Raaf, five years later

Raaf (Raven) was a group of more than 20 people with its base in Antwerp city. It was a way to try and get people together that called themselves anarchists. To organize was important for it. It was one of the most militant left-libertarian groups in the history of Antwerp. And it was able to organize many young people.
The group squatted a building in the summer of 2002, which was its most important direct action. It wanted to use the formerly empty building as an information center for the libertarian left, combined with free access to a computer and internet workplace. And there were people's kitchens where organic, healthy food and drinks were served. I remember also the performance of the Belgian band Traktor there, a band that has much inspired the alternative music scene in Belgium.
Before that, it had done much to get indymedia and other alternative or radical media projects known in Belgium. The name was inspired by periodicals like the British The Raven or the Dutch De Raaf (also a left libertarian journal). The squat was soon evicted, so not many of the plans were realised. But before that, it had been empty for more than four years and after the squatting had taken place, the building was immediately used by its owners to start doing things there.
Raaf was one of the most interesting groups in the history of Antwerp, many talented people were in it. And many of my friends have been a member of it.