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Squatting scene in Amsterdam has changed significantly
This conclusion has been drawn by the Department of Criminology after long term fieldwork in the squatting scene.
The number of squatters has decreased significantly since the glory days of squatting in the 80’s. The Amsterdam squatters’ movement consists of 200-300 ‘real squatters’ at the moment and a larger number of sympathizers or activists. The squatters’ movement seems to have changed in character. The use of violence in the squatters’ movement has largely disappeared, despite stories of hardening. The proportion of foreign squatters is difficult to determine exactly. Since long time foreigners participate in the squatters’ movement, they come from various countries within the European community. They sometimes squat on their own, because they do not easily fit in at the squatters’ movement that works from some neighborhood centers.
Research report ‘Squatting scene in the year 2009 in Amsterdam’
The above points are some of the results presented in the exploratory study the ‘Squatting scene in the year 2009 in Amsterdam’, commissioned by ‘The Police Science and Research Programme’ (an independent section of the Dutch Police Academy’s Knowledge network) and performed by the Department of Criminology of the Faculty of Law. The report provides a description of contemporary squatting in the capital of The Netherlands. The report is based on lengthy fieldwork in the squatting scene, based on interviews with squatters, police, public prosecution, the municipality and analysis of police records and literature.
Support for squatting through the years
In the heydays of squatting in the 80’s, a relatively broad support existed in society for the underlying motives in the fight against unoccupied property. Since then, much has changed. Vacancy is reduced, anti-squatting is introduced, the number of squatters has dropped and also within the squatters’ movement itself changes occurred. Broad public support is something from the past. There is even a bill pending in the Netherlands to ban squatting.
Organization of the squatters’ movement
The Amsterdam squatters’ movement has some local neighborhood centers with their own signature. An umbrella organisation is absent, squatting activities are locally driven. Squatters are not a homogeneous group. What unites them are not rules or structures, but rather activities, experiences and opinions. Many squatters are involved in the movement limitedly, they have a job or follow a study.
Squat or evacuate
Two central activities always return: squatting and evacuating. In most cases squatting is done in a fixed pattern with a secret preparation and implementation by an anonymous group that makes functional arrangements. This takes place dozens of times a year without much fuss. This is not the case with the evacuation of ‘principle properties’, where squatters really fight for their case. This can result in a violent take with high costs for the municipal and the owners. The number of such confrontations is now much less than before and the use of violence has also significantly reduced.
Source
In Dutch: F. v. Gemert, et al. (2010) Kraken in Amsterdam anno 2009. Amsterdam: Vrije Universiteit, afdeling Strafrecht en Criminologie, sectie Criminologie.
