Squatting in Brighton took an interesting turn last week – there was a whole seven days of mayhem, ranging from the authorities and their thugs coordinating eviction waves, to estate agents and their hired heavies acting as if the law doesn’t apply to them. There have been at least five evictions this week and plenty of other stuff too. At a time when homelessness figures are rising in Brighton and Hove, it seems like the Council just doesn’t want to recognise that some people want homes without languishing on the seven year long waiting list.

Friday 20th January kicked off the attack on homelessness, with three Brighton squats being taken to court on the same day. Ditchling Cottage, a council-owned property, Ditchling Road, a privately-owned flat, and an old PDSA shop, all lost. Court resumed on Monday with another squat in court – this time for an interim possession order (which usually implies the building is about to be put to immediate use or is currently in use). The order was granted – despite the fact the building has been empty for months, has no carpet, light bulbs, or even pipes in certain rooms.

Monday quickly got worse – a new squat got a knock on the door from an suited estate agent, when the occupiers refused to open to door, the other men took to kicking it open. Swearing and brandishing planks of wood, the thugs dragged everyone inside out, then hurled their possessions out the window, including metal radiators. Police arrived after three phone calls, only to say that they didn’t think any crimes had taken place, then quickly made their escape, ignoring the video footage of the radiator being thrown from a first floor window at the squatters.

As the law stands, squatting is still legal – section six means that if a building is squatted, the squatters are the legal occupiers and therefore ‘any entry or attempt to enter into this property without our permission is a criminal offence as any one of us who is in physical possession is opposed to entry without our permission.’. The estate agent clearly broke the law, but the police paid no attention.

With the looming threat of evictions, another group of squatters went to go find some place new, only to be apprehended by the police – who stood on the other side of a large garden wall and threatened to release the dogs if they didn’t comply. The squatters were then arrested for vagrancy (under a law dating from 1824), which actually refers to rough sleeping and begging. They were then released without charge a whopping eighteen hours later.

Thursday didn’t go much better, when a newly squatted building with plans for social project had a visit from some angry hired goons – no estate agent in site. They acted in generally thuggish manner – smashing the window and threatening the occupiers. The police arrived, announcing that the thugs were known to them and had a long list of convictions. With more and more squatters turning up (we had about thirty people inside and another fifty outside!) the police decided to take our side for once, in accordance with the law. They then left, leaving the heavies to drink in a nearby pub – they threatened to come back and finish smashing stuff later, but of course it was all talk.

In amongst the chaos – two people knocked on a door on London Road, trying to find a squat, only to be crept up on by some more police, accused of criminal damage and cuffed – their only crime to apparently be recognised outside a squat. The two were stopped and searched but released after the realisation that they were, actually, just knocking on a door.

Then on Friday, exactly a week after the court hearings, the bailiffs and police paid visits to the squats that were in court. First, Ditchling Cottage had a early morning wake-up call in the form of metal poles being driven through the windows by Council workers, whilst helmeted bailiffs and police stood by and watched. A woman standing next to one window was showered with broken glass. Police officers then promptly arrested … four squatters, rather than the people using violence without licence. Two were immediately released, the other two were held for fourteen hours up at Hollingbury copshop and charged with “assaulting the police” (pff!)

Next, the bailiffs marched to the other Ditchling Road squat, where people left peacefully (not wanting to have poles thrust at them no doubt). The bailiffs smashed up all the sinks and toilets, then booted everyone out. We’re guessing that means no-one due to start renting it anytime soon. PDSA was also evicted. The residents took their belongings and left.

These events leave us pondering increased attacks on those seeking shelter in Brighton. Not only are evictions becoming more violent; evictions also seem to be coordinated, and squatters are branded criminals. Tactically coordinated evictions leave numerous groups of squatters simultaneously homeless, unable to rely on each other for help and support. Although squatting is still legal, it appears that both police and estate agents believe and act otherwise.

So all in all it was a pretty crazy week, but worry not, we can end this report with some good news…

All the squatters are now rehoused in new squats. And no dogs were harmed in the making of this article.

The struggle continues…


Contact:
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 https://network23.org/snob/2012/02/03/update-on-a-crazy-week/