Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1999 07:49:14 +1000
Subject: AUT: 121 "squat" Update No. 7 (fwd)


=46riends of 121 Eviction Update Number 7.
121 Still in occupation 132 days on from the attempted eviction!

Hi everyone. Sorry its been so long between updates, but we are glad to
report that that the London 121 Autonomous Centre remains in the hands of
the community.

What we are not so happy to report is that Lambeth Council is continuing
its
attacks on the residents it purports to represent. In the last few months
a
number of schools and libraries have been slated to close, large numbers
of
squats have been evicted and community centres, migrant advice centres
and
adventure playgrounds shut. In the meantime the New Labour councillors
have
voted themselves 100% pay rises and announced a further =A3250 000
investment
in CCTV spy cameras.

All is not lost though and local resistance has intensified. Disabled
users
of the Centre for Independent Living (CIL) have occupied their space and
maintained services without council funding for a number of months. A
Lambeth Save Our Schools group has united parent, student and teacher
opposition to education cuts and staged a number of demos and disrupted
council meetings. Friends of Lambeth Libraries have been doing a similar
job
with library users. Friends and users of the 121 have held a number of
events including a 12 hour street party on Railton Road. 12 issues of the
excellent South London Stress newsheet have been distributed throughout
Lambeth as well as a pamphlet "The Real Brixton Challenge" which attacks
gentrification and another detailing 1980s squat resistance on Effra
Parade.

In the face of this resistance the council has adopted a "wait and see"
policy in the hope of out lasting its opponents. This policy has seen a
drop
off in the amount of activity in the area as the threats to the schools,
121, CIL, etc no longer seem quite so immediate. However there is no
doubt
in anyone's mind that this is merely a delaying tactic and that the
council
still intends to gut Lambeth of it "undesirables". Whilst a certain
degree
of "battle fatigue" has set in at 121 there are tentative steps being
taken
towards reopening the centre with cafes and gigs already happening. Round
the clock occupation of the building continues.

If you want to forward messages of support or obtain copies of the South
London Stress and other pamphlets then email us at this address. You can
read some of the Stress's at the 121 website at
http//i.am/121centre

If you want to get involved in the centre or hold an event there then
either
email us, call the centre on 0171 274 6655 or visit at 121 Railton Road,
Brixton. If you are interested in contacting the Centre for Independent
Living then call them on 0171 671 8892. Lambeth Save Our Schools can be
contacted at 0181 674 3490 and Friends of Lambeth Libraries on 0171 587
3517.

Please forward this message on to friends and mail lists.
Thankyou,
=46riends of 121.




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