The old Elephant & Castle pub, right on the E&C roundabout in London SE1, has been squatted for two and a half weeks and now faces imminent eviction.

With the shopping centre and market about to be bulldozed in Southwark Council’s full frontal wipe-out of the Elephant as a working class and migrant neighbourhood, the pub was recently shut down using a fight as a pretext. Most hated estate agents Foxtons (may their glazing bills rocket ever higher) were looking to buy it and open a branch, but this plan was scotched when the building was listed as an “asset of community value” (whatever that may turn out to mean) in a minute council concession.

In the last 2 1/2 weeks the occupiers have been busy doing stuff like:

+++ holding infonights (such as last Saturday’s on Greek prison struggles), talks and discussions, martial arts training, art sessions, and other events and workshops of all varieties

+++ setting up a “peoples library” with anarchist and other books and zines, which is mounted  out on the street in front of the squat offering reading material for anyone to take and digest

+++ cooking collective breakfasts (in the early hours when many Latin American cleaning workers and others are on their way to work) and dinners (6PM daily) for neighbours and passers-by

+++ and generally acting as a hub of activity and resistance in the area

The squat is now under threat of eviction, following a court hearing last Thursday. Bailiffs, maybe even accompanied by riot police, could be along any day now.

All are invited to come down, join in with activities, and be prepared to support in event of attempted eviction.

Check the E&C social centre’s fakebook and twitter for more info and for updates and alerts.

Tonight (Tuesday 7 July) is open mic night.

Full address: 119 Newington Causeway Road, London SE1 6BN.