Up and down the country, RATs got busy making their dissent to the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill known. Banners were strung, posters pasted, fences breached, food served, buildings squatted and crowds demonstrated. From the borderlands of Carsile down to the Dorset coast, the message was clear; we will actively resist anti-trespass laws.
RAT’s open callout for autonomously led actions against the criminalisation of trespass got an amazing response from so many different groups and individuals.
The criminalisation of trespass is a direct attack on Traveller communities, already extremely marginalised in society. People demonstrated powerfully how the relate to their homes, communities and nature, and the questioning of what it means to own land and property. Squatters, protesters, rough sleepers, ramblers, wild campers and swimmers, Travellers and explorers: we will not be divided and we will resist this attack on our right to roam and reside!
One of the other parts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that is so alarming is the crackdown on non-violent protest deemed « disruptive ». The anti-trespass and anti-protest aspects are often discussed separately, with many not knowing they are actually part of the same bill. Our comrades in Bristol experienced first hand the connectedness when faced with police violence yesterday for occupying a green in solidarity with GRT communities. Look out for their statement on that soon.
But whilst we need to look after our comrades and stay alert to the threat of police violence, we hope you can also take inspiration from these other RA-T actions from yesterday. We can all be RA-Ts, organising autonomously and leaving our footprints behind. #RatAction#KillTheBill#FreedomToProtest
On the 9th of March, RA-T called for a day of action on the 23rd of March. Here is the announcement, and underneath the full description of the event.
Scrolling down, you’ll be able to read the whole story of the event. How it was created, how beautiful it was. How it was violently shut down by the police.
AFTER LOTS OF SUSPENSE AND PREPARATION
FLYER OF THE RA-T FREE PIZZA FOR TRESPASS PROJECT
THE RA-T FREE PIZZA FOR TRESPASS PROJECT opened !
🍕 TRESPASS FOR FREE PIZZA! 🍕
Resist Anti-Trespass (RA-T) has squatted an abandoned pizza restaurant and will be serving free pizza all day as part of an action to resist the authoritarian police bill that criminalizes trespass and protest!
Come down to Wardour St, W1F and show your support by trespassing for free pizza!
Trespass is about mutual aid, protest and survival. We will not be criminalized for existing!
Love, rage and pizza
Pizza RA-T 🍕🐀
HOW IT STARTED/ HOW IT ENDED.
STATEMENT OF THE RA-T PIZZA EVICTION:
On 23rd March, PizzaRat Project occupied former Vapiano restaurant on Wardour St, Soho, to share joy and free pizza with everyone. They’ve created a beautiful well looked after space in solidarity with anyone protesting PCSC (Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill), and to show what creative and positive action trespass can be.
From Day 1, they received threats from police and withstand several attempts of forced entry. On 25th March, under the pretext of fake gas leak, their space was besieged by police from midday till 8pm when the riot police violently entered their home, destroyed it with rage and brutally assaulted 4 people inside by throwing them on the ground, chocking and punching them unconscious.
After nearly 24 hours arrest they were released without bail or charges, pending ‘investigation’.
In the system that values profit over human life, RA-T stood up for reason, justice, joy and free food for all.
#RatAction #ResistingAntiTrespass #KillTheBill
CRIMINAL? 23rd of MARCH SHOEPRINTING ACTION ON LEICESTER SQUARE
CRIMINAL?
While being threatened with criminalization for protest and trespass, we protested by announcing our FREE PIZZA FOR TRESPASS project while walking with our RA-T stamps on a big banner.
Are you a criminal if you disagree with the government?
Are you a criminal if you can’t afford a house?
Are you a criminal if you have No Fixed Abode?
Are you a criminal for opening a free shop or a guest space in an abandoned building?
RA-T shoeprinting means trespassing on the fence of intolerance, fear of the other, and hate.
We’ll keep on trespassing and we’ll keep on protesting.
#RatAction #KillTheBill #FreedomToProtest
YOUR ACTIONS:
We are feeling so inspired by all the actions that took place up and down the UK yesterday, from Scotland to Devon, with a couple abroad too! We received pictures of banner drops, creative trespasses, occupations, postering, beautiful artwork, and big and small acts of protest.
The criminalisation of trespass is a direct attack on Traveller communities who are already extremely marginalised in society. We saw powerful shows of solidarity in the banners, protests and artwork appearing yesterday, and that gives us hope. We also saw beautiful demonstrations of how you relate to your homes, communities and nature, and the questioning of what it means to own land. Squatters, protesters, rough sleepers, ramblers, wild campers and swimmers, Travellers and explorers: we will not be divided and we will resist this attack on our right to roam and reside!
One of the other parts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that is so alarming is the crackdown on non-violent protest deemed « disruptive ». The anti-trespass and anti-protest aspects are often discussed separately, with many not knowing they are actually part of the same bill. Our comrades in Bristol experienced first hand the connectedness when faced with police violence yesterday for occupying a green in solidarity with GRT communities. Look out for their statement on that soon.
But whilst we need to look after our comrades and stay alert to the threat of police violence, we hope you can also take inspiration from these other RA-T actions from yesterday – check out our website (RA-T.org) in a couple of days to see a collation of the pictures we received! We can all be RA-Ts, organising autonomously and leaving our footprints behind.
#RatAction
#KillTheBill
#FreedomToProtest
RA-T 