Advisory Service for Squatters

The Dogs Trust, who help many homeless people each year with assisted healthcare for their pets, have sent us a little christmas package!

There are toys and treats for dogs for us to distribute.

Bring in the address of a useful empty and your dog and they’ll get a present.

Greetings,

We are BEK collective that started the BEK social centre which opened this spring in Zagreb, Croatia. Our squat/social center is completely DIY, based on non-hierarchical structure and our acts are inspired with the idea of anarchism.

All our programs are free (based on donations) and our goal is to include all the people from the community that want to participate so we could truly make our squat a social center, open for everyone to come and be a part of it!
The building we are in was built in 1950 and until recently it was an educational center for blind and visually impaired children. In the March of 2015 long needed renovation works were halted and it was permanently closed as an educational institution. The government did not provide adequate solutions for a new building that could satisfy the children’s needs nor to stop the further decay of the closed building.

Now we have a chance to make an open space for people and animals, but the building requires a lot of work, materials and time. To collect the money necessary, we have started a crowdfunding campaign, so what we need from you is your support.

If you think this idea and project is worthy of your help, we would be very thankful if you could promote our campaign in any way, like sharing, donating, posting about us and talking to your friends, families, colleagues, pets, plants etc.

In solidarity,

BEK kolektiv

https://bekkolektiv.com/

https://coopfunding.net/en/campaigns/bek-autonomous-space-for-free-social-and-cultural-activities/

On the 8th May the Evening Standard carried an article titled “Squatters law has wiped out almost all illegal home invasions in London” pointing out that less people were arrested for squatting in residential properties last year than when S144 first came in (what a surprise!).

On the 11th May some Tory MP called Philip Davies wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice [sic] to ask “what assessment he has made of changes in the prevalence of squatting in commercial premises following the introduction of the criminal provisions contained in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012” (to which the answer was that no data is collected).

Neither of these is unusual, but as the last attack (leading to S144) started with attacks from the “Standard” and some Tory MP, we should be prepared for an upsurge in attacks and for calls for full criminalisation.

But this time round, thanks to the Sofia House squat, other occupations, the Grenfell Tower disaster and other events, squatting, and generally requisitioning empty properties should be more easy to defend/push for. And we seem to have a leader of the opposition who would hopefully be less pliant.