In the summer of 2017, a new law was passed in Belgium to make squatting illegal. Squatting is still possible but with this new law, it makes it easier for an owner to get a house evicted, since squatting is now seen as an offense. These past years, squatting was in a twilight zone, between legal and illegal, but with this new law, squatters might face jail sentence if taken to court.

After years talking about an anti squat law, it went quick. Roma families would have occupied houses already inhabited. Frauds with living addresses would occurred from time to time but because of the whole fuzz in the media, the new law quickly set property rights above inhabitant rights. The climax was reached when the house occupied by the Roma family was attacked by a bunch of hooligans. Windows were smashed, fireworks was thrown inside and children left traumatized. When one of the hooligans got arrested and put in custody for the attack, 250 hooligans together with members of far right organizations such Vlaams Belang, Voorpost, made an unannounced demonstration in Gent. Two and a half hours long, they went around the city, by the homeless shelter, insulting sex workers and screaming racist slogans.

We have enough from this. It happens quite often in Gent but on Thursday 15 february 2018, we are all taking the streets! A demonstration for solidarity, against the war on the poor. Let's make ourselves heard: it's time to hit back to the top, not to the bottom. For more info about the demonstration: https://demo15feb.noblogs.org

Further, squatters are also calling for an action weekend on 23-24-25 February 2018, against the anti squat law in Belgium and because autonomous centers are under threat everywhere.

Soli greetings.
Squatters from Gent