.on Autonomous Spaces (February 2010)
Social centres, squats, infoshops, free parties, protest camps, hacklabs
and convergence centres... Autonomous spaces come in many forms and have
often served as important bases of resistance for popular movements and
struggles. In this newsletter we take a closer look at social centres
around Europe, examining some of their potential strengths and weaknesses
as projects for social change and looking at current struggles around
protecting autonomous spaces.
Contents
1.What is a Social Centre?
2.Some Examples of Social Centres Around Europe
3.Days of Action for Squats and Autonomous Spaces
4.The Role of Autonomous Spaces – Strengths and Challenges
5.Upcoming Events
6.(Many) More Links to Social Centres and Autonomous Spaces in Europe
7.Links to More Information
1. What is a Social Centre?
A social centre is an autonomous space where people can come together to
share, exchange, create, experiment, communicate and conspire. The idea
is to create a visible, critical presence in the community, where people
can engage in radical ideas and events.
Like all autonomous spaces, social centres are self-organised and
self-managed. This usually means a commitment to horizontal organising
(no leaders and no fixed executive roles), open discussion (where everyone
can have an equal say), consensus decision-making, and shared labour
(both rote tasks and empowering work are divided equally).
A social centre can be owned, occupied or leased. They take many
different forms - from small resource centres of alternative literature,
to sprawling multi-use complexes. Commonly they include some or all of
the following: free meeting space, a cheap (veggie/vegan) café, cinema
space, gig rooms, a radical bookshop or library, free shops, internet
access and bike workshops. Some have free language classes or a community
garden, others offer support for asylum seekers or equipment loans.
Social centres offer a sense of community and solidarity, affordable food
and entertainment, a non-commercial place to relax, talk, meet people or
find information on political campaigns, issues and actions.
At their best, social centres act as a direct resistance to the
dehumanising and profit-driven logic of capitalism: by taking back control
of our lives, and practising and promoting our political ideas, we
demonstrate alternatives to the exploitative and alienating system of
private profit. It's not just about the program of activities, but also
the process of learning and developing our politics as we set up and
organise a project together as equals.
2. Some Examples of Social Centres Around Europe
Rote Flora (Hamburg, Germany)
The social centre Rote Flora has been squatted for more than 20 years.
Before it was taken as a space for grassroot activities in 1989, it had
been abandoned. Before that it functioned as a supermarket. Originally,
it was a theatre called "Flora," and was named "Rote Flora" (Red Flora) by
activists when it was turned into a social centre.
From the beginning the struggle for Rote Flora has been related to
gentrification. A huge commercial music venue was planned to be
constructed at the end of Schulterblatt Street, but neighbourhood
resistance against the project began, including resistance to the
demolition of the Flora theatre. Only part of the theatre was saved by
these actions, and this is what makes up the Rote Flora today.
Two floors and a cellar, several rooms for meetings, a DIY printing
workshop, a motorcycle workshop and a sports room were established in the
Rote Flore. The 'archive of social movements' also moved to the space,
and is still part of the project. Today there is also a bicycle workshop
and twice per week a people's kitchen takes place. There are also various
concerts and parties happening, including a weekly Dub Cafe.
The newspaper project 'Zeck' is still named 'information from the Rote
Flora' and has been going for almost 20 years as a left-radical,
non-official but tolerated media, in which to publish texts from various
autonomous, anarchist and undogmatic radical-left groups and structures.
In 2000 discussion and debate took place around the issue of legalising
the space. The issue wasn't about money, but about the politics of having
a squat. There are other legal social centres in Hamburg, some of which
started as squats. Most are not particularly political now, and people
argued that legalising Rote Flora would create conflict as more pressure
was created to 'stick to the rules.' On the other hand, others were in
favour of legalisation to make sure the space would not be evicted. In
the end, the group decided not to legalise and so far it does not seem
like the authorities are willing to risk an eviction.
In the last years, the street in front of the Rote Flora has been
reconstructed as a 'piazza,' increasing the number of people coming to
consume in the area's cafes. Prices to live and prices of food and drink
are increasing drastically. In the last ten years the feel and look of
the quarter has changed significantly. The Rote Flora can also be seen as
part of the problem, as 'creative yuppies' are attracted to the space,
shooting photos in front of the space or drinking cocktails at parties.
On the other hand, the left-liberals see it as a poorly functioning
cultural space. A legal, commercial culture centre opened next to the
Rote Flora a number of years ago and is used to split cultural activities
into those which are acceptable and constructive, and those that are
unacceptable and destructive. It still remains to be seen how this will
affect the project in the upcoming years...
www.roteflora.de
Edited from a longer text by a3yo (www.a3yo.noblogs.org)
Seomra Spraoi (Dublin, Ireland)
Seomra Spraoi, which means 'play room,' is a radical social centre that
"seeks to be a hub of positive resistance in a city and society where
public spaces have been eaten away by consumerism, property speculation
and the culture of the car." (From the website:
http://www.seomraspraoi.org)
The collective formed in 2004, opening their first space in 2005. Since
then, they have moved two more times and are currently renting their
space. The space has a cinema room, gig space, meeting rooms, kitchen and
café area, a bike workshop and more. Many groups use Seomra Spraoi for
their meetings, including Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group (RAG),
Workers Solidarity Group, Climate Camp Ireland, Ireland Palestine
Solidarity Campaign and Soupstone Kindergarten. There are regular
Spanish, English and German classes, as well as free computer access and
wireless internet.
Seomra Spraoi has a clearly developed set of principles under which it
organises: autonomy and self-management, openness and inclusion,
horizontal (non-hierarchical) organising, collective decision making,
cooperation and mutual aid, not-for-profit and environmental
sustainability. Open meetings are held regularly, where all can
participate in running the space on an equal basis.
Rozbrat (Poznan, Poland)
Set up in 1994 on the site of a bankrupt warehouse complex, the original
idea of Rozbrat was a commune for people who did not accept or believe in
"a world based on the rat race." Initially Rozbrat was a housing squat,
providing a shared place to live outside of the for-profit housing market.
But quickly the aims of the project broadened to include all kinds of
cultural, social and political work.
Today Rozbrat is at the centre of alternative culture not only in Poznan,
but also the whole region of Wielkopolska. It is a social space where
activities that could not take place in commercialised world thrive. The
building includes a living area for 15-20 people, an anarchist library, a
two room concert hall, the anarchists' club and some other smaller spaces.
Various festivals, workshops, meetings and lectures take place in the
space. Many radical political initiatives, such as Food Not Bombs and
Workers' Initiative, use Rozbrat as a base for organising their work.
Rozbrat has been under threat of eviction since 2008, with a 'Rozbrat
stays!' campaign active since the beginning of 2009. On May 9th 2009 more
than 1000 people took part in a demonstration in Poznan organised by the
Rozbrat Collective, with solidarity actions at Polish embassies in
countries like Greece, Hungary, Romania and the Netherlands. Right now is
a critical time for Rozbrat since an auction to sell Rozbrat is supposed
to take place on March 26, 2010. Another demonstration is planned for
March 20th.
http://www.rozbrat.org/news-in-english
Patio Maravillas (Madrid, Spain)
Patio Maravillas is a social centre in central Madrid, in existence since
2007. The collective squatted a long-abandoned building on Acuerdo
Street, in the university area, from summer 2007 until January 2010. On
January 26, 2010 police moved in to evict the squat, after legal action
was taken by the owner. On the same day, hundreds of people protested
against the eviction, and a new building was occupied nearby on Pez
Street. Activities of the social centre were quickly resumed in the new
space.
Patio Maravillas has acted as a busy local cultural and political centre
Regular activities include a bicycle repair workshop, film screenings, a
hacklab, free classes and workshops, political discussions, children's
activities, a photography workshop, legal advice, meeting space and a café
http://defiendelo.patiomaravillas.net/
3. Days of Action for Squats and Autonomous Spaces
In 2007 a call to action in support of squats and autonomous spaces was
made, proposing a weekend of decentralised actions April 11-12, 2008. The
idea was to promote and disperse the ideas and ideals of autonomous
spaces, whilst also feeding on one another's energy to fight in people's
own localities. A meeting in Dijon, France was attended by approximately
130 and the call out was translated into 18 languages. Many people will
eager to show that their struggles are not only about isolated spaces, but
a movement without borders that requires international solidarity.
Actions were reported in 95 cities, in at least 26 countries – mostly in
Europe and often in places that didn't already have a social centre
Everything from banner drops, food not bombs, new squatting actions,
street theatre, parties and discussions took place. More than 30 new
squats were taken over the weekend (although quite a few were also quickly
evicted).
Since then, there has been a follow up meeting in Berlin and in September
2009 a smaller weekend of actions took place, mostly in the UK.
You can find a full report from the 2008 actions days here:
http://april2008.squat.net/
Interspace Coordination List
Original the April2008-coordination list set up in the lead up to the
decentralised days of action for squats and autonomous spaces. The list
now provides a communications tool for autonomous spaces throughout Europe
and beyond.
https://lists.squat.net/mailman/listinfo/april2008-coordination
4. The Role of Autonomous Spaces – Strengths and Challenges
The strengths and advantages of organising a social centre or other
autonomous space are clear. They act as a physical space to unite social
movements and strengthen activism in our communities – a place to plan and
strategise together, and to make links with other struggles and activists.
They can contribute to the development of horizontal politics and
autonomous movements, by acting as spaces where self-management, mutual
aid and solidarity can blossom. And of course, by reclaiming private
property and opening it back to the public in a not-for-profit way, social
centres are a direct intervention and confrontation to the logic of
capital. Autonomous spaces expose the madness of property speculation and
gentrification; they provide an alternative to city centres where the only
places to meet are corporately controlled and owned.
But there are also tensions and problems when it comes to organising
autonomous spaces. First, there is the question of the project's
sustainability. Often the day-to-day work in these projects is carried
out by a very small group of people. Everyone turns up when there is a
good gig on Friday night, but when it comes to fixing the leaky roof or
administrative work like paying the bills, the group suddenly seems a lot
smaller. This can lead to burnout and resentment. And even in projects
committed to 'doing it without leaders,' it is an easy way for informal
hierarchies to form. Those who have more experience or knowledge about
the project can end up with more influence over decisions.
Sustainability can also be a matter of money – without any formal funding
it can be a struggle just to keep the lights on from month to month. Many
spaces come to rely on bar nights and alcohol sales to keep their space
going, which can also bring up questions about the role of alcohol in our
movements.
One of the biggest questions in many countries is often about whether or
not to squat. One argument says that the bureaucracy and financial costs
of legal autonomous spaces divert energy and resources away from 'real'
activism and social change activities. There is also a concern that the
group will become professionalised or institutionalised. Another argument
against legalisation says that the direct confrontation of occupation and
squatting is necessary for the growth of radical politics, and to avoid
engaging with the system one is objecting to.
But squatting can have its own issues. The instability of constantly
having to move to a new building can be tiring. In many places, squatting
is becoming more difficult with new laws being passed to make it illegal
or more enforcement of laws that already exist. Many activists,
especially as they get older, want to create a more permanent base.
Buying or renting a property can allow them to make their politics more
open and accessible, and is often seen as a tactical compromise.
The debate around squatted versus legal spaces continues, often with these
spaces working and networking together, feeding off each other and
building solidarity.
Finally, there is a question of who these projects are for. Are we
satisfied with youth-oriented subcultural ghettoes, or are we really
serious about connecting our politics with 'regular people' and their
day-to-day concerns?
Read more about the issues surrounding autonomous spaces:
http://trapese.clearerchannel.org/chapters/HandbookForChangingOurWorld_chap13.pdf
And a guide about how to set up your own social centre:
http://trapese.clearerchannel.org/chapters/HandbookForChangingOurWorld_chap14.pdf
5 Upcoming Events
Frontal Attack Intersquat Festival (Grenoble, France)
March 20-28, 2010
An intersquat festival against evictions and private property, to reclaim
the city. Numerous activities will be organized by/in different squats in
and around Grenoble: a week of live shows, movie screenings, walks, vegan
meals, discussions and more, to confront the political managers who are
ruining our city and lives.
http://grenoble.squat.net/
Social Centres in a Time of Crisis – National Social Centres Meeting
(Leeds, United Kingdom)
April 17-18, 2010.
A weekend of workshops, discussions and socialising for everyone with an
interest in radical autonomous social centres.
- How can a new generation of social centres learn from the successes and
failures of established ones? What are the ways in which we can best face
up to the challenges?
- How can we sustain energy and dynamism? Can we stop the daily grind of
actually running a social centre from eclipsing the politics and passion
behind it
- Is there a way in which we can capitalise on the current widespread
disaffection with mainstream politics? What is the role of social centres
in a time of crisis?
- What is the current situation with your social centre? What's going
right, what's going wrong, and what support do you need?
http://www.thecommonplace.org.uk/events-calendar/icalrepeat.detail/2010/04/17/1080/-/N2M1YjFhMWM1MDljZThiYjVlOWYwNmU2NzI0MjMwYzk=.html
6. (Many) More Links to Social Centres and Autonomous Spaces in Europe
This list is by no means comprehensive, and spaces are opening and closing
all the time. Send an email to eyfa [at] eyfa.org if you'd like to see
your space added to the list on the website.
Ernst Kirchweger Haus (Vienna, Austria)
http://www.med-user.net/~ekh/
Infocenter Ecotopia (Razgrad, Bulgaria)
http://aresistance.net/ecotopia
Infoshop Škatula (Rijeka, Croatia)
http://skatula.anarhija.org
Jolanda Club (Brno, Czech Rep)
http://www.jolanda.cz/
Revolver Infoshop (Prague, Czech Rep)
http://www.infoshop-revolver.cz
Truhlarska (Prague, Czech Rep)
http://www.milada.org/truhla/
Folkets Hus (Copenhagen, Denmark)
http://www.folketshus.dk/
Ungdomshuset (Copenhagen, Denmark)
http://www.dortheavej-61.dk/
Sosiaalikeskus Satama (Helsinki, Finland)
http://www.satama.org/
Hirvitalo (Tampere, Finland)
http://www.hirvikatu10.net/wordpress.1/?page_id=8
Les Tanneries (Dijon, France)
http://squat.net/tanneries/
Calendar of Berlin events (including address listings)
http://stressfaktor.squat.net/
KØPI (Berlin, Germany)
http://koepi137.net/
Au (Frankfurt, Germany)
http://au-frankfurt.org/
Villa Amalias (Athens, Greece)
http://villa-amalias.blogspot.com/
Fabrika Yfanet (Thessaloniki, Greece)
http://www.yfanet.net/
Italian Squats
http://tuttosquat.net/
CSA Vittoria (Milan, Italy)
http://www.csavittoria.org/
Officina 99 (Naples, Italy)
http://www.officina99.org/
CSA La Torre (Rome, Italy)
www.ecn.org/latorre
Forte Prenestion (Rome, Italy)
http://www.ecn.org/forte/
Fuori Controllo (Savona, Italy)
http://fuoricontrollo.noblogs.org/
Zabadaks (Kuldiga, Latvia)
http://www.nekac.lv/zabadaks.html
Teror 13 (Macedonia)
http://www.teror13.anarhija.org/
Joes Garage (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
http://joesgarage.nl/
Molli (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
http://www.molli.nl/
Grote Broek (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
http://www.grotebroek.nl/
ACU (Utrecht, The Netherlands)
http://www.acu.nl/
Radar
Information about what's happening in many Dutch squats.
http://squat.net/radar/
Blitz (Oslo, Norway)
http://www.blitz.no/
Hausmania (Oslo, Norway)
http://hausmania.org/portal/
Ivar Matlaus Bokkafe (Trondheim, Norway)
http://www.ivarmatlaus.org
UFFA (Trondheim, Norway)
http://www.uffa.no/
Warsaw Infoshop (Warsaw, Poland)
http://www.infoszop.bzzz.net/
DeCentrum (Bialystok, Poland)
http://decentrum.bzzz.net/
ZAKAŹN (Biala Podlaska, Poland)
http://www.zakazny.110mb.com/
CRK [Centre of Culture Reanimation] (Wroclaw, Poland)
http://crk.wroclaw.pl/
Elba (Warszawa, Poland)
http://www.elba.bzzz.net/
Metelkova (Ljubliana, Slovenia)
http://www.metelkovamesto.org/
Utkanten (Malmoe, Sweden)
http://www.utkanten.net
Kafe 44 (Stockholm, Sweden)
http://kafe44.se/
InfoUsurpa
Newsletter of activities in Barcelona squats.
http://squat.net/usurpa/
Can Masdeu (Barcelona, Spain)
http://www.canmasdeu.net/?lang=en
Espace Noir (Saint-Imier, Switzerland)
http://www.espacenoir.ch/
Haymatlos (Istanbul, Turkey)
http://www.haymatlos.org/
London Social Centers Network (London, UK)
http://londonscn.wordpress.com
UK Social Center Network
http://socialcentresnetwork.wordpress.com/
7. Links to More Information
Prague Squats Under Attack: some articles on squats in Prague
http://flag.blackened.net/agony/prague.html#top
What is This Place? Stories From Radical Social Centers in the UK and Ireland
http://socialcentrestories.wordpress.com/
Some words on the movement of political squats in France:
http://europe.pgaconference.org/en/france_06/topics/autonomous_spaces/some_words_on_the_movement_of_the_political_squats_in_france
_______________________________________________
Network mailing list
Network@lists.eyfa.org
https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/network
Social centres, squats, infoshops, free parties, protest camps, hacklabs
and convergence centres... Autonomous spaces come in many forms and have
often served as important bases of resistance for popular movements and
struggles. In this newsletter we take a closer look at social centres
around Europe, examining some of their potential strengths and weaknesses
as projects for social change and looking at current struggles around
protecting autonomous spaces.
Contents
1.What is a Social Centre?
2.Some Examples of Social Centres Around Europe
3.Days of Action for Squats and Autonomous Spaces
4.The Role of Autonomous Spaces – Strengths and Challenges
5.Upcoming Events
6.(Many) More Links to Social Centres and Autonomous Spaces in Europe
7.Links to More Information
1. What is a Social Centre?
A social centre is an autonomous space where people can come together to
share, exchange, create, experiment, communicate and conspire. The idea
is to create a visible, critical presence in the community, where people
can engage in radical ideas and events.
Like all autonomous spaces, social centres are self-organised and
self-managed. This usually means a commitment to horizontal organising
(no leaders and no fixed executive roles), open discussion (where everyone
can have an equal say), consensus decision-making, and shared labour
(both rote tasks and empowering work are divided equally).
A social centre can be owned, occupied or leased. They take many
different forms - from small resource centres of alternative literature,
to sprawling multi-use complexes. Commonly they include some or all of
the following: free meeting space, a cheap (veggie/vegan) café, cinema
space, gig rooms, a radical bookshop or library, free shops, internet
access and bike workshops. Some have free language classes or a community
garden, others offer support for asylum seekers or equipment loans.
Social centres offer a sense of community and solidarity, affordable food
and entertainment, a non-commercial place to relax, talk, meet people or
find information on political campaigns, issues and actions.
At their best, social centres act as a direct resistance to the
dehumanising and profit-driven logic of capitalism: by taking back control
of our lives, and practising and promoting our political ideas, we
demonstrate alternatives to the exploitative and alienating system of
private profit. It's not just about the program of activities, but also
the process of learning and developing our politics as we set up and
organise a project together as equals.
2. Some Examples of Social Centres Around Europe
Rote Flora (Hamburg, Germany)
The social centre Rote Flora has been squatted for more than 20 years.
Before it was taken as a space for grassroot activities in 1989, it had
been abandoned. Before that it functioned as a supermarket. Originally,
it was a theatre called "Flora," and was named "Rote Flora" (Red Flora) by
activists when it was turned into a social centre.
From the beginning the struggle for Rote Flora has been related to
gentrification. A huge commercial music venue was planned to be
constructed at the end of Schulterblatt Street, but neighbourhood
resistance against the project began, including resistance to the
demolition of the Flora theatre. Only part of the theatre was saved by
these actions, and this is what makes up the Rote Flora today.
Two floors and a cellar, several rooms for meetings, a DIY printing
workshop, a motorcycle workshop and a sports room were established in the
Rote Flore. The 'archive of social movements' also moved to the space,
and is still part of the project. Today there is also a bicycle workshop
and twice per week a people's kitchen takes place. There are also various
concerts and parties happening, including a weekly Dub Cafe.
The newspaper project 'Zeck' is still named 'information from the Rote
Flora' and has been going for almost 20 years as a left-radical,
non-official but tolerated media, in which to publish texts from various
autonomous, anarchist and undogmatic radical-left groups and structures.
In 2000 discussion and debate took place around the issue of legalising
the space. The issue wasn't about money, but about the politics of having
a squat. There are other legal social centres in Hamburg, some of which
started as squats. Most are not particularly political now, and people
argued that legalising Rote Flora would create conflict as more pressure
was created to 'stick to the rules.' On the other hand, others were in
favour of legalisation to make sure the space would not be evicted. In
the end, the group decided not to legalise and so far it does not seem
like the authorities are willing to risk an eviction.
In the last years, the street in front of the Rote Flora has been
reconstructed as a 'piazza,' increasing the number of people coming to
consume in the area's cafes. Prices to live and prices of food and drink
are increasing drastically. In the last ten years the feel and look of
the quarter has changed significantly. The Rote Flora can also be seen as
part of the problem, as 'creative yuppies' are attracted to the space,
shooting photos in front of the space or drinking cocktails at parties.
On the other hand, the left-liberals see it as a poorly functioning
cultural space. A legal, commercial culture centre opened next to the
Rote Flora a number of years ago and is used to split cultural activities
into those which are acceptable and constructive, and those that are
unacceptable and destructive. It still remains to be seen how this will
affect the project in the upcoming years...
www.roteflora.de
Edited from a longer text by a3yo (www.a3yo.noblogs.org)
Seomra Spraoi (Dublin, Ireland)
Seomra Spraoi, which means 'play room,' is a radical social centre that
"seeks to be a hub of positive resistance in a city and society where
public spaces have been eaten away by consumerism, property speculation
and the culture of the car." (From the website:
http://www.seomraspraoi.org)
The collective formed in 2004, opening their first space in 2005. Since
then, they have moved two more times and are currently renting their
space. The space has a cinema room, gig space, meeting rooms, kitchen and
café area, a bike workshop and more. Many groups use Seomra Spraoi for
their meetings, including Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group (RAG),
Workers Solidarity Group, Climate Camp Ireland, Ireland Palestine
Solidarity Campaign and Soupstone Kindergarten. There are regular
Spanish, English and German classes, as well as free computer access and
wireless internet.
Seomra Spraoi has a clearly developed set of principles under which it
organises: autonomy and self-management, openness and inclusion,
horizontal (non-hierarchical) organising, collective decision making,
cooperation and mutual aid, not-for-profit and environmental
sustainability. Open meetings are held regularly, where all can
participate in running the space on an equal basis.
Rozbrat (Poznan, Poland)
Set up in 1994 on the site of a bankrupt warehouse complex, the original
idea of Rozbrat was a commune for people who did not accept or believe in
"a world based on the rat race." Initially Rozbrat was a housing squat,
providing a shared place to live outside of the for-profit housing market.
But quickly the aims of the project broadened to include all kinds of
cultural, social and political work.
Today Rozbrat is at the centre of alternative culture not only in Poznan,
but also the whole region of Wielkopolska. It is a social space where
activities that could not take place in commercialised world thrive. The
building includes a living area for 15-20 people, an anarchist library, a
two room concert hall, the anarchists' club and some other smaller spaces.
Various festivals, workshops, meetings and lectures take place in the
space. Many radical political initiatives, such as Food Not Bombs and
Workers' Initiative, use Rozbrat as a base for organising their work.
Rozbrat has been under threat of eviction since 2008, with a 'Rozbrat
stays!' campaign active since the beginning of 2009. On May 9th 2009 more
than 1000 people took part in a demonstration in Poznan organised by the
Rozbrat Collective, with solidarity actions at Polish embassies in
countries like Greece, Hungary, Romania and the Netherlands. Right now is
a critical time for Rozbrat since an auction to sell Rozbrat is supposed
to take place on March 26, 2010. Another demonstration is planned for
March 20th.
http://www.rozbrat.org/news-in-english
Patio Maravillas (Madrid, Spain)
Patio Maravillas is a social centre in central Madrid, in existence since
2007. The collective squatted a long-abandoned building on Acuerdo
Street, in the university area, from summer 2007 until January 2010. On
January 26, 2010 police moved in to evict the squat, after legal action
was taken by the owner. On the same day, hundreds of people protested
against the eviction, and a new building was occupied nearby on Pez
Street. Activities of the social centre were quickly resumed in the new
space.
Patio Maravillas has acted as a busy local cultural and political centre
Regular activities include a bicycle repair workshop, film screenings, a
hacklab, free classes and workshops, political discussions, children's
activities, a photography workshop, legal advice, meeting space and a café
http://defiendelo.patiomaravillas.net/
3. Days of Action for Squats and Autonomous Spaces
In 2007 a call to action in support of squats and autonomous spaces was
made, proposing a weekend of decentralised actions April 11-12, 2008. The
idea was to promote and disperse the ideas and ideals of autonomous
spaces, whilst also feeding on one another's energy to fight in people's
own localities. A meeting in Dijon, France was attended by approximately
130 and the call out was translated into 18 languages. Many people will
eager to show that their struggles are not only about isolated spaces, but
a movement without borders that requires international solidarity.
Actions were reported in 95 cities, in at least 26 countries – mostly in
Europe and often in places that didn't already have a social centre
Everything from banner drops, food not bombs, new squatting actions,
street theatre, parties and discussions took place. More than 30 new
squats were taken over the weekend (although quite a few were also quickly
evicted).
Since then, there has been a follow up meeting in Berlin and in September
2009 a smaller weekend of actions took place, mostly in the UK.
You can find a full report from the 2008 actions days here:
http://april2008.squat.net/
Interspace Coordination List
Original the April2008-coordination list set up in the lead up to the
decentralised days of action for squats and autonomous spaces. The list
now provides a communications tool for autonomous spaces throughout Europe
and beyond.
https://lists.squat.net/mailman/listinfo/april2008-coordination
4. The Role of Autonomous Spaces – Strengths and Challenges
The strengths and advantages of organising a social centre or other
autonomous space are clear. They act as a physical space to unite social
movements and strengthen activism in our communities – a place to plan and
strategise together, and to make links with other struggles and activists.
They can contribute to the development of horizontal politics and
autonomous movements, by acting as spaces where self-management, mutual
aid and solidarity can blossom. And of course, by reclaiming private
property and opening it back to the public in a not-for-profit way, social
centres are a direct intervention and confrontation to the logic of
capital. Autonomous spaces expose the madness of property speculation and
gentrification; they provide an alternative to city centres where the only
places to meet are corporately controlled and owned.
But there are also tensions and problems when it comes to organising
autonomous spaces. First, there is the question of the project's
sustainability. Often the day-to-day work in these projects is carried
out by a very small group of people. Everyone turns up when there is a
good gig on Friday night, but when it comes to fixing the leaky roof or
administrative work like paying the bills, the group suddenly seems a lot
smaller. This can lead to burnout and resentment. And even in projects
committed to 'doing it without leaders,' it is an easy way for informal
hierarchies to form. Those who have more experience or knowledge about
the project can end up with more influence over decisions.
Sustainability can also be a matter of money – without any formal funding
it can be a struggle just to keep the lights on from month to month. Many
spaces come to rely on bar nights and alcohol sales to keep their space
going, which can also bring up questions about the role of alcohol in our
movements.
One of the biggest questions in many countries is often about whether or
not to squat. One argument says that the bureaucracy and financial costs
of legal autonomous spaces divert energy and resources away from 'real'
activism and social change activities. There is also a concern that the
group will become professionalised or institutionalised. Another argument
against legalisation says that the direct confrontation of occupation and
squatting is necessary for the growth of radical politics, and to avoid
engaging with the system one is objecting to.
But squatting can have its own issues. The instability of constantly
having to move to a new building can be tiring. In many places, squatting
is becoming more difficult with new laws being passed to make it illegal
or more enforcement of laws that already exist. Many activists,
especially as they get older, want to create a more permanent base.
Buying or renting a property can allow them to make their politics more
open and accessible, and is often seen as a tactical compromise.
The debate around squatted versus legal spaces continues, often with these
spaces working and networking together, feeding off each other and
building solidarity.
Finally, there is a question of who these projects are for. Are we
satisfied with youth-oriented subcultural ghettoes, or are we really
serious about connecting our politics with 'regular people' and their
day-to-day concerns?
Read more about the issues surrounding autonomous spaces:
http://trapese.clearerchannel.org/chapters/HandbookForChangingOurWorld_chap13.pdf
And a guide about how to set up your own social centre:
http://trapese.clearerchannel.org/chapters/HandbookForChangingOurWorld_chap14.pdf
5 Upcoming Events
Frontal Attack Intersquat Festival (Grenoble, France)
March 20-28, 2010
An intersquat festival against evictions and private property, to reclaim
the city. Numerous activities will be organized by/in different squats in
and around Grenoble: a week of live shows, movie screenings, walks, vegan
meals, discussions and more, to confront the political managers who are
ruining our city and lives.
http://grenoble.squat.net/
Social Centres in a Time of Crisis – National Social Centres Meeting
(Leeds, United Kingdom)
April 17-18, 2010.
A weekend of workshops, discussions and socialising for everyone with an
interest in radical autonomous social centres.
- How can a new generation of social centres learn from the successes and
failures of established ones? What are the ways in which we can best face
up to the challenges?
- How can we sustain energy and dynamism? Can we stop the daily grind of
actually running a social centre from eclipsing the politics and passion
behind it
- Is there a way in which we can capitalise on the current widespread
disaffection with mainstream politics? What is the role of social centres
in a time of crisis?
- What is the current situation with your social centre? What's going
right, what's going wrong, and what support do you need?
http://www.thecommonplace.org.uk/events-calendar/icalrepeat.detail/2010/04/17/1080/-/N2M1YjFhMWM1MDljZThiYjVlOWYwNmU2NzI0MjMwYzk=.html
6. (Many) More Links to Social Centres and Autonomous Spaces in Europe
This list is by no means comprehensive, and spaces are opening and closing
all the time. Send an email to eyfa [at] eyfa.org if you'd like to see
your space added to the list on the website.
Ernst Kirchweger Haus (Vienna, Austria)
http://www.med-user.net/~ekh/
Infocenter Ecotopia (Razgrad, Bulgaria)
http://aresistance.net/ecotopia
Infoshop Škatula (Rijeka, Croatia)
http://skatula.anarhija.org
Jolanda Club (Brno, Czech Rep)
http://www.jolanda.cz/
Revolver Infoshop (Prague, Czech Rep)
http://www.infoshop-revolver.cz
Truhlarska (Prague, Czech Rep)
http://www.milada.org/truhla/
Folkets Hus (Copenhagen, Denmark)
http://www.folketshus.dk/
Ungdomshuset (Copenhagen, Denmark)
http://www.dortheavej-61.dk/
Sosiaalikeskus Satama (Helsinki, Finland)
http://www.satama.org/
Hirvitalo (Tampere, Finland)
http://www.hirvikatu10.net/wordpress.1/?page_id=8
Les Tanneries (Dijon, France)
http://squat.net/tanneries/
Calendar of Berlin events (including address listings)
http://stressfaktor.squat.net/
KØPI (Berlin, Germany)
http://koepi137.net/
Au (Frankfurt, Germany)
http://au-frankfurt.org/
Villa Amalias (Athens, Greece)
http://villa-amalias.blogspot.com/
Fabrika Yfanet (Thessaloniki, Greece)
http://www.yfanet.net/
Italian Squats
http://tuttosquat.net/
CSA Vittoria (Milan, Italy)
http://www.csavittoria.org/
Officina 99 (Naples, Italy)
http://www.officina99.org/
CSA La Torre (Rome, Italy)
www.ecn.org/latorre
Forte Prenestion (Rome, Italy)
http://www.ecn.org/forte/
Fuori Controllo (Savona, Italy)
http://fuoricontrollo.noblogs.org/
Zabadaks (Kuldiga, Latvia)
http://www.nekac.lv/zabadaks.html
Teror 13 (Macedonia)
http://www.teror13.anarhija.org/
Joes Garage (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
http://joesgarage.nl/
Molli (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
http://www.molli.nl/
Grote Broek (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
http://www.grotebroek.nl/
ACU (Utrecht, The Netherlands)
http://www.acu.nl/
Radar
Information about what's happening in many Dutch squats.
http://squat.net/radar/
Blitz (Oslo, Norway)
http://www.blitz.no/
Hausmania (Oslo, Norway)
http://hausmania.org/portal/
Ivar Matlaus Bokkafe (Trondheim, Norway)
http://www.ivarmatlaus.org
UFFA (Trondheim, Norway)
http://www.uffa.no/
Warsaw Infoshop (Warsaw, Poland)
http://www.infoszop.bzzz.net/
DeCentrum (Bialystok, Poland)
http://decentrum.bzzz.net/
ZAKAŹN (Biala Podlaska, Poland)
http://www.zakazny.110mb.com/
CRK [Centre of Culture Reanimation] (Wroclaw, Poland)
http://crk.wroclaw.pl/
Elba (Warszawa, Poland)
http://www.elba.bzzz.net/
Metelkova (Ljubliana, Slovenia)
http://www.metelkovamesto.org/
Utkanten (Malmoe, Sweden)
http://www.utkanten.net
Kafe 44 (Stockholm, Sweden)
http://kafe44.se/
InfoUsurpa
Newsletter of activities in Barcelona squats.
http://squat.net/usurpa/
Can Masdeu (Barcelona, Spain)
http://www.canmasdeu.net/?lang=en
Espace Noir (Saint-Imier, Switzerland)
http://www.espacenoir.ch/
Haymatlos (Istanbul, Turkey)
http://www.haymatlos.org/
London Social Centers Network (London, UK)
http://londonscn.wordpress.com
UK Social Center Network
http://socialcentresnetwork.wordpress.com/
7. Links to More Information
Prague Squats Under Attack: some articles on squats in Prague
http://flag.blackened.net/agony/prague.html#top
What is This Place? Stories From Radical Social Centers in the UK and Ireland
http://socialcentrestories.wordpress.com/
Some words on the movement of political squats in France:
http://europe.pgaconference.org/en/france_06/topics/autonomous_spaces/some_words_on_the_movement_of_the_political_squats_in_france
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