Building of former music store Hampe squatted on the Spui
Spui 11 has been empty since the beginning of last year, after the famous music store Hampe there after 179 years the doors were closed. There are several banners hanging on the building with, among other things, ‘Right to life’. Images of the squatted building are shared by housing rights organization Bond Precaire Woonvorms (BPW) Amsterdam. In its own words, it stands for ‘a radical acceptance of the right of residence as a human right’.
“There is also vacancy at the Spui, and people are also using it at the Spui,” the association writes on social media. “Wet or no wet, squatting continues!” The organization also shares images from the building.
“There are a lot of homeless people and they need a house,” said one of the squatters at Spui 11. According to the squatter, they have been living there for a week, but they only announced this on Thursday. A piece of paper that is distributed at the building also contains part of their message. ‘As long as there is no alternative, we are forced to use these empty buildings.’
The police do not yet know whether a report will be filed against the squatters.
A building on the Vossiusstraat, a hotel on the Plantage Middenlaan and a dry cleaner on the Kinkerstraat: there is squatting again in Amsterdam. But who are these new squatters? What drives her? Listen to the episode of the podcast Amsterdam metropolis about the comeback of squatting here:
