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press-statement Westeinde 18 Amsterdam
Persgroep Hoofdstedelijk Kraaknieuws - 15.01.2002 20:43

Press statement in English about thug attack on newly squatted brothel. Includes short background profile of the owner.

*** Persbericht *** Amsterdam, 15/01/2002


WALLEN PENOSE VALT VERSGEKRAAKT BORDEEL AAN



Zondag jongstleden werd in Amsterdam het perceel Westeinde 18 gekraakt. Dit buiten gebruik zijnde bordeel, vroeger gefrequenteerd door Herman Brood, stond al jaren op het verlanglijstje van de Amsterdamse kraakbeweging.
Eigenaar J.W. Olyslagers uit Badhoevedorp was het er klaarblijkelijk niet mee eens: nog dezelfde avond stond er een knokploeg op de stoep, bestaande uit 15 bekende penose koppen uit de Amsterdamse Wallen-onderwereld.
Na enige schermutselingen en de nodige pepperspray van toegesnelde agenten werd het pand behouden voor de krakers. Twee knokploegleden werden ingerekend. Zoals de woordvoerder van de politie ter plaatse zei: "dames en heren van de kraakbeweging, het pand is weer van jullie." Deze meer-dan-bereidwilligheid van politiezijde verbaast de krakers nogal: gewoonlijk worden "conflicten" tussen eigenaar en krakers door de Politie "opgelost" door het perceel te ontruimen. Wellicht hebben Politie en Justitie er hier belang bij dat het pand gekraakt blijft.

Criminele eigenaar.
Onderzoek door krakers naar de achtergronden van het knokploegoptreden brachten aan het licht dat het hier wel om een heel onfrisse bende gaat: zelfs onder criminelen vindt men het betreffende clubje gevaarlijke gekken, die conflicten het liefst oplossen met ingehuurde moordenaars uit het voormalig Oostblok.
Daags na het knokploegoptreden stond de heer Olyslagers zelf voor de deur; hij beweerde onder andere dat hij het pand "enkele weken geleden" aan nou net die lui van die knokploeg had verkocht, zelf vanwege de kraak te zijn teruggekomen uit Spanje en dat hij bang was nu naar zijn geld te kunnen fluiten.
Hij beweerde dat de krakers de transactie, die afgelopen vrijdag afgerond had moeten zijn, hadden gedwarsboomd. Wonderlijk, aangezien het pand pas zondag gekraakt is. Naar mening van de bezetters heeft de heer Olyslager ook nog eens boter op zijn hoofd, vooral omdat zijn vrouw bij de knokploeg aanwezig was. Een kat in het nauw maakt blijkbaar vreemde sprongen.
Vanwege de vermoede "heftigheidsgraad" van de betrokken penose hebben de krakers het zekere voor het onzekere genomen, en het pand dezelfde avond nog tot en met het dak dichtgebarrikadeerd.

Inzet van de kraak.
Het doel van de krakers is het pand weer zijn woonbestemming terug te geven. Van de Gemeente -verantwoordelijk voor het Bordeelbeleid én het Woningbeleid- wordt verwacht dat zij door onteigening en/of vordering het pand uit handen van de criminele eigenaars trekt.
***Press-statement*** Amsterdam, 15/01/02



Red-light district Maffia attacks Squatters

Last Sunday, 13/01, The house Westeinde 18 in Amsterdam was squatted. This former brothel had been on the Amsterdam squat movement "most wanted" list for years.
The owner, J.W. Olyslagers from the village of Badhoevedorp did not agree with the action: the very same night he sent over a group of thugs, 15 guys which were identified as Red Light District Maffia.
After a short skirmish and a dose of pepperspray, generously administered by the speedily arriving police, the building was saved for the squatters. The police spokesman put it this way: "Ladies and Gentlemen of the squat movement, the building is yours again." This absurdly friendly attitude by the police is a bit unnerving for the squatters: usually the police "solves" these kind of situations by evicting the squat. Perhaps the police and public prosecutor have a keen interest in our presence in the building.

Criminal Owner.
Research by squatters into the backgrounds of the thug-attack showed that this is a very unfriendly group: even other maffia groups describe them as "a bunch of dangerous wingnuts, that likes solving problems with hired hitmen."
One day after the squat action the owner himself was outside the building; he -very kindly- stated that het had sold the building to the thugs a couple of weeks ago, and that he had returned from his holidays in Spain because of the squat action, and that he was afraid to not get his money now.
He also stated that the sale of the house should have been finished last Friday, but bounced because the building was squatted. This is weird, because the building was squatted two days after Friday. The people now occupying the building are of the opinion that Mr. Olyslagers is responsible, especially because his wife (and business partner) was present at the attack.
Because of the "heaviness" of thew maffia-thugs, the squatters decided not to take any risks, and barricaded the place up completely.

The goals of the squat.
The goal of the squatters is to make the building fir for housing again. They demand of the Amsterdam City Council that it will disown the building, taking it out of the hands of criminals.
Empty brothels should be changed into housing, just like other empty properties. If, on top of that, the house is in the hands of criminals, the City Council has no more grounds not to take action.

The former use.
One can say that the brothel was closed when prostitution became legal in Holland. Apparently, things were going on in there that could not stand the sunlight. Even before then, it had been operated at a very slow pace: it opened up "only by appointment."
The squatters suspect that the last few years it was being used as a storefront operation to launder money made in other kinds of deals.

End of press statement.

A couple of short notes to clarify some things:
1. Squatting is still legal in Holland. Therefore, after a building is squatted, the police do not have many legal rights to kick squatters out. They often try fabricating reasons, and had ample opportunity here, but did not. Apparently they hate the owner even more than they hate squatters.
2. Imagine a cheesy brothel from an eighties "cops and crooks" movie. Now add a jacuzzi in every room, frescos of nudes all over the place, mirrors on every wall, enourmous (6 person) beds, wall to wall carpet matching the rest of the colours in the rooms, a completely stocked-yet-undrinkable bar (everything watered down) and a great view of the Dutch National Bank across the street. A street now brightly lit up by the floodlight used by the squatters to identify anyone trying to get in. Pictures of both the squat and the thugs should appear shortly. For a picture of the squatting taking place, please visit  http://squat.net


 

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