Tenants Take over City Council

Today a couple of tenants groups (WSL, KSS, KOL) managed to take over the City Council and force them to call a special session devoted only to the question of housing and to discussing the tenants' postulates. This was a good example of direct action, as the tenants refused to let the council meet on anything else; some eventually took to the presidium where there was heated debate with the Chair and other politicians, including the Vice President.

One interesting thing was the reaction of municipals guards. Already the last two session were interrupted by KOL (Tenants' Defense Committee, which members of ZSP are part of) and the guards did not react. This time, the Chair of the Council asked them to "make order" which us, but all they did was come and try to talk and ask not to keep disrupting. We said "we aren't leaving and take over until our demand is met" and officers then went away and made no attempts to remove people, despite appeals of politicians.

KOL submitted an agenda of postulates for the special session which tenants forced to city to hold. Only question now is what concessions they will give tenants. Members of ZSP and KOL will push for maximum demands, including handing over supervision of public housing to citizens. Of course most radicals demands are not likely to be met, but tenants today feel they are in a good position to force at least some of their points.

This is the second such action KOL has taken part in this week.