Squatting

[Not entirely illiterate]

With this thread, I would like to inspire and perhaps receive a little bit of feedback to a concept which I'd like very much to see come to reality in my own vicinity as well as that of others.

Recently, I've discovered a large amount of abandoned industrial complexes not far from my home. Given the vast amounts of dust and the still-intact locks on most of the doors (nothing a crowbar cannot handle), it was clear that I am the first man to walk within this installation for many years. Much to my surprise, I discovered that some of them still have a working water supply and even working power outlets! Immediately, I decided to live within its confines for a week. With some minor clean-ups and a bit of outdoors gear "borrowed" from work, I managed to provide rather comfortable habitation for myself and the large, empty halls provided excellent facilities for my training programs. I felt much at peace in my mind, sharing this emptiness only with the birds, perched amidst the rusty remains of this metallic mammoth. Much like myself, they resembled a seed of life, planted in the rotting carcass of the old. My meditation brought me a feeling of joy and accomplishment, having secluded myself from the outside world.

As much as I have established myself there, I still have not shared this with anyone at this point. First, for my lack of like-minded people in my immediate vicinity, and second, for the danger of spreading the knowledge about the location. I feel, however, that I will eventually do so, and encourage people to try out this lifestyle. In all its austerity, it is the perfect breeding spot for the spiritual warrior of the revolution. Here, I find facilities for teaching martial arts, running-grounds for practicing Parkour (an art which should be ubiquitous for any urban dweller), offices easily converted into habitats, and even sanitary facilities. In short, everything one could need.

However, I must admit that this concept is new to me, even though it has been in my dreams for a while. Is it plausible, being able to gradually transform these abandoned complexes into a temporary autonomous headquarters for insurrectionists? Has any of you attempted this before? I remember reading about Russian Neo-nazi groups establishing training grounds outside the suburbs of Moscow. I figure, if those people can pull off this feat, then surely we can do better!

[Kropotkin Has a Posse]

What is the homelessness situation like in your town? Maybe you could figure out a way to inform those in need of shelter about the buildings.

[Not entirely illiterate]

Practically non-existant. And furthermore; while this may sound selfish, my interest is not to provide the homeless with shelter, but to create a secret hideout for illegal and /or revolutionary activities. To swarm it with homeless people would inevitably break its necessary veil of secrecy and destroy it.

The number of people in such an installation must be kept relatively low, since the more crowded it becomes, the more likely will be police be knocking on the door the next morning.

[Kropotkin Has a Posse]

Providing the homeless with shelter is a revolutionary activity, if you ask me.

[mykittyhasaboner]

you know, you could host some revolutionary activity in the house, and provide shelter for homeless people. if the authorities become suspicious of the activity in the house, the homless could be a great cover.

[AGITprop]

Providing the homeless with shelter is a revolutionary activity, if you ask me.

Yes, because the homeless are the revolutionary class and all they need is a an abandoned factory to lead the proletariat to socialism.

[Not entirely illiterate]

you know, you could host some revolutionary activity in the house, and provide shelter for homeless people. if the authorities become suspicious of the activity in the house, the homless could be a great cover.

Would the authorities give a damn if the building is vacated with homeless or not, once the decision has been made to clear it out? And what about the stockpiles of illegally acquired weapons, survival gear, technical equipment and home-made explosives that would surely gather up in such a place?


Providing the homeless with shelter is a revolutionary activity, if you ask me.No. It is an act of compassion. The revolution is not a thing of compassion, it will be a brutal conflict where blood shall be spilled and many atrocious deeds will be done. Such is the nature of war.

[wallflower]

Would the authorities give a damn if the building is vacated with homeless or not, once the decision has been made to clear it out? And what about the stockpiles of illegally acquired weapons, survival gear, technical equipment and home-made explosives that would surely gather up in such a place?

Illegal weapons = not my bag. I'd give the homeless-shelter idea some more thought. Else, I see no harm in just keeping your location to yourself and using it for your own purposes. Squatting can be fun.


No. It is an act of compassion. The revolution is not a thing of compassion, it will be a brutal conflict where blood shall be spilled and many atrocious deeds will be done. Such is the nature of war.

I don't know whether you're Romanticizing or frothing at the mouth or both, but just simmer down for just a second and work on keeping the "atrocious deeds" to a minimum, thanks...:)

[An archist]

In what country do you live? Squatting laws and the way police deal with squatters vary from country to country.
If you're thinking about making your location known to more people, I suggest you barricade the place thoroughly to protect yourself from the cops. A lot of good barricading materials can be found at building sites.
Also, yes, building out an autonomous space has been done before, there are several autonomous centres all over the world.

[Not entirely illiterate]

Illegal weapons = not my bag. I'd give the homeless-shelter idea some more thought. Else, I see no harm in just keeping your location to yourself and using it for your own purposes. Squatting can be fun.

Illegal weapons aren't something I flaunt with either, but it could become a necessity. The amount of homeless people in Scandinavia (where I happen to be reside) are so low there is very little need to supply them with shelter; society does that already to most of them, except in the big cities (I live in a small one). I agree that the notion of squatting can be fun, not to mention liberating to withdraw from modern consumerist lifestyle and experience simplicity in life. However, fun is not my primary objective with this; it is to create a safehouse for political queers.


I don't know whether you're Romanticizing or frothing at the mouth or both, but just simmer down for just a second and work on keeping the "atrocious deeds" to a minimum, thanks...:)

Simply a statement on the harsh reality of insurrection, not a confession of future plans. I'd much rather see the Gandhi-esque approach, but I fear it will not end up that way.

[Bilan]

you know, you could host some revolutionary activity in the house, and provide shelter for homeless people. if the authorities become suspicious of the activity in the house, the homless could be a great cover.

:glare:

Human shields?
Surely you're joking.

If you're helping those in need, do it; do the activities - especially the ones which could put you in serious shit - somewhere else, and don't get those who don't wish to be involved, involved, or put them in any danger.

Besides, housing the homeless; it's not 'revolutionary', but it's an absolute necessity.

But, if he wants to create one to organize underground activity, it's best not to combine these two, in my opinion.

[Kropotkin Has a Posse]

Besides, housing the homeless; it's not 'revolutionary'

Maybe I'm influenced to a large extent by the area I live in, which has thousands of homeless people and a neo-liberal government that neglects them entirely. If people without housing go forth and seek it out directly, without having to wait for months for a spot to open up at one of the sparse government housing initiatives, it is a strong statement about the dire lack of housing and the ability of dispossessed people to better the situation themselves, and fight for themselves.



No. It is an act of compassion. The revolution is not a thing of compassion, it will be a brutal conflict where blood shall be spilled and many atrocious deeds will be done. Such is the nature of war.

If I can't be compassionate, I don't want your revolution.

[AGITprop]

If I can't be compassionate, I don't want your revolution.
That is not anyone's point. It was that you should not mix your acts of compassion with what is revolutionary.

[Kropotesta]

while this may sound selfish, my interest is not to provide the homeless with shelter, but to create a secret hideout for illegal and /or revolutionary activities. To swarm it with homeless people would inevitably break its necessary veil of secrecy and destroy it.

I find this disgusting.
The homeless people need the shelter. Why don't you fuck off to one of your buddies houses to do your stuff.

[AGITprop]

I find this disgusting.
The homeless people need the shelter. Why don't you fuck off to one of your buddies houses to do your stuff.

I'd rather use resources for revolutionary activity and not for helping the lumpen. Sorry.

[Not entirely illiterate]

I find this disgusting.
The homeless people need the shelter. Why don't you fuck off to one of your buddies houses to do your stuff.

As I pointed out earlier several times, the amount of homeless people in my area is practically nil, and the few that exist are cared for by the social welfare network. What should I do, tell masses of homeless people from abroad to emigrate?

And the whole point with the safehouse is to let it remain anonymous - if you're caught in your buddy's house preparing explosives, he's in for it. The very same material found elsewhere won't be anywhere as obvious.

[Kropotesta]

I'd rather use resources for revolutionary activity and not for helping the lumpen. Sorry.
yeah but you're trot, everyone knows yer full of shit.

[Not entirely illiterate]

Maybe I'm influenced to a large extent by the area I live in, which has thousands of homeless people and a neo-liberal government that neglects them entirely. If people without housing go forth and seek it out directly, without having to wait for months for a spot to open up at one of the sparse government housing initiatives, it is a strong statement about the dire lack of housing and the ability of dispossessed people to better the situation themselves, and fight for themselves.

By all means, initiate a housing project in your area, where the need is great; you have my blessings. Over here, the need is extremely small, and thus the facilities can be used for other purposes.


If I can't be compassionate, I don't want your revolution.

Unless you happen to posess some secret weapon that the state is in desperate need of, we don't have anything that will give us the opportunity of non-violent revolution. And thus, there is no choice left for us but to fight. And once swords are crossed, there will be little room for compassion. Sad, but true.

[welshboy]

Unless you happen to posess some secret weapon that the state is in desperate need of, we don't have anything that will give us the opportunity of non-violent revolution. And thus, there is no choice left for us but to fight. And once swords are crossed, there will be little room for compassion. Sad, but true.

Do you have some secret insider info that the revolution is going to be next tuesday or something!?!
If you really want to make positive use of abandoned property and help build some sort of revolutionary movement how's about turning them into a community centre or other resource?
Screwing about with explosives/weaponry is only going to hurt someone, more than likely yourself and/or land you a long time in jail; far away from revolutionary action.
Blowing things up is hardly any kind of replacement for community and workplace organizing. You will not be a threat to the state and you will not at any point further the class struggle.
Listen I am by no means a pacifist and believe that the revolution will be a time of violence as well as liberation and creativity. but now is not the time for armed insurrection. Without a solid base in the community any action of this kind will be a dead end at best or lead to massive state repression at worst.
Only when the proletariat, lumpen and all, are organized and united will they be able to resist the forces of the state with force of arms, till then our work needs to be in the community and workplace not running around putting others and ourselves at risk with infantile insurrectionism.
If you really want to learn about blowing stuff up and the use of weapons get some professional training, join the army. Hell at least that would give you the chance to spread dissent within the ranks so that should the troops ever be sent into quell any massive uprising they will be less likely to obey orders.

[Kronos]

NEI, have you been watching Fight Club again?

[Kronos]

No but seriously, I'd join your urban guerrilla syndicate if I could get there. However, I am scheduled to depart for Mexico this fall for a volunteer work program. I'm gonna be building/renovating housing, schools, and sports centers for children who belong to single working-class mothers.

Ya'll can come too if you want.

[Comrade Nadezhda]

Squatting- Well it would be very easy in Racine, just don't piss off any lumpens, they won't hesitate to pull a knife, stab you and cut your balls off when you walk into an abandoned warehouse or a former factory building that has been vacant since the shut downs for 10-14 years. They'll eat anything. Trots, anarchokiddies and their babies :lol:

[shorelinetrance]

NEI, have you been watching Fight Club again?

Hahahahaha.

Was just about to post that.

HIS NAME WAS ROBERT PAULSON

oh shit, i thought this was in chitchat, sorry for the somewhat useless reply ;_;

[Ultra-Violence]

Just a suggestion How about you arm the Home Less people Preferably with illegal and dangours weapons and go kill the rich NOW THATS! REVOLUTIONARY!

2, 4, 6, 8 Kill the rich and arm the poor!


LMFAO!

i don think its smart to be posting this crap on the internet if u dont want the po-po at ur house just a thouhgt

[Black Cross]

Human shields?
Surely you're joking.

... It's not like he was suggesting using them to block bullets. He was just saying that if the cops ever came to the door and saw some homeless guys, they'd just think it was some homeless people looking for shelter and not notice the molotov cocktails in the back closet.

[jetpen]

I know this is an older thread but I'm very interested in the idea of using abandoned buildings as hidden spaces for revolutionary activities.

I've been working on a "book" I call The Handbook of Clandestine Underground Construction, to organize my knowledge and ideas for geotechnical engineering, underpinning, concealed entrances, hidden ventilation, and so on.

Rents, mortgages, eyes and cameras are all tools of social control that keep people in servile beliefs and behaviors. I think that providing free space is a way to remove the structures of everyday life. No more fears of not paying rent or whether the authorities are listening.

[Os Cangaceiros]

There's an interesting bunker complex near my house left over from World War Two (the Aleutian campaign, specifically). It's three stories..part of it is actually underground. I've thought about using it for various things before; one guy actually lived in one of the abandoned bunkers for awhile.

Plus, it's in the middle of nowhere. You could detonate a nuclear explosive in it and no one would know.

[ManyAntsDefeatSpiders]

Showing how, on the one hand, capitalist society has a huge abundance of unused wealth and property, and on the other hand, how there are hundreds of thousands with little more than the clothes on their backs...

Now, that is revolutionary propaganda.


I'd rather use resources for revolutionary activity and not for helping the lumpen. Sorry.

What's 'revolutionary activity?'

Selling x amount of newspapers?

Organising in trade unions?

Neither of those things actually involve something 'revolutionary' - they are done every day under capitalism. Indeed, the only 'revolutionary' activities we will be doing, is when revolution is actually happening!

But whether we should support such things now is another matter entirely.

I think the squatting serves the propaganda purpose of showing how capitalism is so ineffective in managing its resources - in the very face of poverty. It's a very ironic situation.

[Sam_b]

but to create a secret hideout for illegal and /or revolutionary activities

Oh brilliant, another nutter who thinks they need to 'train for the revolution'.

[gla22]

Have fun with it. Live there and distribute flyer's from there and set it up as a headquarters for revolutionary activity. It sounds like a great find. Homeless people normally have major drug problems or are mentally insane. I can't blieve it has power too. That is incredible.Why pay rent?

[shuuk]

(sorry ahead of time im a horrable speller:() personaly i think it is great take the barakade idea and run with it. and personaly i would set up sum sort of servailance system and find 2 to 3 people to go along with you but dont just invite them make sure you can trust them... get an internet set up and brodcast the revolution from there(more people have to be called to arms! befor its to late)!! good luck!