The building on Waldeck Pyrmontlaan in South, which was squatted in January and vacated by the police, has been squatted again. The Mobile Unit has arrested several squatters tonight, but a small number of squatters have been on the roof for hours.
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According to a police spokesperson, this is an emergency eviction at the behest of the public prosecutor. She says that the building, which is a stone’s throw from the Vondelpark, has been ‘re-squatted’ today. A police helicopter flies overhead.
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The squatters informed AT5 by telephone that they had been in the building for three days, not just one day. They think that the owner has let it go to ruin. “We are fed up with rich people who often own multiple properties in the city.”
With the second squatting action, on the day of the Women’s March, they want to draw attention to FLINTA people. That is an abbreviation for Female (female), Lesbian (lesbian), Intersex (intersexual), Non-binary (non-binary), Trans (transgender) and Agender (gender-free). “Without their own home, they have the choice between staying in the closet or being in danger.” The squatters also want to emphasize the ‘radical history’ of International Women’s Day.
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At around 5.30 pm, members of the Mobile Unit were asked to assemble at the police station on Johan Huizingalaan in Nieuw-West. The eviction started around 7:30 p.m. A ladder truck from the fire brigade was called in for assistance around 7 p.m.
The first squatters were arrested around 8.45 pm. It was not clear when the police will approach the squatters on the roof around 10:30 p.m.
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Last week, the city council answered questions from JA21 about the squatting action that took place in January† The city council confirmed in it that the squatters then were working illegally† “Every building for which an owner has a concrete plan for occupancy will be evicted as soon as possible.”
Several neighbors also indicated in January that they did not agree with the squatters. The property would have been empty because the owner a legal battle with neighbors about building a swimming pool.
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