Bialystok/Poland - a squat raided by police, then reoccupied by angry squatters
In the morning of August 7th 2001, De Centrum squat, located in Bialystok (Poland), has been raided by police forces. About 10 plain clothes officers, 1 police car and one anti-drug department car were present. Doors were broken, although two people remaining inside barricaded themselves and this gave us time to call all local medias which arrived immediately.
2 people were detained.
The police searched the place, they had a search warrant.
In the evening, squatters recaptured building raided the morning by the police.
The official explanation for the raid is "seeking stolen items". Although no stolen items and drugs were found, the police seized huge amounts of squat equipment including a power generator, tape-recorders and tons of other stuff. The whole building was systematically trashed by police : they even poured washing fluid in our drinkable water and stole 2 kilos of onions !
The media coverage was very big, and the next day we organized a press conference, where all the medias could see what the cops had done to our place.
On August 9th, minor scuffles occured in and outside the police station, where squatters tried to get their stolen equipment back.
On the same day, the two people detained during the raid were released without charges.
That's it, as for now.
Because we lost all our equipment and sustained serious damages, we ask everyone to contribute financially. We are not able to continue our actions right now and the squat will be on auction on the 21st of August.
We want to block it! De Centrum will stay in our hands !