Point Break: solidarity from Berlin to Rome

Solidarity statement from Berlin after the eviction of Point Break. “We share the anger of our friends and comrades in Rome and send our support and solidarity to the Point Break and the struggle for a city of solidarity!”

In turbulent times, we write these lines with rage and solidarity. Summer is here. But instead of some rest from the madness of everyday life, we get more authoritarianism and more austerity. After last year‘s crushing of the Greek OXI, this summer our comrades and refugees in Rome and Thessaloniki are being evicted violently from their homes. To us, the Point Break in Rome and the Nikis in Thessaloniki have repeatedly offered shelter in these times of struggle and crisis. Moreover these places are fascinating and real common spaces in the struggle against austerity.

Since this spring many people are protesting with the slogan “Decide Roma – Rome is not for sale – Rome decides” to save self-managed social infrastructure. One day after a meeting of the Decide Roma alliance with the city council, the newly elected government of Rome led by Virginia Raggi (MoVimento 5 Stelle) has evicted Point Break on July 21, 2016. Since 2009, Point Break has provided housing and welfare to students, precarious workers and activists. We ourselves have repeatedly crossed Point Break and have been part of its collective experience and knowledge in one way or other.

Self-managed spaces such as Point Break are places of collective resistance against the increasingly authoritarian policies of austerity. In times where social security is vanishing, they provide spaces of self-managed solidarity and welfare. This is especially important in times when precarious workers and students are under heavy attack by the austerity measures of the Renzi government. Not only in Rome but everywhere we experience the destruction of the social through evictions, the commodification of housing and the whole city and last but not least attacks against leftist structures of solidarity and self-management.

But there will be no solution to this crisis but one directed at the commons without borders. No attack and no eviction will break our claim to and desire for our common future! We share the anger of our friends and comrades in Rome and send our support and solidarity to the Point Break and the struggle for a city of solidarity!

Interventionist Left – Berlin, August 2016