News Shorts and Other Busyness

Squatters Help Refugees

Squall 12, Spring 1996, pg. 7.

A group of squatting activist have occupied a large building in London, in order to provide shelter for refugees likely to be homeless as a result of recent benefit changes.

The new changes disqualify asylum seekers who do not register at their port of entry. Estimates suggest that as many as 2,500 refugees a month may be homeless as a direct result of the changes. The Autonomous Refugee Centre Hackney (ARCH) was set up on 5 Feb, the same day the benefit rules were changed.

In combination with the upcoming Immigration and Asylum Bill, the new benefit restrictions have received widespread condemnation from a multitude of organisations, though no provision has yet been made for the victims.

In lieu of any concrete initiatives, the ARCH collective have squatted an Old Magistrates Court next door to a Kurdish community centre in Stoke Newington, Hackney. The group say their intention is to run the previously dormant building as a temporary shelter and to draw attention to the plight of refugees. The collective has already received messages of support from the Medical Foundation for Victims of Torture, as well as from Kurdish community groups in the area.

According to Samantha Bold, one of the occupying group: “None of the agencies that have opposed the welfare changes have actually done anything about the situation and as activists we see squatting as a viable and immediate solution.”

ARCH need offers of support, blankets and food. Contact 0171 226 8938.