Yesterday, July 16th, 2011 thousands of Berliners demonstrated, danced and raved again against gentrification and especially the so-called Mediaspree project in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg! Also Urban Artcore teamed up with the crowd to protest against rising rents, luxury new buildings on former free spaces, ruthless investors and unsocial city politics…
Mediaspree is one of the largest property investment projects in Berlin. It aims to establish telecommunication, media and fashion companies as well as hotels along a section of the banks of the river Spree as well as to implement an urban renewal of the surrounding area. But that’s against the will of the citizens who don’t want Berlin’s riverside becoming a luxury glass and concrete area like in London or Paris but keep at least the last available free spaces along the Spree!
For that reason an overwhelming majority voted against Mediaspree and its gentrification plannings in a referendum in 2008! But the project is still running although it’s the great beach bars, clubs and public spots which are well-known in Europe and make Berlin’s creative areas Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg that interesting…