Pass on petition to Stop Criminalisation of Squatting

[mark at tlio.org.uk]

Dear All,

Please please please sign this petition calling for the government to 
ditch their plans for the criminalisation of squatting. Please forward 
to your friends.  The objective is for this petition to be in 
38degrees' top-ten proposed petitions with fastest growing signatures 
which would qualify it to be taken up by 38 degrees to this own 
extensive mailing list.  

The petition against Forestry Commission privatisation reached over half a million and was instrumental in getting the government to back down, as was the case with the coalition's initial plans for the newest stage in NHS reforms.

Signing the petition wil take you less than a minute.  Please click on 
the following url and sign your name and email address (for some 
reason, you can click have 3 votes per person, so do so!)

http://38degrees.uservoice.com/forums/78585-campaign-suggestions/suggestions/2137333-resist-the-criminalisation-of-squatting?ref=title

The proposed legislation will have impacts on the most vulnerable 
people in society, will empower unscrupulous landlords and will burden 
the justice system, police and charities. This is about more than just 
squatting: this will exacerbate the current housing crisis, erode 
tenants rights, and remove a fundamental right to protest

The proposed laws could affect:
- Tenants accused by landlords of being squatters for being behind 
with rent
- Students and workers' occupations of workplaces
- Rights to protest and peacecamps, vigils ..etc
- Squatters, Gypsies, Travellers, the homeless, poor and vulnerable

The proposed legislation could change trespass from being a civil to a 
criminal offence, affecting our ancient landrights to settle in 
abandoned buildings.

  Let us not forget the UK's own rich history of squatting 
particularly straight after World War II. In response to the dire need 
for homes after the war including returned servicemen who found their 
families were homeless, mass squatting took place in former military 
accommodation as well as empty civilian buildings across the country.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=26554

  Regarding this recent attempt to 'criminalise squatting':
There has been a sophisticated campaign against squatting in the 
national media over the last 12 months being likely coordinated by a 
so-far unidentified PR Agency

The UK government has launched a consultation about these proposals to 
criminalise squatting. The deadline to respond to the government's 
consultation is 5th October.

The Squash campaign provides resources on these impacts to raise 
awareness on the matter. Visit: www.squashcampaign.org
Squash’s guidelines for responding to the consultation: 
http://www.squashcampaign.org/2011/08/squashs-guidelines-for-responding-to-the-consultation/
Respond to the Consultation here: 
http://www.squashcampaign.org/resources/respond-to-the-consultation/

Advisory Service for Squatters response to the consultation:
http://www.squashcampaign.org/2011/08/advisory-service-for-squatters-response-to-the-consultation/



See this video of the action against the proposed criminalisation of 
squatting outside the front of Justice Secretary of State Ken Clarke's 
London home last week:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/video/2011/sep/15/squatters-ken-clarke-roof-video
Activists from Squatters Housing Action Group served a mock six-month 
eviction notice on the Secreatary of State's house (around the corner 
from Parliament) and unfurled banners with slogans such as "Housing is 
a Human right" whilst perched on the roof of his porch.





www.squattershousingactiongroup.wordpress.com
www.squashcampaign.org
www.squattastic.blogspot.com
www.housolidarity.wordpress.com