Failed asylum seekers try to take over more Amsterdam buildings

We Are Here, a group of failed asylum seekers in Amsterdam, tried and failed to take over more two buildings belonging to housing corporation Ymere on Monday. These homes are located on Stephensonstraat in Amsterdam Oost, Het Parool reports.

Employees from Ymere were installing locks on the homes to prepare them for being rented when We Are Here showed up, Ymere spokesperson Coen Springelkamp said to the newspaper. The lease contract for both homes have already been signed, Springelkamp said. "The future residents are already packing their stuff."

One of the failed asylum seekers denied this to the newspaper. According to him, members of We Are Here were already squatting in the homes.

A quarrel arose between two Ymere employees and members of We Are Here. It escalated to the point where the police were called in. Officers responded to the scene, but did not intervene, a police spokesperson said to Het Parool. They only guaranteed safety, the spokesperson said.

The Public Prosecutor decided that Ymere is entitled to the two homes, because the failed asylum seekers have no so-called housing right to these homes. That would have been the case if We Are Here could prove that they had already inhabited the buildings.

"The homes are Ymere's and will remain Ymere's", Springelkamp said to Het Parool. "The situation is worrying. We reported it to the Public Prosecutor and the municipality. Our colleagues can no longer do their jobs. It is up to the politicians to solve the situation around this group."

Last week We Are Here squatted a dozen Ymere buildings on Rudolf Dieselstraat. The Public Prosecutor gave them eight weeks to vacate the buildings. According to the Prosecutor, there is insufficient grounds to order an immediate eviction.