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rampART was a squatted social centre in the Whitechapel area of east London. It was established in a derelict building in Rampart Street which was previously used as an Islamic school for girls. The centre operated as a private members club providing a space for a wide range of groups to carry out their activities. It was managed by volunteers without any funding and with a strong emphasis on consensus decision making and DIY culture.

The centre was variously known as rampART Social Centre, rampART creative centre and social space, or more commonly as rampART.

The centre lost a court case brought by the owner and awaited eviction from 3 January 2008. It was finally evicted on 15 October 2009.^[1]

Developments at rampART

At the 2009 G-20 London summit protests police raided squats occupied by protesters including the one on Rampart Street where the police believed people involved in violent disorder were staying. There was around 20 people in it. Four from Rampart were arrested on 2 April 2009.^[2]

On 15 October 2009 rampART was evicted.^[1] Rampart reported on its own Wordpress social media blog page that 45 police officers, several bailiffs and a priest were present, and a chainsaw was used to enter the building and climbers also used the roof as a means of access.^[3]

Background

rampART was opened in 2004.^[1] and was located at 15 to 17 Rampart Street, London E1 2LA. The project was initiated by a mixture of artists, community groups and political activists. Within the first year, the building had hosted over 100 cultural and political events.

The centre was run by an open collective as an autonomous space. It was open to all on the basis of equality for all. Projects were run on an entirely voluntary basis by the people involved. They were not charity workers or social workers. The projects were run in the spirit of co-operation, solidarity and mutual aid. It was not a commercial enterprise run for profit—instead it was funded day-to-day by donations given by users, or by raising funds through benefit events such as gigs, cafés or film nights.^[4]

Gatherings

During the Hugo Chávez referendum there was a week-long ‘Venezuela Solidarity’ event.^[5]
During the European Social Forum rampART accommodated over 50 European visitors as well as laying on free food and a range of entertainment.^[6]
No Border network presented an exhibition in 2009 by French photographer Julie Rebouillat about migrants sleeping rough in Calais.^[7]
WANC (Women's Anarchic Nuisance Café) took place on a monthly basis.^[8]
A talk by indigenous Mexican activists on behalf of peasant farmers.^[9]

Sources

"ESF radio from rampart" written 14 October 2004, retrieved 7 June 2006.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Social centre squatters finally evicted after five year battle". East London advertiser. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
^ Topping, Alexandra; Sturcke, James; Weaver, Matthew (2 April 2009). "G20 summit and protests: live blog". Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
^ Rampart Eviction – The Priest and the Chainsaw | rampART Archived 12 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
^ Conlin, P (2014). "Neoliberalism out of joint: Activists and inactivists in London's social centres". Subjectivity. 7 (3): 270–287. doi:10.1057/sub.2014.8.
^ "Week of Solidarity". The New Agenda. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
^ Papadimitriou, Tasos; Saunders, Clare; Rootes, Christopher (2007). "Democracy and the London European Social Forum" (PDF). ECPR. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
^ "Calais Photo Exhibition at G20 Infocafe, Rampart Social Centre". London No Borders. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
^ Finchett-Maddock, Lucy (2008). "An Anarchist's Wetherspoons 1 or Virtuous Resistance? Social Centres as MacIntyre's Vision of Practice-based Communities". Philosophy of Management. 7 (1).
^ "SchNEWS in brief". SchNEWS. 18 February 2005. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

External links

51°30′51″N 0°03′40″W / 51.5141°N 0.0611°W / 51.5141; -0.0611

[:0-1] "Social centre squatters finally evicted after five year battle". East London advertiser. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

[2] Topping, Alexandra; Sturcke, James; Weaver, Matthew (2 April 2009). "G20 summit and protests: live blog". Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

[3] Rampart Eviction – The Priest and the Chainsaw | rampART Archived 12 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine

[Conlin-4] Conlin, P (2014). "Neoliberalism out of joint: Activists and inactivists in London's social centres". Subjectivity. 7 (3): 270–287. doi:10.1057/sub.2014.8.

[5] "Week of Solidarity". The New Agenda. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

[6] Papadimitriou, Tasos; Saunders, Clare; Rootes, Christopher (2007). "Democracy and the London European Social Forum" (PDF). ECPR. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

[7] "Calais Photo Exhibition at G20 Infocafe, Rampart Social Centre". London No Borders. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

[Wetherspoon-8] Finchett-Maddock, Lucy (2008). "An Anarchist's Wetherspoons 1 or Virtuous Resistance? Social Centres as MacIntyre's Vision of Practice-based Communities". Philosophy of Management. 7 (1).

[9] "SchNEWS in brief". SchNEWS. 18 February 2005. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.

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@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 The centre was variously known as '''rampART Social Centre,''' '''rampART creative centre and social space,''' or more commonly as '''rampART.'''
-The centre lost a court case brought by the owner and awaited [[eviction]] from 3 January 2008. It was finally evicted on 15 October 2009.<ref>[http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388580.html UK Indymedia - rampART on the defensive] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516232826/http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388580.html |date=16 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Social centre squatters finally evicted after five year battle |url=https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/social-centre-sqatters-finally-evicted-aftre-five-year-battle-1-669807 |accessdate=2 May 2019 |work=East London advertiser |date=19 October 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502182004/https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/social-centre-sqatters-finally-evicted-aftre-five-year-battle-1-669807 |archivedate=2 May 2019}}</ref>
+The centre lost a court case brought by the owner and awaited [[eviction]] from 3 January 2008. It was finally evicted on 15 October 2009.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Social centre squatters finally evicted after five year battle |url=https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/social-centre-sqatters-finally-evicted-aftre-five-year-battle-1-669807 |accessdate=2 May 2019 |work=East London advertiser |date=19 October 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502182004/https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/social-centre-sqatters-finally-evicted-aftre-five-year-battle-1-669807 |archivedate=2 May 2019}}</ref>
 ==Developments at rampART==
 At the [[2009 G-20 London summit protests]]  police raided squats occupied by protesters including the one on Rampart Street where the police believed people involved in violent disorder were staying. There was around 20 people in it. Four from Rampart were arrested on 2 April 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Topping |first1=Alexandra |last2=Sturcke |first2=James |last3=Weaver |first3=Matthew |title=G20 summit and protests: live blog |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2009/apr/02/g20-summit-liveblog |accessdate=2 May 2019 |work=Guardian |date=2 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428191258/https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2009/apr/02/g20-summit-liveblog |archive-date=28 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-On 15 October 2009 rampART was evicted.<ref>{{cite news |title=Social centre squatters finally evicted after five year battle |url=https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/social-centre-sqatters-finally-evicted-aftre-five-year-battle-1-669807 |accessdate=2 May 2019 |work=East London advertiser |date=19 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502182004/https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/social-centre-sqatters-finally-evicted-aftre-five-year-battle-1-669807 |archive-date=2 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rampart reported on its own Wordpress social media blog page that 45 police officers, several bailiffs and a priest were present, and a chainsaw was used to enter the building and climbers also used the roof as a means of access.<ref>[http://therampart.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/rampart-eviction-the-priest-and-the-chainsaw/ Rampart Eviction – The Priest and the Chainsaw &#124; rampART] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112134021/http://therampart.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/rampart-eviction-the-priest-and-the-chainsaw/ |date=12 November 2012 }}</ref>
+On 15 October 2009 rampART was evicted.<ref name=":0" /> Rampart reported on its own Wordpress social media blog page that 45 police officers, several bailiffs and a priest were present, and a chainsaw was used to enter the building and climbers also used the roof as a means of access.<ref>[http://therampart.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/rampart-eviction-the-priest-and-the-chainsaw/ Rampart Eviction – The Priest and the Chainsaw &#124; rampART] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112134021/http://therampart.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/rampart-eviction-the-priest-and-the-chainsaw/ |date=12 November 2012 }}</ref>
 ==Background==
-rampART was opened in May 2004 and was located at 15 to 17 Rampart Street, London E1 2LA. The project was initiated by a mixture of [[artists]], community groups and political [[activists]]. Within the first year, the building had hosted over 100 cultural and political events.
+rampART was opened in  2004.<ref name=":0" /> and was located at 15 to 17 Rampart Street, London E1 2LA. The project was initiated by a mixture of [[artists]], community groups and political [[activists]]. Within the first year, the building had hosted over 100 cultural and political events.
 The centre was run by an open collective as an [[autonomous space]]. It was open to all on the basis of [[egalitarianism|equality]] for all. Projects were run on an entirely [[wikt:voluntary|voluntary]] basis by the people involved. They were not [[Charitable organization|charity]] workers or [[social workers]]. The projects were run in the spirit of [[co-operation]], [[wikt:solidarity|solidarity]] and mutual aid. It was not a commercial enterprise run for [[Profit (economics)|profit]]—instead it was funded day-to-day by donations given by users, or by raising funds through benefit events such as gigs, cafés or film nights.<ref name="Conlin">{{cite journal |last1=Conlin |first1=P |title=Neoliberalism out of joint: Activists and inactivists in London’s social centres |journal=Subjectivity |date=2014 |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=270-287 |doi=10.1057/sub.2014.8}}</ref>
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ===Gatherings===
 * During the [[Hugo Chávez]] [[referendum]] there was a week-long ‘Venezuela Solidarity’ event.<ref>{{cite web |title=Week of Solidarity |url=http://www.thenewagenda.org/venezuela/weekofsolidarity/index.html |website=The New Agenda |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803191950/http://www.thenewagenda.org/venezuela/weekofsolidarity/index.html |archive-date=3 August 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-* During the [[European Social Forum]] rampART accommodated over 50 European visitors as well as laying on free food and a range of entertainment.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Papadimitriou |first1=Tasos |last2=Saunders |first2=Clare |last3=Rootes |first3=Christopher |title=Democracy and the London European Social Forum |journal=ECPR |date=2007 |url=https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/5595a8bb-a38d-471d-953a-f2de088b05df.pdf |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502222741/https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/5595a8bb-a38d-471d-953a-f2de088b05df.pdf |archive-date=2 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, as one of the European Social Forum autonomous spaces, rampART hosted the Home Education Forum and acted as homebase for the [[European Creative Forum]] and the Laboratory of Insurrectional Imagination.<ref>{{cite web |title=European Social Forum , London 2004 |url=http://www.labofii.net/experiments/esf/ |website=Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220222247/http://labofii.net/experiments/esf/ |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
+* During the [[European Social Forum]] rampART accommodated over 50 European visitors as well as laying on free food and a range of entertainment.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Papadimitriou |first1=Tasos |last2=Saunders |first2=Clare |last3=Rootes |first3=Christopher |title=Democracy and the London European Social Forum |journal=ECPR |date=2007 |url=https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/5595a8bb-a38d-471d-953a-f2de088b05df.pdf |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502222741/https://ecpr.eu/Filestore/PaperProposal/5595a8bb-a38d-471d-953a-f2de088b05df.pdf |archive-date=2 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-* Following the [[Anarchist Bookfair]] 2007 a fund raising party for [[No Border network|No Borders]] was held at rampART.<ref>[http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384632.html UK Indymedia - Anarchist Bookfair 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023083800/http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/384632.html |date=23 October 2013 }}</ref>
 * [[No Border network]] presented an exhibition in 2009 by French photographer Julie Rebouillat about migrants sleeping rough in Calais.<ref>{{cite web |title=Calais Photo Exhibition at G20 Infocafe, Rampart Social Centre |url=http://london.noborders.org.uk/news/calais-photo-exhibition-g20-infocafe-rampart-social-centre |website=London No Borders |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731235548/http://london.noborders.org.uk/news/calais-photo-exhibition-g20-infocafe-rampart-social-centre |archive-date=31 July 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 * WANC (Women's Anarchic Nuisance Café) took place on a monthly basis.<ref name="Wetherspoon">{{cite journal |last1=Finchett-Maddock |first1=Lucy |title=An Anarchist’s Wetherspoons 1 or Virtuous Resistance? Social Centres as MacIntyre’s Vision of Practice-based Communities |journal=Philosophy of Management |date=2008 |volume=7 |issue=1}}</ref>
 * A talk by indigenous Mexican activists on behalf of peasant farmers.<ref>{{cite news |title=SchNEWS in brief |url=https://schnews.amo.org.uk/archive/news485.htm |accessdate=2 May 2019 |work=SchNEWS |date=18 February 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502230702/https://schnews.amo.org.uk/archive/news485.htm |archive-date=2 May 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-===Film nights===
-* Prior to its official debut, [[Michael Moore]]'s ''[[Fahrenheit 911]]'' was premiered at rampART on 4 July as part of an 'Independence FROM America themed evening.{{Citation needed|date=June 2013}}
-* A documentary about the [[McLibel]] trial and a premiere of ''[[Super Size Me]]'' were shown.{{Citation needed|date=June 2013}}
 ==See also==
-* [[121 Centre]]
-* [[491 Gallery]]
-* [[London Action Resource Centre]]
-* [[Spike Surplus Scheme]]
 * [[Self-managed social centres in the United Kingdom]]
@@ Line 47: / Line 38: @@
 * [http://squat.net/en/news/london220504.html Announcement of first opening]
 * [http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index2.php/free/culture/arts/ecf_hits_the_streets_with_a_riot_of_colour rampART at the European Social Forum]
-* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060709220159/http://wiki.hacklab.org.uk/index.php/RampART rampART hacklab]
 {{coord|51.5141|-0.0611|type:landmark_region:GB-TWH|display=title}}

v t e Squatting in England and Wales
Influences	Diggers Right to housing Tŷ unnos
Squatter groups	Advisory Service for Squatters Da! collective Exodus Collective Focus E15 Grow Heathrow Justice? Justice Not Crisis London Street Commune Occupy London Really Free School Spiral Tribe SQUASH The Land is Ours WOMBLES !Wowow!
Legalized squats	BASE Bonnington Square Frestonia Villa Road
Former squats	12 Bar Club 102 Eaton Square 121 Centre 491 Gallery Argyle Street Bank of Ideas Bloomsbury Social Centre Cardboard City Centro Iberico City Racing Hounslow Community Land Project Kew Bridge Ecovillage Lyndhurst Way M11 link road protest Matilda Centre Medina House Oval Mansions rampART Spike Surplus Scheme St Agnes Place Sutton House Titnore Wood
Notable squatters	The 101ers Baron Bassam Chumbawamba Piers Corbyn Ian Dury Harry Hallowes Olive Morris Jim Radford Sid Rawle Heathcote Williams Christian Wolmar
Legal framework	Adverse possession Erection of Cottages Act 1588 Criminal Law Act 1977 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Land Registration Act 2002 Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
Linked topics	Homelessness in the United Kingdom New Age Travellers Occupation (protest) Principality of Sealand Reclaim the Streets Romanichal Self-managed social centres in the United Kingdom
Category