Dear comrades!
Factory Rog is a self-organized autonomous space in the centre of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Squatted since 2006, it’s been providing space for a variety of initiatives, collectives, ateliers, events and happening ranging from activism, lectures, concerts, sport activities, circus, performative arts, etc. In 2016 the city municipality of Ljubljana decided to try evicting the occupants of the Factory, on the basis of their vision of an artistic-design space meant to make the city center more attractive for investors. For the last 3 years some of the users of Rog have been involved in court proceedings, amassing a sizeable amount of court fines, a large chunk still unpaid.
The three year long court proceedings also prevented the municipality to legally empty the buildings of Factory Rog. Now, with the last of the cases settled, the court order forbidding the municipality from encroaching onto the territory loses its validity on 1st of June and we are unsure of what exactly could happen. On one hand our response is trying to establish a dialogue with the municipality that could lead to acceptable solutions for the future of the Factory. On the other hand, past experiences and recent moves of the municipality suggest the repetition of the 2016 scenario. Therefore, until this dialogue happens, and especially if it doesn’t, we need a stable, continuous presence of supporters, ready to stand up to any repeated attempts of eviction.
We are calling on all people that care for and believe in the value of autonomous spaces to join us in defending Rog and saving an important bulwark of DIY counterculture and grassroots opposition to gentrification and the hegemony of capitalism! The Defensive Camp and Festival starts on the 31st of May! There will be barricades, music, workshops & skillsharing, and a range of other activities. You are welcome to contribute to the programme. For accommodation purposes inform us when and for how long you intend to arrive, how many people you are, and if you need a space in the dormitories or if you have tents.
Write us also about your contributions to the program.
For more information, write to us at: skupscina-tovarne-rog@riseup.net
Web: http://atrog.org/en/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ohranimorog/
Spread the word! Spread the resistance!