The Post-bag Trickle: Letters To Squall

Squatting Bristol Fashion

Squall 5, Oct/Nov 1993, pg. 34.

Squall,

Cheers for the copies of Squall No. 4, an excellent weapon in the information and propaganda war against the dolts and dunces who intend to criminalise homelessness.

The flurry of press coverage at the beginning of June prompted us to set up a new group in Bristol to fight the anti-squatting legislation. It’s hard to judge how seriously to take the threatened new laws, the Tories don't seem to be in a fit state to legislate against anything at the moment. The new (as yet unnamed) group includes people from housing associations, homeless charities, Labour Party members as well as a wonderful lady from Shelter and the usual scruffy, soap-dodging squatter-types. Hopefully we'll soon be holding public meetings, organising demo's and churning out interminable tracts of propaganda.

Our crowbars were getting rather rusty at the start of the summer but in the last week there's been a spate of squat-cracking in Bristol. More people are coming into our squat office and it seems that homeless charities are referring more people to us. We are also increasing our contact with the many traveller sites all over the city, its good to do this as we are basically all facing the same kind of hysteria.

Have a good summer, enjoy the smog while it lasts.

Yours,
Rich - BHAM
(Bristol Housing Action Movement),