Police in Amsterdam will evict squatters from around 200 squats in the city. Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan told a press conference on Monday that action will be taken in connection with a ban on squatting, which is due to come into force on Friday.
Amsterdam has an estimated 200-300 squats. Around 200 squats will be cleared after 1 October. The city's police does not have the capacity to clear all the buildings in one go, so squats will be prioritised.
Depending on their priority, buildings will be cleared by the police during rounds of raids or when police have capacity.
Since the 1970s, squatters in the Netherlands have had the right to occupy buildings that have been left empty for over 12 months. During the heyday of the Dutch squatter's movement, there were around 20,000 squatters, now there are 1,500. Last weekend, 300 squatters camped in the city centre to demonstrate against the measure.
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
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