Members of W.A.G were present at the attempted eviction of Ramparts Social Centre on Friday 13th March. The following description was written by members of the Ramparts Collective:
“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 are calling out for
supporters to add to the occupancy of the building and 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. **
Stay Informed, Get In Touch”
The victory of resisting eviction and winning back the building was a very inspiring event and we hope the climate of standing up to the bailiffs during these difficult times spreads. We were able to also spot our favourite FIT (Forward Intelligence Team) member officer HT688 (below) as featured in Issue 2 of WAG.
To learn more about the F.I.T check out the F.I.T Watch Blog.
The crowd was also highly amused by this trendy fresh faced young man:
Do you drink over priced bottled beer? Do you wear plimsolls as opposed to trainers? Do you consider yourself “hip”? Do you think David Beckham has a “cool” haircut? If so then you are a c**t. Why not become a bigger c**t and join the police force?
Whitechapel Anarchist Group 
Thank you for the excellent report. Stay strong!
What hard cunts you are.
Its someone elses building.
You are occupying a building illegally just like the US/Uk are in Iraq.
I
AHAHAHAHAHA tnt you mug i know you don’t like the fact that your picture is up but seriously go get an education you trendy wanker then come back and try a real argument. tosser. i bet you call yourself ‘tnt’ to impress the ladies at the shitty nightclubs you go to in your pink open collar shirts with your ‘cool’ chain coming out. jokes on you ya cunt!
tnt you are wrong, It is the police who acted illegally against the laws they are supposed to uphold in this case. Squatting is legal. It is illegal to threaten and violently force people out of their home and begin boarding up a building before even checking it is empty when in fact is was still occupied.
”You are occupying a building illegally just like the US/Uk are in Iraq.”
Iraq is not a building. It is a country that UK and US soldiers have been occupying and killing in illegally yes, however, last time i checked the squatters at rampART have been putting on great community events and fundraisers for good causes etc. Your analogy fails miserably as the two things have nothing in common and are in fact opposites.
Squatting is morally wrong, I don’t care whether it’s technically legal or not.
As for your anarchic bollocks, I hope the Police use some of their ill-conceived terror legislation against you. You strange, bitter people. The world doesn’t owe you a living. You shouldn’t berate people for being successful. It might be that they have achieved something without screwing over
So having vast numbers of empty buildings being put to no use while thousands are homeless is somehow moral??
You can’t be serious in saying that people occupying a building left abandoned and maintaining it through hard work and putting on numerous community events and supporting noble cause is immoral.
It seems YOU are the strange bitter one to me by wishing the police use brutality against innocent people.
Ironically YOU are the only one berating people for being successful. The squatters have successfully provided a free space for countless great benefit events, free workshops, lectures/discussions, film screenings and opportunities for young bands to play and the list goes on and on. Beats being a grumpy foul mouthed gutless internet complainer doesn’t it?
You clearly have never been to this place or talked with anyone involved or in the local area. Maybe you should attend their next open meeting to raise your concerns? Unlike you they are open to all and if you can actually get a coherent argument out amongst your constant use of meaningless insults i’m sure they will be willing to respond. However, i doubt you have the balls to actually confront anyone unless behind the safety of the net. Shame.
Stop embarrassing yourself.
“Squatting is morally wrong”. What aload of shite! Homelessness is “morally worng”, working 40 years to get a pension thats gonna get robbed by some financiers is “morally wrong”. People like you make apologies for all this shite that happens in the world against ordinary – continue living and believing in your lies but when we get movement, budge the fuck out of the way or you’ll end up in the stampede.
yawn, your an idiot.
The anti-squatter pricks who’ve posted comments here should brush up their history. If it wasn’t for a highly militant working class taking matters into their own hands after World War 2 – which included squatting houses, plotlands, allotments combined with widespread rent-strikes – we would never have enjoyed the welfare state.
They should also learn about buildings. Empty properties degrade and devalue at the rate of around 3 to 10 thousand pounds a year depending on location and condition. So squatters are actually doing landlords a favour!
The state always needs goons to do its dirty work.
I realise that the squatters are living there because the property was empty for a long period. But living in property belonging to another prevents the owner from doing anything with it. The legal costs and administrative work load required by the owner to evict you is just too demanding for the average person. Professional development of the property by the owner means that the council may be able to house a few struggling families there, give them a fresh start, a leg-up if you like. It could also mean that the owners of the property profit from the rental or sale of the refurbished property. Right now the squatters are if anything immorally leeching off the owner. The owner may not have done anything with the property for a long time hence the squatters have moved in. The owner of the property has made them aware that he no longer wants you there (Hence the agents acting on his behalf attending during this eviction). Surely upon discovering that your presence is not welcomed by the owner, the honourable thing to do is to leave??? I have visited the Rampart Street property in my professional capacity and must say that the condition it is being kept in is extremely poor. I’d go as far as to say I consider it to be hazardous to health. Working for a council organisation, I am aware of the negative views from neighbours of the premises in question. They too would like to see the block in question getting developed. It is in a completely run down state at the mo. This is only being held up by the current squatters. I realise that it is someone’s (current/temporary) home I am writing about so I apologise if my comments offend. I only question how people could live in such terrible conditions by choice when this country bends over backwards to help those who need housing. You may end up homeless as a result but Tower Hamlets Housing are very good in what they do. It’s really not that hard to find a job, earn a decent living and live a reasonable lifestyle in this country. Cleaners get paid £10 an hour! Saying this, living a reasonable quality of life doesn’t mean that we forget how lucky we are compared to the situation in third world countries… just my views….
@Barnsdale Brigade – you clearly know squat about property. “..properties…devalue at…around 3 to 10 thousand pounds a year”. You clearly know so little it’s frankly incredible you’re able to breathe.
@ ‘A Local.’ Your comment does not offend and is a fairly constructive criticism. In another circumstance maybe the squatters would willing to move out when told they are not welcome. However, in the current climate they would most definately end up homeless. Plus in the current climate of coroprate myopia, it is refreshing to see a building being used in a creative way for great community based events and more importantly with an ethic of events and debate and platforms being FREE AND OPEN TO ALL. I also as a local would like to offer the view that i prefer this kind of caring, interesting, creative use of space than say seeing luxury flats being built for the greedy or another stale mindless chain store. I know not all the locals feel like this and some see the squatters as excentric studenty layabouts. But i can confirm they are a diverse bunch of hard working individuals with bold ideals. Not all us locals feel like how you suggest. I’m proud to live nearby and so are others. We want to keep a free creative community space not another fukin mcdonals…
@ ‘oooh look..’ Grow up you sad sad creature.
I think the way the ”owners” went about the would be eviction was of particular concern as well meaning the squatters were far less likely to comply.
Great work guys! You really are some anarchists. Spending all your energy to discuss haircuts and trainers and then on April 1st, when the world was expecting you to start the revolution, we get more of that pointless street theater the left has been enjoying since what, 40 years now?
HAHAHAH me trendy wanker.
I grew up and lived in Mile end(if you are what you say you are, you know very well this never was a ‘trendy’ area.
My dad was a binman.
My mum struggled to keep us fed on a shoestring budget.
I worked hard for every penny I have. I currently live in Romford, paid for my own house, out of my own wages. My children go to a state school.
So what part of me is trendy. Please explain.
Others like me probably pay for your flaming existence. You lazy self righteous students cunts
Even if it is legal, taking someone elses property is wrong, just like invading some else country is also.
hey guy’s c’mon,let’s not argue amongst ourselves,and concentrate on the sleaze,the dismantling of the NHS,corruption in the DWP,and wither Britain can afford to waste 25 billion on trident etc. BRITAIN AWAKE……
@tnt
Congratulations. Well done. get on with your life and we will get on with ours doing what we think is neccesarily. If you are content in what you have, and feel society and the economy is in your favour then excellent for you continue. However, we choose to disagree. We do not feel free, we do not feel empowered by the “choices” on offer in this society, we are not happy that our armies (and the armies of the world) needlessly slaughter millions a year to protect the interests of their nation states, whilst this country continues to make billions in arms exports. We cannot be happy when we witness and exist in both economic and monocultural poverty, when those who have exploited others live in luxury. For us this is unacceptable, thats why we are anarchists and that is why we do what we do.
Good to see an Anarchist mass presence, but I think the ‘fuck trots’ is a bit cocky; a focus on the neoliberals rather than the left woulda been betta!
Great work
”I grew up and lived in Mile end(if you are what you say you are, you know very well this never was a ‘trendy’ area.”
Nobody has ‘said what they are’ what are you talking about?
”My dad was a binman.
My mum struggled to keep us fed on a shoestring budget.
I worked hard for every penny I have. I currently live in Romford, paid for my own house, out of my own wages. My children go to a state school.
”
Well thanks for your entire life story but that;s not the point is it. Nobodies background affects this conversation. the fact is you are needlessly slagging off these people who are trying to do something good for community without backing yourself up with an argument of substance. i assure you the squatters are not lazy drop out hippy types. you’ve clearly never been to it and are just reacting off a stereotype the media has fed you.
”You lazy self righteous students cunts” like i say theyr not lazy types. nor students. some students and school kids use the space and go to events sometime and so fukin what? there are free talks/lectures that otherwise the students couldn’t afford to or see. they can meet and talk and learn from one another and someone doin a talk who’s probably got more life experience than the real uni lectureres. why do you insult them for being students? they want to learn something. clearly you don’t. school kids and students also can play gigs there etc. another opportunity they might not have otherwise. you say you have kids. maybe send them over sometime. see if they have the same reaction as you when they get offered free food and free space to stay off the street and some interesting events to see or participate in. i doubt it.
”Even if it is legal, taking someone elses property is wrong, just like invading some else country is also.”
I agree completely. It’s just we disagree on what property actually is, and what property rights are. i don’t think its legitamate for someone to ‘own’ tons of buildings accross town and leave them empty whilst others struggle to get by and some sleep on street. i think this is wrong. i dont consider this ‘property’ i consider it greed and theft. but you prefer to say people re-claiming a derilict building for public use is somehow ‘wrong’. im sorry but you really should go there. i know some squats end up hippy drop out zones. but its different in this case. these guys work really hard. theyr from a variety of backgrounds before you come in with your ‘student lazy cunts’ onslaught. someone of them come from poor backgrounds, some from wealthier. the background is irrelevant its about doing something good in the here and now. not what mother you happened to fall out of. dont be daft.
in any case check the rampart website. a gig coming up with comrade malone, a brilliant hip hop artist (from an estate in north london since you need to know someones from a certain background to validate their existance aparently). as he’s young it’ll attract a young audience probably including school kids and students (god forbid). but i guess this is evil right? wrong that he should be on stage delivering his message and art whilst others come together to learn and enjoy? you make no sense to me.
look. it was harsh for people here to slag you off without knowin about you. but youv done exactly the same to the squatters so what do you expect. i just dont get your problem here?
Get out of other peoples’ property you dirty criminals
What is it I love the most about squatters? Is it;
A) They have mummys’s and daddy’s (usually in the home counties that bail them out).
B) Use middle class politically obselete marxist bull to justify their scrounging ways.
C) Enjoy phrases such as anarchist-a middle class student word used by those with too much time on their hands…