cops – Cardiff Squatters Network https://cardiff.squat.net "When they have got some plan behind them, it becomes all the more worrying." - CPS Homes Tue, 07 Apr 2015 11:39:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Canton Police Station Eviction Resistance Photos and Videos https://cardiff.squat.net/canton-police-station-eviction-resistance/ Sat, 24 Aug 2013 17:22:06 +0000 http://cardiff.squat.net/?p=215 Photos and videos of canton police station and the eviction resistance.

High court bailiffs evicting

Last squatter leaves

DSCF9604

DSCF9599

DSCF9609

DSCF9598

DSCF9596

DSCF9594

DSCF9593

DSCF9592

DSCF9614

DSCF9615

DSCF9629

DSCF9632

DSCF9642

DSCF9633

DSCF9637

DSCF9624

South Wales Echo article

]]>
A belated report of the prison squat eviction in Adamsdown, Cardiff https://cardiff.squat.net/a-belated-report-of-the-prison-squat-eviction-in-adamsdown-cardiff/ Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:39:53 +0000 http://cardiff.squat.net/?p=227 By 07:00 on wednesday 14th august, the roof of the squat had been occupied by a lone squatter who played hide and seek with CCTV in the area for over an hour to pass the time. At approximately 08:30 United Welsh representative Barry James along with police, bailiffs, members of the fire crime unit and workers from Celtic Horizons (approx 20-30 total bodies) arrived and began attacking the frame of a back door. At this point the lone squatter climbed down to seek support from locals (no phone calls could be made). By 09:10 the fuckers had gained access and begun applying sitex to several windows, no support had arrived in time.

Why Barry?! Why!?! :(

]]>
Prison squat resists eviction from High Court bailiffs, Adamsdown https://cardiff.squat.net/prison-squat-resists-eviction-from-high-court-bailiffs-adamsdown/ Thu, 08 Aug 2013 19:35:35 +0000 http://cardiff.squat.net/?p=152 prisonsquatOn Thursday 8th August, at approximately 10am, High Court bailiffs showed up to join United Welsh representatives, police and contractors booked to secure buildings, in an attempt to evict Rumpoles, Moira Terrace, Cardiff, CF24 0NE (aka: prison squat / 0ne squat). By 12pm, without even attempting to enter, they left the occupiers in possession of the building.

At 9:30am the first few supporters started arriving outside, while some squatters took to the peak of the roof. The outside had been barricaded with furniture, gas bottles, compressed air canisters and a piano, while the inside was  well secured. A ‘Fire 2 the prisons’ banner had also been dropped from the windows the night before, during significant disturbances within Cardiff prison over the road.

Four police officers from Roath arrived warning the resisters that possessions used to barricade would be cleared away by the council, stating ‘Your rubbish makes Roath look poor’, even though the squat is in Adamsdown, but otherwise ignored the situation and promptly left.  At this point neighbouring prisoners began shouting  in support  of the squatters and against the cops.

The rest of the day was spent receiving strong support from, passersby and locals, particularly in the neighbouring Adamscourt, also owned by United Welsh Housing Association. While supporters continued to play piano and eat the skipped bakery goods from the night before.

Prison squat has been lived in for 3 weeks, and has hosted an anti-fascist benefit gig, No Borders film screening, prisoner letter writing, as well as other events. United Welsh plan to demolish the building. This work is to start no sooner than February 2014, in order to build 49 1 to 2 bedroom flats for ‘vulnerable people’, whilst denying the Adamscourt residents access to communal greenland in the process. Attempts from squatters to negotiate with owners have repeatedly failed.

South Wales Echo article – http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/masked-squatters-barricade-themselves-inside-5680263

]]>
Squatters vs Keylet at the Bute Dock Hotel https://cardiff.squat.net/squatters-vs-keylet-at-the-bute-dock-hotel/ Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:56:27 +0000 https://cardiff.squat.net/?p=6 Bute Dock SquattersFrom Bristol Indymedia:

Please note: This report is lengthy due to the unique nature of the occupation legally and repeated unsuccessful attempts over two days from the owners and their hired thugs to evict us from our home.

On Tuesday 20th November we made our presence known to Keylet, owners of the Bute Dock Hotel and the largest estate agents (property racketeers) in Cardiff, that we had squatted their pub, on West Bute St, Cardiff Bay.

Two people from our welcoming committee of a dozen visited the executive offices at around 10am, located behind our hotel, to inform them of our occupation. Due to the layout of the building(s), which includes an inter-connecting corridor between the offices and hotel, it was effectively explained to them, with title plans and legal notice included. In summary which part of the building they still had possession of, and which part they had recently lost to us.

At first they were offered coffee by staff and greeted with their well-known false politeness, but when Peter (Viddy) Vidler, executive director of Keylet and chairman of the Association of Letting and Management Agents turned up, he had an epic tantrum. After ripping up the documents delivered regarding the occupation, he demanded the squatters left within two hours “or else”, and that the visitors left his office immediately, which they did, thanking staff for the delicious coffee.

Within half an hour, Viddy returned (still flustered) with a pack of meatheads from Specialist Security with intent to evict. As more arrived, a first attempt was made to enter, but after opening a padlocked plywood door, they were greeted by deadbolts, a locked mortis and yale, two squatters on the roof and supportive neighbours hanging out of their window. Intimidated by a legal observer filming, a local thug from Specialist snatched the camera, instigating a bit of a scuffle. The camera was eventually retrieved by its owner, after intervention from the welcoming committee.

After failing to gain access they retreated with threats of ‘Somali gangs’ turning up to evict us, which never surfaced – on that day. Police then arrived, who generally were confused by the legal situation, which was explained to them, eventually receiving confirmation from their superiors that the squat was in fact legal.

Viddy & co then pleaded for their belongings, focussing on the wealth of chairs stored, so squatters began generously passing them down from a 1st floor window, in the unfortunate pouring rain. After the first chair hit the ground, they changed their mind, due to lack of transport and alternative storage.

They came for the pub – they left with a chair.

Later the same evening we received a knock from a ‘Jimmy Two Shoes’, turned out to be Viddy with the West Bute St camera mugger. This time he pleaded for his belongings to be respected, during a rational discussion with us.

The next evening, a lone occupier awoke to the WBS camera mugger and someone with a metal pole coming up the stairs. After sufficient stalling collecting belongings, support turned up to find a served possession order (for a court date), cops, specialist security and individuals who identified as the Somali gang we were previously threatened with – employed via our friendly neighbours Keylet.

A distraction facilitated a squatter to climb up a drainpipe onto the roof, followed by another who let themselves in through a 1st floor window, upping the numbers inside to three. What followed was a negotiation with Viddy, where we threatened to prosecute (with sufficient evidence) over the unlawful break-in. He insisted it was ‘a mistake’, claiming he thought the hotel was no longer occupied. This resulted in him agreeing to leave, if we also did after court on Tuesday 27th November, calling off specialist security and the aforementioned gang.

See communiqué for our views and intentions.
Score at half time: Squatters 2 Keylet 0

Bute Dock Squatters

]]>
Gremlin Alley eviction resistance happening now! https://cardiff.squat.net/gremlin-alley-eviction-resistance-happening-now/ Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:41:20 +0000 https://cardiff.squat.net/?p=35
This morning activists and anarchists have rallied round to defend Gremlin Alley, the squatted bowling alley and cinema on City Road, in Roath, Cardiff.
The eviction resistance is also in solidarity with Alex Haigh, the 21 year old squatter who was the first squatter sentenced to prison under the new anti-squatting law, which began on September 1st this year.

Occupied Spin bowling - now Gremlin Alley, City Road, Cardiff
Occupied Spin bowling – now Gremlin Alley, City Road, Cardiff

The bailiffs arrived around 10am this morning and seeing the support outside the 100 year old building, which opened as the Gaiety Cinema and skating rink in 1912, and realising they had no hope getting through, called the cops for back up.The cops though, didn’t stick around for long, and conversations were overheard about a meeting between cops and bailiffs in Cathays, the neighbouring area.About an hour later cops and bailiffs came back, but decided against trying anything and left again shortly after. The resistance stayed strong and when two cops came back to try and talk to the resisters were politely told to “go and fuck themselves”.

The state tries to make people homeless, anarchists have no sympathy for the state and it’s lackeys.

UPDATE: 12:05pm lots of cops just arrived. Stand by for an update – together we are the resistance!

Gremlins

Support welcome!

P.S. This is the first atempted resistance of an occupied building under eviction in Cardiff for around a decade!Come and show your support:
find us at 195 – 197 City Road, Roath, Cardiff.Love from the Gremlins x

UPDATE 2:45pm 04/10

Latest update is that cops scaled down to between two and five in the last hour and have just been stood across the road with two bailiffs and the janitor. No attempt at entry so far.Still several squatters on the roof wearing masks, and a few people still outside, but not as many as before.Passing cars have been supportive, with one woman apparently saying “don’t move, stay strong!”

And the house over the road near where the cops are standing playing Public Enemy, Rage against the Machine and CRASS loadly through the upstairs window! Last we heard the Autonomads had just been requested, but folks on the roof are after black paint to make signs to save shouting requests across the road and food is also welcomed (vegan if possible).

Photos from the day due up shortly…but more to come as they haven’t gone…

And thanks for the messages of support received from places ranging from Swansea to Brighton!

Solidarity to all squaters and Alex Haigh!

Gremlin

Gremlins still resisting – 10am 05/10

We’re queer and were still here! Update coming soon…

Gremlin news – 10:20am 05/10

Cops this morning threatened to break in regarding one our banners “fuck the fucking fuckers” under public order. We’ve now removed it to lengthen the resistance after 24hrs of naughty behaviour. Cops have passed since and seem to of not noticed rather than pull over. In response is more banners! Traveller, cuts cafe and queer/trans solidarity. Communique on its way.

Raid averted?

]]>