The eviction of six people living in the squatted building ‘Maison de La Fierté’ in the Jan Bollenstraat in Laeken, Brussels, has been postponed indefinitely, according to a statement made by the group on Friday.
The eviction was originally planned for Friday at 6:00 am. Among the six residents are undocumented individuals and asylum seekers in the midst of the application process.
Before moving into the building, the group lived in a makeshift tent camp near the former registration centre for asylum seekers on Pachecolaan, which was dismantled by the city of Brussels in late October. Following this, the group sought alternative shelter with the help of supportive local residents.
The group eventually occupied the vacant building in Laeken, renaming it ‘Maison de La Fierté’. According to their supporters, the building has been empty since 2008. Efforts were made to establish communication with the property’s owner, and a meeting did take place, with the squatters aiming for continued dialogue.
On 24 February, the owner filed a unilateral request at the Laeken peace court to evict the group. The court ruled in favour of the owner, scheduling the eviction for Friday morning. However, the city of Brussels later decided to postpone the action, bringing relief to the residents.
The group has called for greater transparency from both the owner and the municipality. No new date for the eviction has been announced.
