The Hackney Social Centre was evicted May 16, 2008, after two unsuccessful eviction attempts in April. Many of the people living at the Social Centre have returned to their countries, and many are still in London, involved in different projects. The Social Centre was a brief but valuable experiment in active resistance and active defense of a large autonomous space in Hackney.

The Hackney space has a little bit of money left from the vegan cafes and from donations from the different groups that hosted events in the building. All of this money is going to fund direct action activies in London and abroad. Last month, £300 was given to comrades in Vancouver, organizing militant direct action resistance to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. In Hackney, squats and low-income housing are directly threatened by the Olympic re-development plans. The militancy of the Canadian activists is....inspirational.
URGENT UPDATE! The Hackney Social Centre is still under **THREAT OF EVICTION!** In March, the building's owners were given a Warrant of Possession by the courts. The Social Centre's scheduled eviction was successfully resisted on Monday 21 April by over 60 people - both inside and outside the building. Bailiffs are now expected to return to the building at any time.

Sunday 24 February 2008

Creative happenings at the social centre



Hey all! This week's bursting with creativity at the Social Centre! This Monday (as every week) we have a Grafitti workshop from 7pm-9pm (bring paint, brushes, cardboard, tape, any tools and supplies and ideas you have! we have some things ready for you, but the more the better!) - any ways of visual expression within our space welcome.

Then on Tuesday there's a Benefit dinner and Jam Session for Titnore Woods (the protest camp near Brighton which had its solar panels stolen last week!)
and (weekly) language lessons (if You want to share some language skills or learn a language - even have a taste of it - come). This week we have Spanish (ab. 6 pm), English (6.30), Hungarian and Gaelic (between 7 and 8), including Polish (or Slavic) trad. cooking lesson (3.30-6 pm).

Wednesday we have 'to do' day when everyone who wants to help out with day to day jobs in the social centre can come and ...do that (in cheerful, communal way) - 2-6 pm ('to do' contact # 077 689 111 67).


Friday follows with TONGUES ON FIRE!:

- SkipMistress Cafe
invites - if you want to be a part of it (make Your own delicious food or just help out) give a shout (# 077 689 111 67)
/it is donations based cafe and all the proceedings go usually for the Soc. Cntr. maintenance/

- and Open Mic night (bring poetry! instruments! friends!). That night we'll also open our Photoexhibition of International Squats! (bring your own). Everyday this week we'll be collecting photos for the exhibition - bring your pictures of squats new and old, from far and wide, anyday from 5pm-9pm. All photos will be included and on display in the cafe!

Finally, Saturday we'll be gathering for a 24 hour playwriting festival! The theme is RESISTANCE! and in a 24-hr play/song/poem-writing marathon we'll compile a series of one-act plays, ballads, poems, etc. into a zine and get ready to perform them at a later date (TBA).

Monday 18 February 2008

Calendar of Events

wednesday 20
5pm-7pm: Free School

Practical Electricty! - bring papers and pens
7pm-9pm: Scenes of Resistance (Movie Night)
Battle of Algiers + discussion about strategies of resistance

friday 22
7:30pm-midnight: TONGUES ON FIRE!
Cafe and Open Mic - Music, Poetry! All are welcome! Bring friends, writing, instruments!

monday 25
5pm-7pm: Activist Self-Defense
7pm-9pm: Graffiti Workshop

tuesday 26
5pm-9pm Benefit Dinner and Jam Session!
Benefit for Titinore Woods protest site

wednesday 27
2pm-6pm: "To Do" Day - Come help fix up your social centre! Learn handy plumbing, electricity, and other skills while helping repair and maintain London's newest autonomous zone!
7pm-9pm: Free School

friday 29
7:30pm-midnight: TONGUES ON FIRE!
Cafe and Open Mic - Music, Poetry! All are welcome! Bring friends, writing, instruments!
Opening of Photoexhibition of International Squats!

saturday march 1st
11am - 24 hour Playwriting Festival!
Calling all artists, writers, actors! In 24hours we'll get together and produce as many one-act plays as possible, around the theme of "resistance" - completed plays will be printed together in a zine and performed Thursday March 6th!

sunday march 9th
DIY Feminist Meeting (tentative - check back later)

Saturday 16 February 2008

Hackney Social Centre Opens!




After three weeks of resisting illegal forcible evictions, the Hackney Social Centre opened last night for an evening of food, music, films - including one, Trainsquatting, about squatters and resistance to evictions in Slovenia.


The social centre grew out of meetings through the Northeast Squatters Network, which seeks to strengthen solidarity and skill-sharing locally between the squats in north-east London. It is a non-commercial social space and plans to be home to activities such as free language lessons, a donations-only cafe, a free shop, meetings of local groups, skill-share sessions and a bike workshop.


General Meetings for the social centre are open to the public, and begin this Sunday, February 17th, at 3pm. Anyone interested in getting involved, or learning more, is welcome. The social centre is located at 231 Lower Clapton Road, in Hackney. Some photos (courtesy of Endo) are included above.

Tuesday 12 February 2008

!! OPENING !! (finally...!!)

After weeks of resisting forcible evictions we're ready to open!
Come by for a potluck dinner + movie + music. FREE!
Come support the city's newest social centre and the future of autonomous spaces in London!

FEBRUARY 14th
6pm - midnight
231 Lower Clapton Road, Hackney (go around the back and ring the bell!)
(at the last stop of the 38 bus route)

FREE! (bring extra skipped food, music, friends)

Friday 1 February 2008

Upcoming Events

Saturday 2nd February at 2pm
London Social Centre meeting

Sunday 3rd February at 6.30pm
North East Network meeting