information and to clarify what is involved
in squatting..

We call for networks and autonomous groups across Manchester to get involved…
Basement/Critical Mass/Under the Pavement/Indymedia/Open Media Collective/
Manchester Animal Protection/Temporary Autonomous Artists/Campaigns Collective/No
Borders/Manchester Climate Action/Soundsystems/
LGBT Groups/Queer/Feminist/Permaculture/Food not Bombs/Musicians
and many more besides!

Next meeting: Thursday 6th March 7pm Meeting Rm 3 University of Manchester Students
Union, Oxford Rd.. please note this is an accessible venue.

People will split into working groups and start to
consider practicalities.

To join the email list:
https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/manchesterspaceinvaders
then click on subscribe
email manchesterspaceinvaders@yahoo.co.uk