Punk and Anarchist Squats in Poland

Squats are of notable importance in the punk scene in Poland, and these spaces are a key aspect of the relationship between anarchism and punk. However, the overlap of squatting, punk and anarchism is not without its tensions. This zine, drawn from ethnographic research carried out in 2013/14, explores the issues around punk and anarchist squats in Poland, looking at criticisms levelled at punk squats by ‘non-punk’ squatting activists; instances of squats as a hub for a wide spectrum of anarchist activity; the repression of squatting in Poland through eviction and legislation.

Squats and social centres mentioned here include Przychodnia, ADA Pulawska, Elba (Warsaw), Rozbrat, Od:zysk (Poznan), Wagenburg, CRK (Wroclaw). Among the various squats, there were tensions around approaches and tactics identified as ‘more anarchist’ or ‘less anarchist’ – but the lived experience of the squatters is shown here to be far more complex.