We are squatting activists and autonomously organised groups who make decisions through the network to occupy and organise around squatted social centres. We aim to liberate property from the inequities inherent to wealth accumulation - making spaces beyond the boredom of work and consumption - spaces for creativity and social change beyond the symbols of dissent like petitions and rallies.
The social centre autonomous network (SCAN) occupies property to have political space to organise against capitalism. The Social Centre is a self managed use of space through autonomous decision making (see decision making over) Social Centres are the result of occupation movements that reappropriate property for activist and working class community space. These kind of Squats are part of an international matrix of squatting movements with histories of supporting worker, peasant, student and community uprisings critical of private property systems and government inequity.
Globally, and in Sydney the activity of squatted social centres ranges from organising alternatives to the monopoly of the money system (i.e. world bank), to pursue campaigns such as local anti-racism, anti-fascism/police, anti-border control and housing equity. We appropriate spaces outside the control of the state and market for info shops, gallery space, free/cheap cafes and bars, independent film nights, forums, theater, parties and free recycled multimedia access centres.
Providing social services such as free food and resources to people increasingly disenfranchised by the stripping of the welfare state is prioritised. We exist to demonstrate the capacity of people to organise themselves outside the systems of state and market which increasingly control our lives. By providing our own social and political spaces we are empowered to express marginalised voices and take control of our communities. From “What is Scan” on SCAN website
http://scan.dorja.com/studio/scan/what.html