Hundreds camp on sweltering Rome street amid tussle over squatted building

Hundreds of people, including families and children, are camping on a sweltering Rome street after being evicted from Spin Time, a squatted building they occupied for over a decade. The eviction followed a small fire, which activists claim was a pretext for a politically motivated move. Residents, who considered Spin Time a community and a vital resource, are now living in tents and receiving support from volunteers and sympathizers. Rome's city government offered to purchase the building to allow residents to return, but the fund managing the property, InvestiRE SGR, rejected the offer, citing safety concerns after 13 years of occupation. The company remains open to further sale negotiations.

Rome authorities are struggling to rehouse approximately 400 individuals, including children, who were evicted from the Spin Time Labs building on July 29th. The building, occupied by grassroots groups since 2013, was repossessed by its private owner after talks to save the social assistance hub collapsed. The owner refused Rome council's offer to purchase the property, despite the council's efforts to find alternative solutions. Many of the evicted residents are now camping in tents in extreme heat, with one child hospitalized for breathing difficulties. The eviction is part of a government crackdown on squatted buildings, though critics question the focus on Spin Time while other long-term occupations persist.