Tallinn (Estonia): Police raid in a social center


After the first cop climbed over the fence surrounding the house, others used the ladder found in the yard of the squat.

At that moment there were three persons in the house, one of them living there permanetly. Police officers claimed that the legal owner of the house had called them. When activist told them that they had a verbal agreement with the owners, police called the owner to ask about it. After the owner had confirmed the agreement, police asked him for permission to enter the house and also asked for documents of the people inside the house. Activists refused at first but after they were threatened to be arrested for disrupting police work they gave their ID's. A primitive "drug test" was carried out - flashlights were forced into the faces of squatters to check their pupils. While inside, policemen took photos of the house, smelled tea bags, asked about different equipment as they thought some things were stolen. Also a water heating system was partly damaged, as it was mistaken for being used for growing drugs. Nothing illegal was found.

After the incident leaked to mainstream media, the press office of police told that the way the activists acted and looked like may refer to the usage of drugs.

The house near the central Tallinn was occupied in May last year. It has been a meeting place for different activist groups, several people live there permanently. It has also hosted foreign activists from Australia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, USA etc. The electric system of the house has been autonomous so far, using solar panels and DIY wind generators. The squat has always had a "no drugs" policy.

Source Indy NL


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