Rome evicts 300 from Spin Time Labs after fire amid crackdown

Around 300 former residents of Spin Time Labs, one of Rome’s largest squatted buildings, were left sleeping on the streets on Thursday after city authorities seized the site following a fire. The move came as part of a widening government crackdown on occupied buildings that have operated for decades as self-managed social centres offering housing, cultural events, and support services for vulnerable groups.

Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, has framed the crackdown as a necessary step to enforce property laws and improve public safety. But critics say the policy ignores the city’s deepening housing crisis and the long-standing role these centres play in supporting migrants, students, and low-income residents. Spin Time Labs had been home to over 400 people until the fire last week, which damaged parts of the building. Authorities moved quickly to clear the site, leaving many without shelter during a heatwave with temperatures exceeding 35°C.

The eviction follows a pattern seen across Italy in recent years. Since 2021, city governments—often under pressure from property owners—have intensified raids on squatted buildings. Over 20 such sites have been cleared in Rome alone in the past two years. Spin Time Labs had been a hub for art, activism, and mutual aid since the 1990s, offering free meals, legal support, and a safe space for marginalised communities. Its closure has sparked protests, with activists arguing that the city is dismantling grassroots infrastructure at a time when welfare services are being cut.

What happens next is unclear. The displaced residents have set up a makeshift camp near the building, demanding alternative housing or temporary shelter. Meanwhile, housing activists are calling for a moratorium on evictions until the city implements stronger protections for low-income tenants. The case highlights a growing divide: between those who see squats as illegal occupations and those who view them as vital responses to a broken housing system. With Rome’s rental prices rising by nearly 20% in the last year and social housing in short supply, the battle over Spin Time Labs is far from over.