How does squatting a building actually work? Teun: “You drive past a building and see it empty. You do that a few times, and you see that it remains empty. Then you can keep an eye on the entrances. There is also a lot of information online about the Zoning plans, building plans and demolition plans. You can also get an idea of who the owner is. In this way we conduct practical research, but also partly online research.”
The places that are squatted are diverse, says Teun. “It differs a lot, it depends on what you are looking for. The group at the water board is mainly looking for sites. In principle, they no longer squat buildings, because they all live in caravans and such.” House squatting is less common, according to Teun. “Usually these are companies that contain buildings, plots or sites. These are more like offices, industrial sites.”
Once the squatters are in a building, they often call the police themselves. “So that we are not helped by other people. And in that way we claim peace of mind. If the police recognize that, they are no longer allowed to enter just like that.” The owner of a building can then, as the water board has done, go to the police, talk to the squatters, and if the parties cannot reach an agreement, go to court.