Lousy Badger Media presents The Cornerhouse Eviction.
In the early hours of Sunday morning Greater Manchester Police closed off Oxford Road Train Station approach as UK Evict used ladders to gain entry to the 6 month occupation of the old Cornerhouse Cinema. The squat had been home for a number of people throughout this period, it held the Loose Space creative arts festival with hundreds of people coming into the 2 year abandoned building. Following this Manchester Activist Network fought off an eviction back in April, and since had been able to open the space up to people who were previously rough sleepers or who had just become homeless and had no where else to go.
We interviewed a number of people who experienced the eviction, with live footage from inside the building itself. Many people have been involved in this space, the empty building that became a home for the community, a sanctury for some of the most vulnerable. Whilst residents are always aware that eviction could happen at any time, Manchester Activist Network had been waiting for the end of the councillor summer break in order to begin building their relationship with Andy Burnham and his leads on Homeless Action Network, consisting of Beth Knowles and Ivan Lewis MP.
They had hoped that any eviction would have been posponed, as requested, until the meeting with all of the relevant parties had taken place, which looked likely to have been within the next four weeks. However the action on Sunday clearly shows that this was not the case and that seeminlgy Manchester politicians are prepared to say one thing, yet allow another to happen on their watch, much in the vein of the actions of one Sir Richard Leese, whilst head of the Labour Council. The building now remains empty until demoliton in 2019, and the jury is out on whether or not our new GM Mayor has the power or strength of conviction to make real change on this ever expanding issue.
@LousyBadgerMedia
@MancActivists
@LooseSpace
#ResistAllEvictions
#HousingIsAHumanRight
#SquatTheLotMCR