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In solidarity with squatting movements and homeless people

Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there were one billion slum residents and squatters globally. Squatting occurs worldwide and tends to occur when people who are poor and homeless find empty buildings or land to occupy for housing. It has a long history.

The majority of squatting is residential in nature. As a phenomenon it tends to occur when a poor and homeless population makes use of derelict property or land through urban homesteading.
According to an academic, Kesia Reeve, "squatting is largely absent from policy and academic debate and is rarely conceptualised, as a problem, as a symptom, or as a social or housing movement."

In many of the world's poorer countries, there are extensive slums or shanty towns, typically built on the edges of major cities and consisting almost entirely of self-constructed housing built without the landowner's permission.

Squatting can be related to political movements, such as anarchist, autonomist, or socialist. It can be a means to conserve buildings or a protest action.
Squats can be used by local communities as free shops, cafés, venues, pirate radio stations or as multi-purpose autonomous social centres. Dutch sociologist Hans Pruijt separates types of squatters into five distinct categories:

• Deprivation-based – homeless people squatting for housing need

• An alternative housing strategy – people unprepared to wait on municipal lists to be housed take direct action

• Entrepreneurial – people breaking into buildings to service the need of a community for cheap bars, clubs etc.

•Conservational – preserving monuments because the authorities have let them decay

•Political – activists squatting buildings as protests or to make social centres



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MarkPaul · 26-30, M
I am not a fan of squatting as the squatter usually abuse the property and don't clean up after themselves. They ruin it for everyone else.
@MarkPaul That unfortunately can happen with squatters who suffer from addiction or other mental health problems. If they are not part of a commune and squat alone they lack the support they need.