LONDON SQUATTERS are organising an offensive against the massive propaganda attack on thei by the Labour-controlled Greater London Council.
At a press conference on 28 January, they launched a campaign of demands on councils and Government under the general slogan 'No Fretions-Decent Housing For All!"
The GLC in its propaganda attack has created the bogey of 'Smash and Grab Squatters' in an attempt to link squatters with the damage to houses caused by vandals.
The hackgroand to this strugele is the fallare of the G1.C and local councils to contain the squatting movement by official" (licensed) squatting groups, coupled with the obvious successes of the squatting movement in for example taking over Connwall Terrace, Regents Park, Trom the Crown Commissioners:
entially intended to provide housing on the cheap for the mach revered wasting Ist sum roofs to cover-up for the cur backs in building programmes. However these groups have pradually turned against the State, and their map organnation Advisory Service for Satiens (formero Family Squatting Advisory Servicel te fact fully backs the squutting movement apainet the GLC» Smash and Grab" atta Another wich poup, Patchwork, a large reasonable" official squatting proup in London, B Tacing imminent hankrapty sership after the socovery that 705 of their wackly contribations flicence-rent) go straight fa Barclays Bank shartholders as interest tepay meno on money vorrowe to day houses fram speculaton MANOEUVRE The Labour GLC has thereton ched an attack on effective squatting groups especially that in Figin Avenue, Paldington, which has become a symbol о орронцов то час заос я пошмар пор icies. Using emotive rhetonic, it is attemplinp lo isolate squatters without having to answer politically for the massive cuts made in the housing programme. The GLC suatters press statement exposed "I is not the actions of the homeless but thow of the CLE counces. speculal ors and Government which are to blame for the housing crisis.
*Squatters ate generally just ordinary working people who are homeless because they cannor nd sutaole accommouton at reasonable rent. They are the Cant Wait Homeless'. No-one should have to wait for housing. There are 100,000 good empty properties in London which should he taken over for all the homeless.
'The GLC's idea of reasonable squantets is people who will voluntarily make themselves homeless at the Council's reg west. Those who demand housing for all are labelied 'Smash and GrabAccusations that squatters smash houses are absurd. The squatting movement is opposed to all forms of vandalism and makes great efforts to repair the lange scale deläherate vandalisen of the GLC and couve have many examples of GLC vandalism and keeping of houses empty for long periods without reason. For example, in Spring last year the GL.C deliberately destroyed the inside of 111 Walterton Rd., Paddington, for which there were no plans, just before squatter families were to nove in. The GLC smashed the lavatories of 60 Mats in Ritchie House, North Islingion. This is a commonplace method for making houses uninhabitable used by the GLC and councils all over London.
One of the lavatories smashed by the GLC Newcastle scaffolders and their supporters on the march last week to defend the ten arrested pickets
(British section of the Fourth International)
97 Caledonian Rd., London N.1.
/ would like more information about the IMG and its activities NAME Continued from page 1 they will come out on strike if the oceepcontacting the union which organises them, SOGAT The workers at EAV are nat the only journalists to have been brought up bard apainst the effects of the capitalist crisis. Straggles over redundancy have beoken val de sergln dooms wikoo the manage ment wants to eliminate 54 jobs, and at in the Ritchie House flats in Islington The squatters are abso launching an Ing uiry into GLC housing policy, which will include investigation of (be GLC's strateg ic housing policy, the waiting list, and tenants problems including vandalism caused by alienation in tower blocks). Their main demands are immediate requisitioning of all empty property for the homeless, ation and building on dereliet apace. -the financing of houxing programmes by crash grunts and interest-free loans from central government. The high interest re payments by councils to City financiors must be stopped. (FACT: 90% of the rent income of the GL.C is spent on interest repayments). - democratic control by arca conferences of tenants, trade unions and squatters" org anisations over all housing and development pians and usage of empty property.
For information and speakers on the campaign, contact: ASS, 44 Nelson Square, London, SEI (01-2611477) or Maida Hill Squatters 19 Elgin Avenue, London, W9. (01-286-2186).
strike last month forood the managomont to withdraw redundancy notices and to open its books. Plans ate now in hand for organising a modit workers" conference on redundancy and closure, sponsared by chapels which bate been direccly insalved in these struceles. An ad hoe com mister wis being forned this wook EXCELLENT FOCUS The EAV ocupation provides an