# Hundreds camp in Rome heat as Meloni government cracks down on squats

https://mins.news/en/item/13681

- The Guardian, 2026-08-05 04:00 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/05/hundreds-camp-in-rome-heatwave-as-meloni-government-cracks-down-on-squats

> Hundreds of people have been sleeping in tents for a week during Rome’s heatwave. Spin Time, a centre offering homes, food banks and after-school clubs, has been closed and residents locked out by authorities. The building was occupied by grassroots groups in 2013, but a minor fire last week forced an evacuation. It has remained shut amid a standoff between Giorgia Meloni’s government and local politicians over its future. The government is seeking to intensify its crackdown on squatted properties.