High court bailiffs evicting

Last squatter leaves

South Wales Echo article

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

The Red and Black is hosting an update on the legal situation around squatting, including how the English and Welsh squatting community has been affected by the law change last year and what’s still happening despite it!

We’re happy to welcome squatters from London who have been involved in the Eviction Resistance network and Squash – the Squatters Action for Secure Homes campaign and look forward to an update from these groups, and to discuss how we might have to unite again to stop the criminilastion of squatting in dissused commercial properties which has been proposed by some MP’s.

We also hope to update each other on the latest local squatting news from Cardiff, London and elsewhere, and bring in a discussion on how we can show solidarity with the hundreds of squatters evicted and arrested in Athens in the last few days.

Tea, coffee, biscuits and maybe a splattering of gack is likely to be available.

Come along on Sunday at 6pm to be a part of it!

Hope to see you there.

Love and rage – Lord C.Squeebington

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

From Gremlin Alley Social Centre:

We the gremlins are squatting at Gremlin Alley, City Road, Cardiff; formally known as Spin Bowling Alley and the Giety Cinema and bingo hall.

Yesterday we successfully resisted an eviction from bayliffs and harrassment from police who attended for most of the day from 10AM. Banners including “We are resisting eviction: Fuck the fucking fuckers”, “Solidarity with Alex Haigh, imprisoned for 3 months for being homeless”, amongst others being displayed. Anarchists, DPAC, activists, travellers, local artists, plain-clothes cops and the public supported outside. We received donations from small businesses; after police left around 3:30PM, we put up black flags and more banners and continued our party on the roof. Anti-cop music was played from supporters opposite followed by a local band ‘Inconsiderate Parking‘ who played for hours with people dancing in the street in the day.

As we go into the weekend we are strengthening and re-inforcing existing security, with 24/7 surviellence. We welcome visitors, people to join us and continued support. Message facebook with a contact, email (welcometogremlinalley [at] riseup [dot] net), or if needed, phone Eviction Resistance on 07591415860 with your contact details as we sort out a collective phone. Updates on our website to come, including videos.

Solidarity with comrade Alex Haigh, fellow squatters and the Cuts Cafe crew in London who were evicted by TSG last night.

Fuck the bayliffs,
Fuck the cops,
Fuck the state,
Fuck section 5

Love and rage,

– The Gremlins

x

Gremlins

Support welcome!