Vrijplaats Koppenhinksteeg

Vrijplaats Koppenhinksteeg (Freespace on Koppenhinksteeg street) was a complex of buildings first squatted in 1968 in Leiden, the Netherlands. It took its name from the alley on which it was located and was run since the 1990s by the Vrijplaats Koppenhinksteeg Foundation. Various groups including Eurodusnie used the different spaces as a bar, café, a freeshop, a foundation to support undocumented migrants, an information centre, a library and a sports club. In 2010, the entire complex was evicted. From 2012 onwards a new space called the Vrijplaats Leiden (Freespace Leiden) was set up elsewhere.

Vrijplaats Koppenhinksteeg
Vrijplaats seen from Hooglandse Kerkgracht
SuccessorVrijplaats Leiden
Formation1968
Dissolved2010
Coordinates52.158653°N 4.497347°E / 52.158653; 4.497347
ServicesActivity centre, bar, bookshop, café, freeshop, printers, sports school
Websiteweb.archive.org/web/20090415161121/http://koppenhinksteeg.nl/

Occupation

The buildings which comprised the former Eduard IJdo printers complex were squatted in 1968.[1] Initially spaces were used by a feminist printer, a leftwing bookshop and different activist groups.[2]

Projects in 1990s
  • Bar en Boos (Horrible and Angry) - a bar.[1][3] When it opened in 1993, the Leidsche Dagblad newspaper described it as "an angry squatters bar full of PLO scarves."[4]
  • Linkse Kerk (Las Vegas) - a café and activity centre.[1]
  • Free shop.[1]
  • Hong Ying Centre - a sports school.[5]
  • De Fabel van de illegaal - a foundation working with undocumented migrants.[1]
  • Library - with texts about antifascism, the environment, feminism and the Developing World.[1]
  • Marinus van der Lubbe room - used by groups such as a women's choir, a Syrian group and local artists[1]
  • 'Dusnieuws' - a monthly political zine.[3]
  • 'Koekoeroe Reedio' - a radio station.[3]
  • Organic chaos productions - an activist video distribution network[3]

2006 problems

In 2006, the cafe project Linkse Kerk was shut down by police when it re-opened after refurbishments. The police stated it did not have the correct permits and did not meet fire regulations. Five people were arrested and quickly released.[6][7]

Eviction

Up until July 2008, the council was willing to legalize the centre. The plan was to transfer ownership to the housing association Ons Doel for 1 euro and then to renovate. When the council became more rightwing after elections, the building was sold to a property developer instead.[1] The entire freespace was then evicted in 2010. There was an urgent appeal against the decision to evict but it was unsuccessful.[8]

New building

The Vrijplaats Koppenhinksteeg Foundation purchased a monumental building at 36 Middelstegracht in 2012. When the renovations had been carried out, the intention was to house all the groups from the previous location still needing a space.[9] This was after negotiations for a different building on the Vrouwekerkplein had fallen through.[10]

See also

References
  1. Reijn, Gerard; Sahadat, Ianthe (8 January 2010). "Voor anarchisten en een enkele bal" (in Dutch). de Volkskrant. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  2. Redactie (2009). Witboek Kraken (in Dutch). Amsterdam: Papieren Tiger. p. 79. ISBN 9789067282284.
  3. Poldervaart, Saskia (2001). "Utopian Aspects of Social Movements in Postmodern Times: Some Examples of DIY Politics in the Netherlands". Utopian Studies. 12 (2): 143–163. JSTOR 20718321.
  4. Heerlien, Laura (24 May 2018). "Bar en Boos blikt terug". Leidsch Dagblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  5. Vervoort, D.A. (18 October 2003). "Eigendomsrecht niet in gevaar door kraken" (in Dutch). de Volkskrant. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  6. "Politie sluit cafe Eurodusnie". Omroep West (in Dutch). 25 September 2006. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  7. ANP (23 September 2006). "Arrestaties bij ontruiming kraakpand Leiden" (in Dutch). de Volkskrant. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  8. "Leids kraakpand wordt ontruimd" (in Dutch). de Volkskrant. 19 February 2010. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  9. "Van fabriekspand tot vrijplaats". Vrijplaats Leiden (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  10. "Vrijplaats Koppenhink krijgt nieuw thuis". Leidsch Dagblad (in Dutch). 26 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
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