A new initiative called Housing for All (Bydlení pro všechny) has arisen in response to the ongoing scandal in the Czech town of Ústí nad Labem, where people where evicted from a building that was unfit for human habitation because the owner let it deteriorate and are now unable to find any normal, permanent housing. Starting at 14:00 CET today a protest action took place in front of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in Prague. News server Romea.cz followed the demonstration on-line in real time.
On-line broadcast
16:25 – The demonstration is over and people are dispersing. Thank you for your attention, we are ending our on-line broadcast. You can read a summary article at http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-police-arrest-12-after-demo-against-evictions .
16:23 – According to a police spokesperson, several persons have been detained to give statements. They will be released and everything will then be handed over to Prague City Hall for administrative proceedings.
16:16 – Police officers have arrested a girl who tried to prevent the police vehicles from leaving the scene. Riot officers are entering the vans and preparing to transport the detainees away.
16:12 – There are more than 50 demonstrators in front of the MPSV building. More vans with riot police in them are arriving. People are whistling and shouting "Fuj!" ("Yuck!").
16:11 – About seven activists have been arrested and are now in a police vehicle.
16:04 – The activists arrested by police are now reportedly in a garage of the MPSV building.
15:44 – The demonstrators dispersed in a disciplined fashion when a civilian automobile wanted to drive down the street in front of the MPSV.
15:42 – The demonstrators have blocked the street and police cars are unable to leave the building. Two of the police cars have returned to the side entrance of the MPSV building.
15:39 – Another police car, a so-called "Black Mary", has driven up to the side entrance.
15:36 – Two police vans have driven up to the side entrance of the MPSV building. A third is driving up to the front of the building.
15:24 – Activists on the first floor have started chanting "You don’t scare us" ("My se vás nebojíme"). Demonstrators at the building entrance have started laughing and shouting "Amnesty, amnesty".
15:03 – Riot police have taken away seven or eight activists who broke through into the building interior on the first floor. However, in the meantime, about 20 more people made it past the barriers at the ministry entrance and shouted chants at the intervening police officers. The other demonstrators are remaining in the part of the building that is open to the public. Officers in normal uniforms are intervening in addition to the riot police.
14:51 – Several dozen people have forced their way into the vestibule of the MPSV building loudly chanting "Housing for All" ("Bydlení pro všechny") and whistling at the riot police.
14:48 – About seven riot police have turned up at the ministry and are entering the MPSV building.
14:46 – Táňa Fischerová has addressed the crowd in front of the ministry, pointing out that the state, the landlords and the town are all to blame for this dismal situation. She also criticized badly written laws in the social arena.
14:42 – There are now about 150 people in front of the MPSV building. Seven or eight activists remain inside the building. For the time being it is not possible to determine what is going on inside.
14:33 – About seven or eight activists have occupied the MPSV building. They jumped over the barriers at the entrance and are now in the hallways of the ministry, where they are loudly chanting.
14:31 – The activists have delivered their letter to Deputy Minister David Kafka.
14:28 – Deputy Labor and Social Affairs Minister David Kafka has spoken to the demonstrators. He warned them that the MPSV is not in charge of social housing, but the Regional Development Ministry is. People reportedly should not write to the MPSV, but should primarily communicate with the town about this issue.
14:25 – Markus Pape has given a speech pointing out that on Přednádraží street in Ostrava this past weekend the electricity and water services were cut off to families living there. However, in his view, this is not just a problem of localities like Předlice or Přednádraží. He warned that once again, the current government is not addressing social housing for the poorest of the poor.
14:20 – Anna Šabatová has given a speech criticizing the lack of social housing in the Czech Republic.
14:15 – Former presidential candidate Táňa Fischerová has arrived at the scene, as have Markus Pape and Mikuláš Vymětal.
14:03 – For the time being there are about 50 people in front of the MPSV in Prague. Our reporter sees Czech Helsinki Committee chair Anna Šabatová, Ondřej Slačálek, Jožka Miker from Krupka, and Romani residents from the residential hotel in Ústí nad Labem. Several anti-fascists are also present.
