| some supplements were deleted from this article, see policy | | self organisation | nnatuurlijk - 20.01.2010 16:25
SO to clarify what happened;
there was one squatter inside the building with no curtains so the whole world could look inside and see that he was on his own. Not only this the door was unsecured and I was told that when the 'knokploeg'came to the door it was duly opened for them. A group of squatters gathered outside and the police mediated the situation, eventually they made the decision to come in force (about 50-60 cops) and to return the house to the evicted squatter.
This act by the police showed they will not tolerate self-organisation and actions carried out without their permission. The police also made clear that they will allow this form of squatting, begging for their protection and following their rules.
This shows some of the big problems of the squatting movement/scene [delete as appropriate]. The squatter or his group showed a lack of respect to the efforts made by other people to give him/them the possibility to live there, this is demonstrated by his/their ignorance of advice to secure the door properly (with a bouwstempel for example).
This incident also highlights the lack of room given by the squatting scene/movement for self-organisation by the fact that there are institutions in place to do almost everything for you if you want to squat (the KSUs). Closely related to this is people limiting their own self activity by relying on the network of squatters and the KSUs. The incident highlights this precisely because if you put really alot of effort into something, or if you try really hard to achieve something you do not give it up easily i.e. if the group that squatted the house had of done everything for themself then they would sure as hell have made the door secure and would of occupied the building properly. On the other hand if you get something without trying you throw it away just as easily.
Contrasting the behaviour of the squatters in this instance was the knokploeg. The knokploeg may have been friends of the owner, former employees or as it appeared mostly people who used to drink in the bar. Whoever they were they got together decided that they wanted the squatters to be kicked out of the house and went and achieved it until the police interfered.
On this analysis, which is entirely my own, I feel more affinity with the knokploeg. You can argue that the intentions of the knokploeg or the owner are evil, but I saw the 'knokploeg'sitting inside having a beer and making fun with one another after self-organizing and achieving their goal. At the same time as this group of friends, as it seemed, were enjoying themselves the squatters, who suppose themselves autonomous, were talking to the cops and begging them to get the house back for them. Kind of like spoilt rich kids who get robbed by the poorer kids when they get to high school.
The first rule of life in the big world is; DON'T TALK TO THE COPS.
They don't do anything just to help you, they do what they do to protect property and to passify the people.
The second rule of life in the big world is; IF SOMEONE HAS BAD INTENTIONS TOWARDS YOU, MAKE IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM.
Thats for your own self protection, lock the door if your house could be under threat, keep your wits about you.
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