Brutal eviction of Reykjavik squat

[Enragé]

for the vid see here: http://mbl.is/mm/frettir/sjonvarp/in...d=24022;play=1

pics and background: http://www.indymedia.nl/nl/2009/04/58889.shtml

In any case it's good to see the struggle going on in Iceland.

[al8]

This is currently the talk of the town in Reykjavik. People vary in sympathizing with either the police, the squtters, both or neither. There is also varying opinions as to the handling of the eviction-situation by the squatters as well as the police.

One of those who I've spoken to sympathized partially with the squatters but said their resistance to the police by barricade was tactically unwise since they were dealing with a clearly stronger opponent -- and hence deserved their ill handling by the police ("they were just asking for it"). The squatters where sloganeering and flag waiving on the top floor, somewhat in the course of the barracade. They also hurdled abuse, eggs, flour (and apparatly a whole piece of ananas) at the cops during the baracade.


The cops in turn chainsawed their way through the house breaking everything they could, cooking equipment, widows even. Their way of going about was quite brutal and disregarding. In the course of taking the top floor the riot team chainsawed through the ceiling and managed hit though a mat the squatters sat on. Their treatment of the squatters when cought was in tune with what went on before. They were thoroughly pepersprayed and forced to the ground. I've heard that a squatters orthopedic cast was smashed, another had his/her head diliberatly banged on the floor by one of the police riot team member.

I know from personal testimony from one of the squatters that they did not intend to be beaten or want to be beaten and abused. They just wanted to hold out as long as they could and show they were serious. And neither did they hold any big illusions about the police not bothering them somehow. They betted on a chance and simply wanted to eek out their luck with this thing.

[Hoxhaist]

the obsession with property over human living and survival is a despicable trait of the disease of capitalism

[al8]

Pictures from the barricade; http://aftaka.org/2009/04/17/hustaka-anarkismi-2/
(the text is in Icelandic though)

[Dimentio]

Pictures from the barricade; http://aftaka.org/2009/04/17/hustaka-anarkismi-2/
(the text is in Icelandic though)

I wonder, how do the polls look for the election the next month?

[al8]

I wonder, how do the polls look for the election the next month?

I find parlimentary politics very uninteresting. But I'll oblige you.

http://mbl.is/mm/frettir/kosningar/

Contr+F for; Kosningar og kannanir (sjá nýjustu könnun Gallup)

It is a graph you can view 2 ways, you click on a button in the top right corner to shift between grafics. It shows the the newest poll results as well as older ones.

[L.J.Solidarity]

Looks like the current government coalition (Social Democrats and "Green-Left" Party) is set to win the election, while the "Reform Party" which was founded by some people who called themselves the organizers of the mass protests is struggling to enter parliament at all. Has there been any visible change in government policies since the current coalition took over from the conservatives and neoliberals?

[punisa]

I don't support neither. Both, the police repression and the so called squatters.
There were similar examples in my country too, but nothing gets done this way. Except they make headlines and people have increased doubt over any radical left.

[Sasha]

wouldnt say that, ofcourse they are just getting strated while we have an 4 decade long established organised squating tradition but in the netherlands the autonomist squating movement is by far the biggest and most influential radical left group.
Some of our squats have more people living there than most ML groups got members.

[Sam_b]

the so called squatters

'so called'? Do you have a problem with squatters or something?