Dutch break long tradition as squatting made illegal

THE scene has unfolded countless times in the Netherlands: Young people break into an unused building, move in a table, chair and bed, and then tell the police they are now the official residents – with no permission from the owner and no plans to pay rent.

Yesterday, the once-respected Dutch tradition of squatting became illegal. It is the latest pillar of the country’s liberal institutions – such as legal prostitution and cafes that openly sell marijuana – to be abolished or curtailed as the Dutch become more conservative and rethink the boundaries of their famed tolerance.

In Amsterdam, the epicentre of the movement known in Dutch as “kraken,” or “breaking,” squatters demonstrated against the new law that makes their way of life punishable by up to one year in prison.