Two weeks ago the Dutch government outlawed squatting - turning it from a civil to a criminal offence (this despite objections from the councils and majors of the four largest cities in the country). Squatting is an emotional subject. People imagine going on holiday to France for two weeks and finding a bunch of dread-locked anarchists having taken over their front room. The reality is very different. Most squats are of large institutional premises - warehouses, factories, administrative centres, that have no viable economic function any more and which will (in time) be redeveloped.
Dutch society, with its inimitable ability to negotiate and find compromises, has evolved a system called anti-kraak (anti-squat) through which (mostly institutional) property owners arrange for (mostly) young people to live in or run businesses from these properties until a new use is found for them. Its a system that seems to work well. It avoids large properties being left empty,possibly for years at a time, and becoming derelict - especially in times of recession. It provides temporary housing and work space to those at the bottom of the ladder. Quite how the new law will affect the anti-kraak movement remains to be seen. It was reassuring to see a protest against the new law in Wageningen last weekend - on a prime location that was bulldozed five years ago and has been left as a vacant eyesore ever since.
My friend, who has been part of the alternative scene in Wageningen for almost twenty years bemoaned the fact that ten years ago there would been hundreds rather than dozens of revellers /protesters. But I saw signs of hope: the large majority of people there were in their teens or early twenties. Disaffected youth who are a real hope for the future- because the longer they stay outside/alienated from the system the more they will fight to change it during the rest of lives.
The poster reads "squatting will go away when housing is a right". Right on bro'!
3 comments:
Hi Nick,
Hope you're well. Another episode from that strange voice from the past. Hope the Gong gig was suitably gonged ;-) Just wanted to let you know that the banner at the pro-squatting meet says 'Squatting will continue because housing is a right'. BTW, I think I recognized at least one person in your pic from when I lived in Wageningen 15-20 years ago.
Anyway, still working in Cardiff, self-employed editor etc., but planning on moving back to NL at some point.
Best,
Joek
Hi Joek
Big (and nice) suprise to hear from you-- thank you for the translation correction (I did it in a hurry late at night, but you can see my Dutch still has some way to go). There's quite a few people from the 'old guard' who never left this town... Many of them can still be found at the Overkant - which will cease to be under collective managment and voluntary staffing next year.
And Gong were very Gonged - Daevid Allen still full of impish humor and energy at the age of 72!! I took a friend who had never seen them before and ony heard one album who was suitable impressed. Stuur mij en e-mail met je address?
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