Solidarity with protestors challenging LASPO section 144

We’ll be supporting our friends of Camden Housing Action Group who are in court next week for their protest occupation against the sell-off of council housing by Camden council. More details below. Please join and share their facebook event here.

2 protestors who occupied a residential building owned by Camden council in protest at its sell-off and the wider sell-off of council housing across London, will be at Highbury Corner Magistrates court next Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th August.

They are being charged under the Legal Aid, Sentencing, and Punishment of Offenders Act section 144 which makes it a criminal offence to live or intend to live in an abandoned residential building. Section 144 criminalises homeless people trying to find a home. It also criminalises protesters who are trying to take action against the housing crisis through protest occupations such as this one.

Come along for court support to show your solidarity. Join us outside the court at 9.30am, bring placards and banners. We’ll then head in for the court case at 10am.

Quality, secure, affordable social housing for all! Scrap LASPO section 144!

More info on the protest occupation here: http://camdenhousingaction.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/camden-council-houses-occupied-in-stoptheselloffs-protest/

Previous cases successfully challenging LASPO section 144 include:

Occupation Against Southwark Sell-off Still Going at Park Street

http://rooftopresistance.squat.net/fuck-s144-some-quick-analysis-of-the-brighton-case/
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2013/11/513573.html

Camden council houses occupied in ‘Stop the Sell Offs’ protest

Southampton Road protest occupation

Protest occupation above the party shop

section 144 LAPSO does not apply

 

 

Our friends across the river, Camden Housing Action Group, have occupied a council house that Camden council are trying to sell-off. Grassroots direct action for housing for all! Read their press release here and spread the word!

Monday 24^th February – Press release – For immediate release

Stop the selloffs! Camden council houses occupied in protest

Photo opportunities – There will be banners on the building so people can take photographs from the street. We will try and get some photos up online soon – please contact camdenhag@gmail.com for more info.

Camden Housing Action Group is occupying council property on Southampton road to protest against its selling off to private developers.

Camden council has promised to the residents of Camden that no residential housing stock would be sold off, but non residential properties such as land and garages would be sold to fund new housing.

Without any consultation or public announcement Camden council broke its promise by offering up for auction several residential properties on Southampton road.

Camden housing action group is calling on Camden council to withdraw the properties from the sale, issue an explanation and confirm that no further sell offs will take place in the future.

Anna Gardener, a member of Camden housing action group said:

“Our occupation is a protest at the mass sell-off of desperately needed council housing in our borough, and the whole of London, which is exacerbating the housing crisis and amounts to social cleansing as low income residents are forced out of zones 1 and 2.

“Our occupation is also a challenge to section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders act which criminalises squatting in abandoned residential properties. By using the building as a protest occupation, section 144 cannot be applied. We want to show the importance of being able to still use abandoned residential buildings for community protests such as ours. Criminalising squatting will only make the housing crisis worse, undermining the right to shelter and protest.”

Media Coverage of the Park Street Council Houses Occupation

We’ve now been occupying 21&23 Park street for a week in protest at Southwark council’s sell off of council housing and the wider housing crisis we face. We’ve had loads of people stopping by and showing their support for us – we’ve even received a greetings card in the post. We’d like to say a massive thanks for all of this support.

The occupation has received a good deal of media coverage in the national press. The mainstream media have picked up on the fact that housing is a major concern for most people – from housing benefit cuts, poor quality housing, temporary accommodation, stationary housing waiting lists, sky-high rents – and it is good to see some decent writing on the issue. It is quite something to see our ‘Homes For All!’ banner emblazoned on the front page of the Evening Standard. We’ve collected a selection of some of the media coverage we’ve had here. Whilst it’s nice to have hit the pages of national media, the most quality stuff is definitely from independent media sources and blogs, so make sure you check these out! Stay in touch with us by following and chatting with us on our blog, facebook, and Twitter. Drop us an email at haslemail[at]gmail.com if you’d like to be put on our announcements email list.

National Media Coverage

Guardian feature by Amelia Gentleman featuring supportive local resident Maureen

Interesting piece in the Observer about the history of the Park street building

Our Comment is Free piece

Article on the BBC website

Financial Times article (behind a paywall – boo)

Article in The Independent

Independent media

Schnews piece

Occupied Times interview

People’s Republic of Southwark

London SE1

London SE1 discussion forum

Squash

Squat Net

We’ll be having a stall in Windrush square this Saturday from 11am -3pm to hand out our ‘Resist Evictions’ posters and to talk with people about their housing problems and about the group.