Dutch authorities ignored a UN ruling protecting the social centre today to brutally clear the area with riot police, private security and heavy machinery. Photojournalist Dave Beech was at the eviction and reported to Freedom that the “situation as I know it is the site has now been cleared … they came in fast and early and got on with it. I’ve been told to leave and suffer arrest if I return to site.” The residents have pledged to go to court tomorrow to press for the government to respect the UN’s request that eviction be halted for at least two months while further investigations are undertaken. ADM organisers said today:

It was always inappropriate to start this evacuation, which seems to make the judgement of the UN pointless … there’s a court case tomorrow at 11am about the government’s obligation to respect the interim measure. 

The judge said that the lawyers had to take care of that. The municipal lawyers have refused to comply with that by which the municipality is guilty of improper administration. We are dealing with the human rights of a 21-year-old, close community of 130 adults and children. For more background on the ADM case, check out our previous reporting here.

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Pics courtesy of Outer Site Pictures