april2008

***PLEASE FWD WIDELY***Opening the Doors to autonomy: 

Worried about the credit crisis, rising rents, food prices and mortgage repayments? Ever wondered about DIY alternatives this mayhem?On the 29th of November Bristol Space Invaders present a day of workshops, activities and artwork on urban survival – credit crunching strategies for getting through hard times - from the legalities and practicalities of squatting and resisting repossession/eviction, to urban foraging, radical recycling, a bike workshop, Tai-Chi & self defence, screenprinting and DIY wireless internet and much more - this will be a day of sharing skills and building the networks to not only survive the current economic crisis but to begin to collectively shape what may replace it. Food and kids area will be provided. Come along, learn and share skills.- We’ve tried leaving it to the experts and ‘authorities’ - it didnt work - its time to rescue ourselves.Event Details:Where: The Red Factory, Cave Street, St Pauls. (Just off Portland Square)When: Saturday the 29th of November 2008, 11am - 6pmCost: Free Children Welcome.

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***More Detailed Version***

Opening the Doors to autonomy: 

On the 29th of November Bristol Space Invaders will be holding a day long event of art, activities and workshops aimed at creating DIY solutions to the problems facing many of us as the economic crisis begins to bite.Our group formed in April 2008 in response to an international call-out for actions in defence of squats and autonomous spaces and held an event on Colston Street, Bristol in a disused building in which we installed art, info, ran workshops and put on caberet and live music for the evenings entertainment. This was tied in with a carnival parade through Stokes Croft and St Pauls against gentrification and colosure of clubs in this area.This time we want to share the practical know-how on to reclaim the city and begin to live outside of the economic exchange - we have put on art and music before and done it well but we’re less interested in providing another experience to come and consume  - instead we aim to provide the tools to participate.Our next event entitled “Opening the Doors to Autonomy” will include workshops on the legality and practicalities of squatting and resisting repossession/eviction, gentrification, urban foraging/skipping, radical recycling, a bike workshop, Tai-Chi & self defence, screenprinting and DIY wireless internet among other activities yet to be confirmed. Food, films and a kids space will also be provided. The event is free.Where?: The Red Factory, Cave Street, St Pauls. (Just off Portland Square)When?: Saturday the 29th of November 2008, 11am - 6pmCost?: Free Children Welcome.

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and finally…

WHO ARE BRISTOL SPACE INVADERS?

We are a diverse bunch of enraged creatives, DIY tinkers and thinkers, dreamers and schemers drawn together by common threads but mostly by our indignation at the impending grip of corporate expansion on our city.  By that we mean the privatization of social space (aka if you havnt paid you can get out!), the plague of yuppy flats and identikit supermarkets, the marriage of local council to business interests and the rising rents and house prices that come as a result of all this and make our own neighbourhoods sterile, boring and out of reach for all but a privileged elite.We are aware of the social division in our city and refuse to be evicted or deported from the centre because we do not fit a certain income bracket or pertain to the correct market segment. And we recognize that the changes we see in Bristol are part of global processes but that does not mean we are powerless to resist them – because we too form part a global process.

SO WHAT?

Rather than hold a protest to ask others to change things for us, we believe in the confrontational reclaiming of social space – taking spaces back with our hands rather than lobbying, paying or praying for others to do it for us… we are creative and work as a collective be it making art, taking housing, holding workshops, discussions, talks, films, food/swap-shops, music, info-stalls, performances & open mic nights to name but the tips of icebergs. We are non hierarchical – we don’t follow leaders – and make decisions, openly and as a group, we reject prejudice and racism in all its forms. If any of that strikes a chord with you – or simply sounds like fun - join us We welcome your input, criticism, ideas, apprehensions and vision. Meetings 7.30pm Thursdays - The Red Factory, Cave Street, St Pauls.

ORGANIZE YOUR RAGE - CREATE YOUR REALITY

In the evening a former Methodist church was used for showing documentaries about squatting. Despite being let in to show them that a sound system was not being set up the police stayed outside the building letting people out but not in.

88 London Road Squat: We are a collective of people who have occupied this former church building. As well as making it our home we intend to build a positive, comfortable social space that is independent and self managed where people can be creative, share information and resources and build a stronger, informed and more connected community. We first squatted this church to show documentaries about squatting for the international days of action for autonomous spaces and squats (11th - 12th April 2008) now we have sorted out the space a bit more, and made it liveable we intend to share the building with the community, holding occasional free cafes, cinema evenings, open mic, arts workshops and events activism workshops, etc.

88londonroad[at]live.co.uk

In the previous article on action in Brighton, you can read a brief information about the action day and find links to some videos.

On Saturday, 26th April, at 3 p.m. a happening in defense of squats and alternative spaces will take place on the roundabout in Katowice, southern Poland. The aim of the action is to propagate anti-capitalist alternative culture.

On Friday 25th April (starting at 3pm) and on Saturday 26th April (10am) a carnival will be held in Český Těšín, ČSA square.
The action is organized as a protest against the local policy in Czech Republic, where squatting is illegal and every attempt to create an autonomous centre comes quickly to an end due to repression.
A recently occupied country house in Ropice near Český Těšín organized an event during the April2008 action days, but the gig was interrupted by police and people had to leave.
So here is the answer:
If you don’t want to let us use your empty buildings, we’re going to take your streets!

SPACE INVADED! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED…..IT WAS ACE!

A Summary of the events in Manchester around Squat Manchester 12 April. Including the film night, the banner drops, the new squatted social centre, the family fun day, the No Borders March, the occupation of Jacksons Wharf the busted ‘free’ party and more!!
SPACE INVADED!
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED…..IT WAS ACE!

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A report written collaboratively by the FreeSpaceBrum collective, supporters and participants of the last weekend’s social centre in Digbeth.

An abandoned warehouse on Warwick St. in Digbeth was the venue of three days of workshops, talks and discussion on diverse themes: from the struggles of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, to the Disability Rights Movement in the UK; from 12v power workshops, to ’seed bombs’ and guerilla gardening; from public sector workplace organising, to bicycle repair. Hot food was served each day with music in the evening and spontaeous sculpture and painting popping up around the building throughout.

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A big thank you to everyone who helped out or just popped in over the weekend!

The Audacious space was a great success in every way. Ironically while there are many people sleeping on the streets and while hundreds of people in desperate need of a home are forced to bid on just a handful of council houses every week Leeds City Council left their old housing advice office empty and unused. The building was occupied as part of the international weekend of action in celebration and defence of squats and autonomous free spaces. We put the formerly empty building to good use by providing free tea and coffee, delicious vegan food and skipped treats, a free shop, kids area, acoustic jamming sessions and loads of information. There was a free cinema screening radical films about relevant issues throughout the two days, ending in a packed out room watching the highly anticipated ‘On The Verge’.

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As part of days of action for squats and autonomous space a squatters estate agents was been set up in a newly opened squat in the centre of London. It consisted of display of eighteen empty properties ranging from abandoned houses and flats, to empty pubs, shops and even government buildings. Some would suit small residential squats and others grand large scale housing communities, squat cafes, freeshops or social centres. Along with photos of each property, details were given about their location, history and suitability for squatting.

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Coinciding with the Europe-wide days of action in defence of free spaces a new squatted social centre was opened in Shoreditch and a series of events took place in autonomous spaces around London starting on Friday evening with a social meetup and info night at the rampART and acoustic bands and performances at the NOID gallery. On saturday, the newly opened social centre opened it’s doors with an art-exhibition, free shop, films and a squatters estate agency. On saturday there was also a demo outside a homeless hostel in Hackney. In the evening around 300 ppeople turned up a the Hackney Social Centre for a gig raising money for the Advisory Service for Squatters and another benefit took place at the Wominspace. On the Mall, there was a banner drop from squatted crown property.

After the Space Is The Place and other contributions to the call out for decentralised actions in support of squats and autonomous spaces, what next?

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12th of April

Program for the at Rigaer/Liebigstr. in Berlin

2pm - Rigaer/Liebigstr. (Friedrichshain): Streetparty
DIY - bring everything that u think u need for a relaxed and nice afternoon. Come all!

7:30pm - X-B-Liebig: Movies
The documentary “9 Tage hinter den Barrikaden” will be screened after the streetparty

10pm - Sama-Café: Lounge
Squats and autonomous spaces-Lounge. Action days chillout.

A vacant city centre building, the Little Theatre in Colston Street, was occupied this morning by homeless Bristolians as part of a co-ordinated day of action round the world.

A vacant city centre building, the Little Theatre in Colston Street, was occupied this morning by homeless Bristolians as part of a co-ordinated day of action round the world.

Hundreds of thousands of square feet of vacant property stands idle in the city whilst Bristol’s housing register listed over 20,000 people and rising when it was scrapped last year. Whilst most people don’t want to live in property not originally built as housing any roof over your head is better than none. The absurdity of fast rising homelessness figures whilst large buildings lie empty, sometimes for years, has not escaped the notice of Bristol’s homeless people.
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The new squat, which has been occupied as part of the weekend of action for free culture and autonomous spaces has so far been successfully taken. Please come along, we really need people to help clear the space and make it one of our own! So where is it? The building is known as the Old County Hall, 23 High Pavement, Nottingham City, NG1. It is the building straight opposite the Galleries of Justice. For general info or directions, please ring us on 075 3449 6679. For a map see:  http://tinyurl.com/5wld5k

Old County Hall, 23 High Pavement, Nottingham, NG1

We hope to see you there soon!

As part of the Space Is The Place - Side Stepping The Property Ladder series of events taking place in various London autonomous spaces over the weekend of the 11th and 12th April, a squatters estate agents has been set up.

Squatters Estate Agents, putting people places
The squatters estate agents is based at a new squatted venue in Bowl Court, Shoreditch and opens Saturday at 10am. A display shows a number of empty properties around London along with details about their location, history and suitability for squatting. The properties range for abandoned houses and flats, to pubs, shops and even government buildings. Some would suit small residential squats and others grand large scale housing communities, squat cafes, freeshops or social centres.During the weekend you’ll have the opportunity to meet up with others in need of housing and go out as a group to put the empties of London back into good use. Before the end of the weekend you could have yourself and your friends a new home.

The display boards will also be made available at other autonomous spaces over the weekend and beyond.

It’s not to late to contribute to the project. Please submit your own empties lists ASAP to the.rampart AT gmail DOT com

You are invited to a lovely party and workshops at the new women’s social centre in Hackney, East London! This Saturday 12th April . 4a Corbridge Crescent, off Mare Street, Hackney E2.

You are invited to a lovely party at the new women’s social centre in Hackney, East London! 4a Corbridge Crescent, off Mare Street, Hackney E2.
We are, like many autonomous spaces in the area, facing eviction very soon so we hope you will join us celebrating this space and bringing energy to our resistance and our next space.
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Program of the activities for the days of international solidarity with squats and autonomous spaces :

Friday, 11th :
8 pm - meal, talks and films about squats and autonomous spaces in Europe and South America

@ CSO La Papa, Calle Sagrera #14 Sagrera

7pm - lecture about TBM’s bus strike in Barcelona

@ CSO El Segon assalt, Calle Argentina #3 Vallcarca

8pm - food, drinks and films about squatting in Valencia, Basque Country and Europe

@ CSOA La Revoltosa, Calle Rogent #82 Clot

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During the ACTION DAYS FOR AUTONOMOUS SPACES which will take place from 11th to 13th of April in Amsterdam there will be a RECLAIM THE STREETS invading the streets of Amsterdam.
It will start on Saturday 12th at 15:00 in the city centre.
The exact meetingpoint will be announced, so check indymedia, our webpage or call the infoline for updates.
infoline: 0619650959

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Demonstration/Street party on saturday 12.4. for more free
spaces and in solidarity with existing spaces under threat everywhere.
Parties will continue late into night somewhere…

On sunday, 13th of april, as part of the days in defense of autonomous spaces, a block party is organised in the area called “La Guillotière”.

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12th April

12am - the Bicycle rally starts at Windhorststr./Ecke Promenade. The rally will pass at various stations that all have the idea of “free spaces” the in common. There, you will solve small exercises. Bring your own bike and a camera for documentation purposes.

The winner of the exercises will gain a Strike-Bike that was made during the strike at the Bicycle-Factory in Nordhausen. The winner will be announced in the evening at the Versetzt (Grevener Straße 53). There is a party afterwards.

Everybody is welcome!

12th April

6pb - Reclaim the Streets of Cologne somewhere between Friesenplatz and Rudolfplatz.

11th April
We declare our solidarity with the “April 2008 Action Days” with a demonstration and further actions in Innsbruck. We want to show that we won’t extinct in Innsbruck and that people are living here that want to overcome the prevailing circumstances.

4pm - Demonstration. Meeting point at Landesmuseum

More infos

http://www.catbull.com/grauzone/

12th April

2pm - Demonstration and concert for autonomous space in Naumburg. Meetingpoint at Hauptbahnhof!

12th April

7pm - solidarity party at the Sozialen Zentrum Bochum (Rottstraße 31) for autonomous ans self-organized places. (Vegan) punch & pie!

Due to reprsession of the local authorities are any activities at the Besetztes Haus forbidden. The officials statement claims that the house is in bad shape and therefore, no activities shall be conducted anymore. This sound like pure scorn after seven years of ongoing events. However, the Besetztes Haus in Erfurt will celebrate its seventh anniversary in line with the April 2008 action days.

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12th April

14h - the free radio in dresden, coloRadio, is joining the action day on april 12th with RADIOBALLETT at the Ottostrassenfest!

12th April

2pm - critical mass (Wasserturm)

3pm- streetparty (Jungbusch-Hafenpromenade)

More infos

www.akuza.de.vu

About a year ago, the municipality “won” it’s open war against the night birds.

For that, they had to systematically send the police on every week-end night, in order to insult, to gas, to hit or even to arrest the people who had the presumptuousness to consider that a square was a public space. Through the winter, the party-people defended themselves as they could, first by keeping on coming, by staying in the city despite their eviction from Candolle, by asking for news and supporting the ones who had been arrested from the front of the police station, by creating a news channel (the true friends of Candolle) which publicly denounced the situation through the internet, through posters, flyers, tags… Even sometimes by putting up some useless barricades, however enabling them not to be surprised by police.
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Street party and actions in Israel.

Space Is The Place
- side stepping the property ladder

This is a one-off series of events to coincide with the Europe-wide days of action in defence of free spaces and for an anti-capitalist popular culture. The events are based at a new squatted social centre in Shoreditch and other autonomous spaces around London

The themes for Space Is the Place is the appropriation of public space by big business through privatisation and speculation, the sell-off of council housing and how the current housing crisis affects the most disadvantaged, genrification and redevelopment of East London for the Olympics in 2012, the mismanagement of land and its ownership by the wealthy elite…

There will be an open access art-space themed as above, discussions and skill-sharing to bring people together and share ideas on how we can solve the problems we face, info-station for DIY action, films, photography, music and cafe. There will also be a benefit gig to raise money for the Advisory Service for Squatters.
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Free Social Space weekend of events in Birmingham, April 11th to 13th 2008

As part of the Europe-wide call for decentralised action for squats and autonomous spaces (see http://april2008.squat.net/ ), there will be a temporary free space and weekend of workshops and events in Birmingham on the 11th to 13th of April.

CALL OUT: FREE SPACE BIRMINGHAM AND THE EUROPE-WIDE CALL OUT FOR SQUATTED SOCIAL SPACES.

Across Europe on the weekend of April 11th-13th, people will be taking over buildings and open spaces left abandoned by state or private concerns. For one weekend we will be united in a festival of resistance across Europe. (see http://april2008.squat.net/ )

Birmingham, UK will be responding to this call and invite you to join in. We’re a group of people who have formed an autonomous voluntary collective. We have no bosses to obey, no shareholders to feed and make decisions by consensus, all pulling our weight.

We have chosen to occupy an empty building in the city (close to Birmingham’s main rail stations and the city centre) for the weekend, hopefully to improve its neglected condition and open it up for the benefit of the city of which we are a part.
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A Celebration of Free Spaces
Leeds City Centre, Friday 11th - Saturday 12th April 2008

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).

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 [at] googlemail.com or call 07526 261061.

The venue will be an easy walk from Leeds city centre / train station / bus station - for location please call 07526 261061 or email us.

MANCHESTER SPACE INVADERS LINE UP

Manchester Space Invaders are a collective of autonomous groups and individuals working together to reclaim our city…we are mobilizing to fight gentrification, ‘regeneration’ and all the borders that exist within the city. We call for all groups, individuals, networks and families to get involved and to join in our glorious celebration of autonomous spaces…

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At a time when the dominant social logic sees public spaces increasingly tightly regulated and green spaces built upon in order to solve a “housing shortage”, we (a nameless, ad-hoc, open collective) will be opening a vibrant space in Nottingham city centre, hoping to change the way we think about the spaces and structures around us, to conjure DIY spirit to ward off The System (TM) and win some autonomy, and to have fun.

The space will be somewhere for anyone to come and relax, drink tea, watch a film, discuss, eat, read, learn skills, share treasures, dance and rejoice.

Come armed with ideas to discuss with strangers or to distribute typewritten as pamphlets; with a pre-prepared workshop or with a camera; empty-handed or with a stack of zines and an armful of loot for the freeshop.
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Planned Actions for Porto

April 11th - Squatting the Autonomous Space

We’re inviting a lot of activist groups and individuals for dinner on Friday night to discuss possibilities for actions on the following day. Everybody should bring an idea of an action, as well as the tools to make it happen. Then, we’ll discuss ways of making and coordenating things. By then, the house will aleady be owened by everybody, meaning that everyone is responsable for it and has the same kind of previleges as everybody else.

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11th April

15:00h - A demonstration from Karlsplatz Resselpark

12th April

16:00h - a so called “BIMPARTY” with drinks and snacks at Schottentor 18:00h - meeting on autonomous space and queer-feminist intervention theory and action (campus uni wien, hof 2)

More Infos

http://www.freiraum.at.tt

11th April

4 p.m. - Demonstration for social, political and cultural struggle against capitalism! Landesmuseum.

More Info

http://www.catbull.com/grauzone/

11th April

10pm - Meeting at Suedtiroler Platz (easily reachable from the main station) for squatting. Goal is to establish the first autonomous centre in Graz since the 80ies, working title: “Projekt A-Z”.

12th April

in the afternoon - graffiti workshop

5pm - Street party with good foofdan music

in the evening - Project A-Z housewarming party “worst of the 80ies/90ies”

13th April

workshops

• Criminal and administrativelaw
• First Aid
• Climate change

and concert with

• Z.U.A.
• Packofwolves
• in sane

14th April

at noon - workshop “practical self-authorization”

at 3pm - politicians of the Graz city council are invited to discuss about the creation of an autonomous center, as agreed on during the last election.

More Infos

http://www.freiraum.at.tt

http://at.indymedia.org

In Oslo we are preparing a reclaim the streets party to take back some
public space on the saturday 12th April at 16.00. At least to show that we are
capable to do just that! We also have some plans of bannerdropping from
high buildings and some other plans of street theatre.

12th April

Reclaim the Streets Party outside local social center on 128 Abel smith street. Musicians, bands and dj’s from 3pm to midnight with Food Not Bombs and other goods.

A new social centre has been opened in London for the events of the Days of Action For Squats and Autonomous Spaces. Currently nicknamed ‘two point two’ the new building is an exact illustration of the concepts embodied in the graphic designed for the call out. On one side sits the new squat and on the other hugh tower blocks and cranes. On the open land between sit yellow bulldozers as the wave of new development threatens not just the squat but the homes, business and culture of the local community around it.

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11th April

18.00h - Demonstration with sound system under the slogans No more evictions! Ungdomshus nu! Sosiaalikeskus nyt!

20.00h - Party for autonomous spaces in a house that will be squatted for the event.

12-13th April

12-17h - GhettoExperience08. Two day seminar in a house that will be squatted for the event. Discussions ranging from city space and feminism to nuclear power, internet piracy and planning of future actions.

More Infos

http://www.q-olio.net/valtaus/

11th April

4pm - in the youth center “Vartai” is opening Photo exhibition “squats/autonomous spaces/culture of resistance”. Also you could join interactive discussion, taste tea and sweets. In the evening streets are becoming playards with fire jugglers, music and games.

12th April

12am - film screenings in “Vartai”.

11th April

we are going to squat small summerhouse in the park and make photo exhibition there, also Food Not Bombs and discussion in the park. In the evening it’s going to be a gig in the new club XI20.

12th April

On 12th near the lost cinema “Lietuva” from 3pm are going to be documentaries about squats and autonomous spaces screening, reading-room for “Kitos Knygos” publishing, zines library, Food Not Bombs and performances of Benas Sarka, Redas Dirzys and “Echidna aukstyn” band concert.

LK37 (Lelas Karayianni squat): “20 years in the streets of self-organization, resistance, solidarity”. 3 days of events

11th April

8pm - Musical theater performance: “A journey in the history of the disobedience viruses”.

12th April

8pm - Theatrical shot and concert: Java Spa, Valpourgia Nichta, Propaganda, Mavra Provata, E.K.M.

13th April

8pm - Video screening and discussion about the 20th birthday of LK37 squat.

Note

Events in Prapopoulou Squat cancelled due to severe arson, ppl will be busy restoring the damage.

Radioballett - On saturday at 13:30. Come to the city center with a mini-radio and listen FM 106.5! Take some chalk with you. An amazing half an hour is awaiting you! THE CITY IS YOURS!!!

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11th April

10am - bike ride

12.30 - demonstration in the center of the city

12th April

8pm - short films screening

10pm - concert featuring Pankreas (Punk,Veria), Gegen in the Strom (Punk Athens), 24hours (Surf roll, Athens), Miden (Punk, Pirgos), Speira (Hip hop, Pirgos), The Wild Bunch (Rock blues, Rethymno)

13th April

5pm - discussion: Environment and development.

All day games and whatever - squats Evagelismos and Aytodiaxeirizomeni Estia

More Info

Heraklion, http://a-estia.tk/

Radio coverage of the events and discussions about the squat movement by the autonomous pirate radio 1431AM

11th April

Radio program with a history of the squats in Greece, in which people from squats are asked to participate, either physically or remotely (via phone).. They will cover the current situation and the repression each of them may be facing.

12th April

A program, which will partially cover what’s happening in the actions around Europe (with the help of friends who are around) and there will be a discussion with people in the studio.