Ruigoord () is a village in the Houtrak polder in North Holland, Netherlands, situated within the municipality of Amsterdam. Until the 1880s, it was an island in the IJ bay, which was turned into a polder. In the 1960s, the municipality planned to extend the Port of Amsterdam. From 1972 onwards squatters occupied buildings and started a free zone. After resisting eviction in 1997, the area was legalized in 2000. The village is nowadays partially closed in by the port, and lies about 8 km (5 miles) east of Haarlem.
Harbour project
In 1964, plans were drawn up by the municipality of Amsterdam to build the for the petrochemical industry. The plan included the annexation of of land belonging to Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude, including the village of Ruigoord. Amsterdam immediately set out to acquire real estate in and around Ruigoord, and started to prepare the farmland for construction. In 1973, became mayor of Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude, and wanted to put the annexation to a vote. The same evening, he received a call from , the Queen's Commissioner of North Holland who told him that annexation was a done deal and not open for discussion. A lengthy legal battle between Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude on the one hand, and Amsterdam and the Province of North Holland on the other hand commenced. For strategic reasons, the squatters were encouraged to settle in Ruigoord.
1973 demolition
thumb|left|The church of Ruigoord
The village was scheduled to be demolished on 23 July 1973. On Sunday 22 July 1973, the local priest performed his last mass, and handed the keys of the church to the squatters. The next day, the road to the village was barricaded, and the squatters led by Hans Plomp and successfully managed to stop the demolition crew. The 1973 oil crisis further complicated the Africa Harbour project. The entire area, except for the village, was flattened and prepared for construction by the Port of Amsterdam. The legal battle advanced all the way to Court of Justice of the European Union.
Since the early 2000s, the village has staged an annual poetry festival over the Whitsun weekend, Vurige tongen (Fiery Tongues). One of the festival's three days is always devoted to international poets. From 2003 on, a yearly Ruigoord Trophy has been awarded to individuals who have selflessly dedicated themselves to maintaining the village as an important cultural stronghold. The first such trophy was presented to Simon Vinkenoog. Three notable non-Dutch trophy holders are the late American poet and photographer Ira Cohen, the Canada-born writer Jordan Zinovich, and the Amsterdam-based American poet and writer Eddie Woods.
See also
- Doel
- Freetown Christiania
- Metelkova
- Squatting in the Netherlands