squatted social center De Valreep in Amsterdam is getting evicted

[Sasha]

since early this morning about a hundred cops are trying to evict the squatted social center Op de Valreep in Amsterdam east, high baricades and lots of people in heavy lock-on's made it already a more than 12 hour operation.
16 people got arrested an the cops are still busy cutting out the last 2 lockers.

http://static1.parool.nl/static/photo/2014/1/13/11/20140617174406/media_xl_2316671.jpg

live ticker: http://valreep.org/algemeen/de-ontruiming-live-ticker/

dutch mainstream medio video report: http://www.at5.nl/artikelen/129639/zestien-aanhoudingen-bij-ontruiming-de-valreep

english video from yesterday (just before the eviction): 98380749

I'm about to leave for the noise-demo for the arrested comrades (lol at the last lockers that are going to be late for their own noise demo), i'll post more updates later...

[PhoenixAsh]

Thanks. Heard it on the radio today. Said they want to restore the old facade of the building and create a bar or something.

[Sasha]

kind of, its the old animal shelter that was declared a monument just before its planned demolition, everything around it has been a huge wasteland for about a decade and the redevelopment (i live around the corner) has been the epitome of a gentrification project including corruption scandals and mismanagement of millions of tax euro's.
about 3 years ago the building got squatted as it was falling apart (during the squat action you could only enter with safety shoes on because of the carpet of used needles and human feces in the building) it was clear that the developer was trying to get the building in such a bad state that he would get a demolishing permit after all.
since then they turned it into a busy place with lots of activities.
i almost never came there because it was to full with yoga-hippies and druggie-tekno folk (including a repeated refusal to kick out sexual harassers during parties etc) but i respect the good stuff they did and the their resistance even more.
the place will be now turned into yet another yuppie bristro/grand-cafe like we already have way to much of popping up in the neighborhood.

[PhoenixAsh]

Well...it would be a shame to waste such a development opportunity on something useful of course...like social housing and community centers. So you should be happy that those people who put a building to good use are being evicted.

Think of the poor yuppies! Without their bistro's and grand cafee's they don't have anywhere to go!!

Plus of course your neighborhood will be that much more safe and respectable. In fact...since it gets that much nicer...I think you should also consider to pay more rent... hmmm.

[Sasha]

Oh yeah, the writing was on the wall when the "wipkippen" (children playground rocking things) got changed for brass animal sculptures and such.
Worst was the new yuppie cafes etc with financial support of the local council threw a gentrification party on the local Steve Biko square and had the unbelievable distaste to call it "het feestje van biko" (biko's party) including a poster with a potrait of Steve Biko with a party hat.

[Sasha]

Video from today 98470437