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This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
Squatting – is the practice of arbitrarily inhabiting abandoned or unoccupied buildings without the owner's permission. People who squat are called squatters. For some it is a forced need due to homelessness, for others – is a political act or lifestyle.
How did squatting come about?
The roots of squatting go back centuries. Even in the Middle Ages, peasants could seize free lands that were not cultivated and inhabit them. In the 19th century, a similar practice existed in the USA, when colonists and immigrants arbitrarily settled on unoccupied lands, which were later even legalized.
In the 20th century, squatting became an important social movement. After World War II, thousands of people were left homeless in Europe and the United States, so they began to occupy abandoned houses. But the squatter movement gained the greatest momentum in the 1960s and 70s, when it was actively supported by anarchists, punks, left-wing radicals and subcultures fighting against consumer society.
Squatters: Who are they?
Among squatters, several main groups can be distinguished:
- Homeless womenwho are just looking for a roof over their heads.
- Activists, which oppose the housing crisis and inequality.
- Artists and creative communitiesthat turn squats into cultural spaces.
- Anarchists and anti-capitalistswhich use squats for autonomous life outside the market economy.
Squats often turn into alternative centers of culture –, they open galleries, music stages, theaters, and also hold lectures and discussions about society and politics.
Where was (and remains) squatting popular?
Squatting exists all over the world, but in some cities it has gained special popularity:
- Amsterdam (Netherlands) <TAG1> in the 1980s, thousands of squats operated here, which became part of city life. In 2010, the authorities banned squatting, but the movement did not disappear.
- Berlin (Germany) <TAG1> after the fall of the Berlin Wall, many abandoned buildings appeared in the city, which were taken over by squatters. Some of them have turned into famous art spaces, for example, Tacheles.
- London (Great Britain) <TAG1> since the 1960s, London has become the capital of European squatting. Even famous musicians like Joe Strummer from The Clash started out in squatting. In 2012, England passed a law that made housing squatting a criminal offense.
- Barcelona (Spain) <TAG1> squatter movement is very strong here. Some squats, such as Can Vies, have become centers of public life.
- Copenhagen (Denmark) <TAG1> The famous free commune of Christiania, founded in 1971, is the most famous squat in the world.
Squatting in Ukraine
In Ukraine, the phenomenon of squatting also exists, although it is less developed than in Western Europe. After the collapse of the USSR, many industrial buildings, factories and dormitories were left without owners. There were attempts to create cultural squats in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Lviv, where concerts, exhibitions and film screenings were held. The most famous case is the – art center «Pasika» in Kyiv, which operated in an abandoned building.
Is squatting legal?
The legal status of squatting varies by country. In the Netherlands, the UK and Germany, laws have tightened in recent years and squatters are now often evicted. At the same time, in some cities, local authorities negotiate with squatters and grant them legal status. For example, in Berlin some squats have become official housing cooperatives.
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