Squatted social centre Koivula in Helsinki evicted 15.10.2001

After six weeks of occupation, the squatters in Koivula in central Helsinki, Finland, have been evicted. The squat was empty for more than two years before the occupation, and will likely remain so for several more years.

The 21 squatters and a group of 30 or more supporters had started using the space partly as living space, partly offering services to locals and activists - a info-café was operating in the four-story building, as well as meeting spaces and a wood-workshop. Future plans for the building included office spaces, a painter's studio, film screenings and regular political discussion clubs and other events.

The police, after receiving a request from the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital Group, arrived at 9.30 in the morning on Monday 15.10, hoping to catch the house empty. Despite their earlier promises, the police gave no prior warning of the eviction. In the house at the time were 12 people and a pet rabbit. All were detained by police and interrogated, even though there was no confrontation during the eviction.

In Finland squatting is illegal, there are no squatters' rights. The squatters are now without a space to call home, and are looking into possibly squatting some other space.

http://squat.net/valtaus/

[squat!net]

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