Attempted RampArt Eviction Under False Pretense
Published:
March 12, 2009 14:07
by
imcist@
Neighbourhoods: rampart whitechapel
Early on Thursday 12th in the morning there was a minor fire in the derelict part of the block on Rampart Street. After the fire had been put out, several men knocked on the door at RampARTS, claiming to be from the fire brigade. After they had gained entry under this false pretense, they were revealed to be agents of the owner of the building. The proceeded to call the police and evicted the person inside. Without bothering to ascertain that there were no more people in the house, they started to board up the building, placing security personnel at the doors. In the meantime some people managed to climb back into the building, carrying on with the successful occupation. About 30 people are outside and are asking for everyone to join them and show their support for this community.
Reports: 1 | Pictures: 1 | rampART Group | rampART | rampART MySpace |
un-evicting rampART
The eviction comes 20 days before the G20 hits London, on a day were one of several related events was announced for rampART. The Social Centre had also announced to keep the doors open during the G20.
++ 15:00 ++
Security dragged on person out of house number 7 and beat him up. Police have withdrawn, but firebrigade is there.
People are still inside rampART, and are calling for support to defend it from being boarded up.
++ 16:00 ++
Eviction has been successfully prevented.
Securities are still next door, there are fewer people at rampART, and still calling for more people to come, as they want to retain a strong presence.
Additions
do flyers?
Published: March 12, 2009 19:50
by
alf
what about doing some emergency flyers to distribute quickly to the local area explaining what happened with this illegal would be eviction and the guy being beaten up and so on to get more people who live nearby ready to support this community centre from the imminent threat???
everyone reading this article should circulate it via email to all your contacts or text people who can help as well.
respect to the squatters.
How can people help?
Published: March 13, 2009 14:55
by
rampart user
How can people help? Is there an eviction booked? Is there a rota? What's the plan? The rampART website doesn't have any updates on this...Let us know. We want to help keep rampart alive!
rota
Published: March 13, 2009 15:30
by
friend
there is a rota, it is on paper, go at rampart and help filling the shifts, help is still needed!
Report from the rampART website
Published: March 14, 2009 19:06
by
no pasaran!
Attempted Eviction: Rampart 1 - Owners nil
Friday 13th March 2009
Yesterday there was an eviction attempt by owners at Rampart. It was a long battle but we are now back in full occupancy of the building. A big thank you to all those who came out in support. We want to have as many people in the building as we can in order to discourage another eviction attempt and we are calling out for your help with this.
If you can help with an occupation rota, or want to give us your phone number to be added to an eviction alert phone tree, please get in contact with us at rampart@mutualaid.org
Briefly what happened, there had been a fire the night before in the building next door to Rampart. Yesterday at 11.30am, two suited men impersonating fire brigade inspectors demanded to be allowed in to inspect the building for fire damage. They were allowed in to be accompanied around the building. Upon entering the building three security guards appeared and followed after them. The two men, who were in fact agents acting on behalf of the owners, and the guards told the Rampart member and guest present to leave but they refused. A police officer arrived at the doorway and threatened the Rampart member and guest with arrest for having crossed a crime scene (the street had been cordoned off due to the fire) and for breach of the peace if they did not leave. The member and guest again refused to leave. Finally the security guards AND the police officer violently forced both of them out of the building.
One security guard remained inside with the door padlocked on a chain whilst another stood in front of the door. Little did they know that there was still people inside the building as they hadn’t checked it properly before securing it. More police and security guards arrived and the guards started checking the other buildings in the street. The member of Rampart did a call-out for support, and people started arriving soon afterwards.
Gradually at first, but quickly amassing to a number of over 40 people, our supporters put pressure on the police and security guards to let us back into the building. Our occupants still inside the building acted quickly, allowing others into the building through an alternative entrance, and barricaded the sole occupying security guard in on the ground floor! The Rampart now heavily out-weighed the owners in their occupancy of the building in numbers and in space secured. A black flag very quickly appeared out of a window on the top floor, with other banners hanging out of windows on the middle floor soon after.
At no point were legal papers shown, despite our frequent requests to see them. The owners successfully gained a repossession order way back in 3rd January 2008, but this has since expired and for them to legally attempt an eviction they would need to get it reissued through the courts.
A two hour stand-off ensued with constant pressure from our supporters outside on the police and agents, and eventually the agents decided to pull out their ‘man inside’ leaving the Rampart collective back in full occupancy of the building.
What can be determined from this is:
* That it was a planned ambush by the agents under pretence of impersonating fire inspectors.
* That at the time of the forced removal from the building there was no bailiff present and no legal papers were ever shown.
* That the police officer attempted to use his powers and also physically assisted the removal of the Rampart member and their guest from their place of occupance.
** There could be another eviction attempt soon, so we are calling out for supporters to add to the occupancy of the building and for people to send us phone numbers for our eviction alert phone tree. If the Rampart is to be available up to the G20 we need supporters to help us right now. **
ps. a big thankyou to the Library House for their solidarity: http://thelibraryhouse.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/solidarity-with-rampart/
RAMPART NOT EVICTED!!!
Published: March 20, 2009 19:04
by
false_fukin_alarm
The email i just got from a mate then again from skookum boom and originally from 56a infoshop that other people and groups have been circulating suggesting that at 1pm today there was an actual eviction was a FALSE indymedia post. Anyone know who posted that information/details cos it's going round loadsa people who think it was true.
rampART was not evicted!!!
disinformation
Published: March 20, 2009 19:06
by
Ian
haha yea i got that info as well. I was going to turn up tomorrow to 'help reclaim the building' can't beleive some cunt put that disinformation up i was gutted.
Email from crampton street
Published: March 20, 2009 22:13
by
robbin hoody
I didnt know wot peopel were talkin bout but i just read me inbox -
''Apologies but there was NO EVICTION AT RAMPART today (FRIDAY) as we mailed out
earlier. Ignore the email we sent earlier.
We read it on Indymedia newswire at about 3pm and then mailed it out to the 56a
external list and the Southwark and Lambeth @'s list. We are now sending this
mail again to both lists saying categorically that the posting to Indymedia was
FALSE
We should have checked from some Rampart person and so apologies to you and
Ramparts for our error
56a Infoshop''
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LONG LIVE RAMPART
Nice one for preventing it. Fukin cops. EVERYONE IN THE LOCAL AREA GET THERE AND HELP OUT. This can't happen just after the spike going.
LONG LIVE RampART