Vondelstraat riots

During the 1970s, squatting became increasingly prevalent in Amsterdam due to the lack of housing and the high number of decayed buildings in the city centre.

Many of the squatters occupying land were young adults from the baby boom generation who had trouble finding homes.

By the late 1970s the mood changed as politicians and real estate owners called for action against squatters.

[1] Vondelstraat is a major street in the centre of Amsterdam and was the location of a large squatting squad that occupied property.

Amid violent protests from hundreds of squatters, who reoccupied the building and built huge barricades, over a thousand police officers and soldiers were deployed to stop their actions.