Queer anarchists – convention day 2

“About 50 people arrived at Homebush train station. The ticket collector was rude cos of how we were dressed and told us to leave the station, so we congregated at the nearby busstop.
“Got in under a mesh fence. Barricaded and secured a beautiful two-storey building in Homebush on Parramatta Road.
“Moved stuff in. Our truck was next to the fence. In a stroke of bad luck, a bloke quickly arrived who works in the pub across the road, claiming to represent the owner. [There was a rumour that last time the building had been squatted two years ago, the owner had been in jail, so there had been no problems]. He shouted “Get out” and called the police. Two cops arrived.
“Then he got a saw and started sawing through the door. The cops had to restrain him. Then he said he’d bring dogs and set them on us.
“The cops arrested three QR guys who were standing next to the van and got the QR7 phone number off them and rang us, saying: “Get out.”
– “Is that a directive?”
“What’s a directive?” It took the cops about 15 minutes to figure out what a directive was, then they said: “Yes!”
“So most of the people with foreign passports left along with a couple of activists who were on good behaviour bonds and only 15 people were left behind in the dark with no lights or water.”
A few foreign visitors later said: “We regretted leaving cos the cops had been mostly bluffing. They used lots of mind games on us and we fell for it.”
The people inside decided that if the foreign visitors couldn’t feel safe to attend QR then they’d have to find another venue. “So we came out. The arrested guys were then `unarrested’.
“We went back to the train station and the ticket collector hassled us, saying: “Where are your fucking tickets?” which pissed everyone off.”

MEETING: 7pm, Alpha House. There was a huge chart on the wall that outlined about eight venue options.

G offered to donate $$$ towards renting a warehouse, but there was a lot of reluctance to pay to rent a place when it was preferable to squat.
We decided to check out the Nunnery as an interim measure.

AFTERTHOUGHTS:
“I wish the meetings were held like the communists do them – v efficient. Unlike the socialists – they discuss stuff for ages – it all goes in circles.”

– “I liked how you fell asleep during the meeting.”