news
Please e-mail infoshops@eco-action.org with your news to add here. Thanks
cleveland infoshophello. i'm part of a newly-formed, not-yet-named collective that will be starting a co-housing/infoshop project here in cleveland this fall of 2003. there's been talk of an infoshop in cleveland for a long time, but since there hasn't been one, we're all pretty new at this. needless to say, any help/advice/resources/encouragement would be greatly appreciated.we're looking to do a regional tour of info-shops this summer to see what others are doing before we get started, so drop us a line if you'd be alright with a visit and giving us the low-down. we're shopping for a good name too. we've got a few good ideas, but we could use some good suggestions there. if you can name our collective/infoshop/co-house, we'll send you something neat through the mail. no joke here. that's about it at this point.
email: keroism@hotmail.com Pewaukee, WI. contacts wantedI am not sure I'm directing this to the right person/persons but am curious about how I can meet up with like minded people in my area. I live in Pewaukee, WI and want to take a more active role in at least slowing down the rapid growth of strip malls, subdivisions, or preserving some green space, green corridors. Any info. would be appreciated.email:Tracy11099@cs.com Anarchist infoshop in RomaniaHello,we are a group of anarchist activists from Craiova, Romania and we will open an infoshop in short time. It is a space with two floors but we can only use the upper room and there gonna be library and infoshop and we will use it also for metings, workshop, video projections...The place is situated in the center of the town so it is gonna be very practical and we hope that the impact of our activities there will be very big. So, what we need from you, if you can support our projects: issues, zines,books, video tapes, audios and everything printed on xerox with/for anarcho purposes. Also contacts, distros, individulas who can put our contacts visuable let everybody informed about our project, send stuff, everything you think it is important... You can contact us at this adress- revolutionshop@hotmail.com and you
can help us sending any kind of materials on this adress:
Thanks Boulder Co-op Market OpensThe Boulder co-op market opened this month (Jan 2003) and offers support for Activist Organizations - provides a venue for organizational outreach, promotions, education, meetings, and organizing. The Commons, the Co-op's non-profit arm, sponsors twice weekly ecological and socio-political educational events, providing a gateway for first time activists to get involved. By actively building community, we at the Co-op help contribute to the kind of humane world activists work for, in addition to providing a base of support for activists and activist organizations.Boulder Co-op Market. 1904 Pearl St. in Boulder, US.
Cornerstone Housing Co-op Raided by PigsWed, 4 Dec 2002 At 8:45 on Thursday 28th November 2002 both houses which make up Cornerstone Housing Co-op (in Leeds, UK) were raided by the police. The raid was in connection with an action against the 'New Tribes Mission' (in solidarity with the indigenous peoples of the South Pacific) in Grimsby, Lincolnshire on 11 October 2002. The raid was carried out to secure evidence namely some computer hard disks that were reported stolen during the action. After an hour or so of searching they decided to arrest everyone who had slept in the houses that night and anyone who came home during the search (13 people in all). We assume that this decision was made as the houses were a lot bigger than Lincolnshire police expected and most people have a lot of stuff in their rooms, so they wanted us out of the way. The police took a wide variety of personal and communal effects. They seized 15 computers between the two houses. The computers at both houses were used by lots of people and groups. We've discussed what we think is on the computers and are not too worried about that, but we obviously don't know what other people who are not members of the co-op had saved on them. If you have used our computers in either house in the past then please be aware that the police now have copies of any work you have done. They also have our email address book and email archive. All arrestees were released without being charged with "conspiracy to burgle" (for which we were arrested), but have been bailed to return to the police station on 6,7,8,9 January 2003. Everyone arrested had fingerprints and DNA taken (this was authorised by a superintendent as we were not charged). We've had many offers of support and messages of solidarity over the past few days for which we are very grateful. We have been lent 4 computers so far, so those whose work relies heavily on them can continue to earn money, although they have taken part of a printing press owned by Footprint Workers Co-op, which is based in one of the houses. We are no longer desperate for computers, but one more decent one for 2-3 months would be good. We would like to express our solidarity with the other three places raided in the last ten days on unrelated pretexts, namely A-Spire (Leeds) last Saturday night, a friend in Manchester on Sunday and the Sumac Centre (Nottingham) on Friday. From:"Cornerstone ukf" Postscript:The computers have been given back - except for one which has been given to the Ministry of Defence. Also, another house was raided in mid-December, but so far noone has been arrested. There have also been raids. Brambles housing co-op in Sheffield was raided 16th Jan 2003, Neds co-op in Notts the day before. Everyone from Leeds has been re-bailed till March. All from A-spire squat have had the charges dropped and will sue.
Dear comrade in struggle, A warm greetings to you all! I an JIM2 from Davao Anarchist Resistance Movement (D.A.R.M) in the philippines.We have here also some of the front line radical collective like the Earth First! Davao, Davao Anarcha Feminista Collective (D.A.F.C), Davao
Anarcho Peace Punks (D.A.P.P), Animal Resistance Movement and local Food
Not Bombs! Davao.
I hope you can grant our great favor,that kindly send us any
reading materials like magazines,'zines, newspapers, newsletters, pamplets,
leaflets, booklets, flyers and especially books or VHS tapes that deals
about sabotage direct action or a libertarian perspective or any topic that
you think will do for us, as long as it is available,so you may send it to my address below because we really need it here and because we are now very
busy prepairing to open our very first INFO SHOP here in the davao city
even in the whole philippines, in our squat house.
You may also check our website at:
www.geocities.com/efdavao. (it's working now as of 19/1/03)
Hope you really understand our situation here in the third world.Thank's in advance to your inner support. That's all for now and I wish you all the best! see you in the field of global resistance. Let's continue our struggle towards the libertarian society.
In Solidarity!
My Address At:
Greetings of Solidarity!
We are from ACC-Philippines Network, with different collectives on it
around the Philippines. We are actively doing actions from FnB, protests actions and different kinds direct actions.
In an effort to sustain our activities/initiatives... we are planning to
conduct a workshop that would involve all those collectives - it'll be a workshop that includes the basics of collectivism, practical anarchist techniques, to name a few. However our lack of resources due to the inavailability of materials hampers us to push through with these initiatives. For this reason that we would like to solicit any help you could extend to our Network here in the Philippines, we would like to ask if you could share us your spare materials, books, video/tapes documentations
that you think might be useful for a third world country like us struggling to sustain our collectives here.
Thank you and we hope to hear positive response.
Hello mates,
I'm eco-ist from davao city, philippines. i wrote this letter to those
individuals/collectives all-over-the-world who really care to the 3rd world
EF!er activists! the EF! davao is still looking for those who concern and
willing to help and support our EF! collective here in davao city,
philippines? to tell you prankly and honestly, the EF! davao is badly needed
more materials/literatures and more awareness about veganism/vegetarianisms,
canopy activities, squatting, radical ecology, about genetic
engineering, how to make a vegan organic soap or any alternatives to procter & gamble, uniliver, novartis, GEsoyabeans etc... monkeyW! techniques, G-gardening, video's of radical activities, musics of native/tribal people, eco-patches, t-shirts or even good and new grapix of EF!, squatting, etc that can agit people coz we know how to make a tshirt (photographics & greenfilm-silk screens), anything that will be useful to our collective here in davao city, philippines.
Hoping that some of you is willing to support our activities and is in solidarity with us to our resistance for the existence of the people, animals, and our planet earth!!! pls. help the 3rd world counter-cultures/environmentalists to evolve and to know how to protect ourselves and our planet and how to survive without depending to technologies (like what im using ryt now), corporates, TNC & MNC. More on DIY ethics, smash the philippine cultures/traditions like (male
dominated, homophobics, unequal rights, lots of scapegoatz, just to fullfil
the greedness and to make profit)!!! so til here all of you my co-humans,
fellow earthlings, & intelligence (i know who you are, GOD BLESS
YOU!)..... :)
Hope to hear your response ASAP... hope you will understand our situation here in the philippines.
heres my address:
you can check our websites:
in advance- thank you!!!
It's a public access TV : - anyone can propose a program or - send a PAL VHS videotape to this address :
Tele Plaisance / 29, rue Plaisance / 75014 Paris
Tele Plaisance Tolbiac broadcast on Paris (France) from september 2002
to march 2003. It's an alternative and associative TV.
Everything is on the website : www.teleplaisance.org
The collaboration is open to any kind of human being from here or other there who desire to share
In a world of darkness, make public your light...
But beware of the entry from Ireland - The Workers Solidarity Movement pretends to be an anarchist group, but is in fact a very boring socialist group. You have been warned!
I was in Budapest last November, and visited the comrades there in the
bookshop which they have and I've kept in touch with them since my return
to England. This is how I got to hear about their problems. Apparently they
are in arrears with the rent for their shop, which is fairly centrally
located, and need to raise about 1600 euros if they are to stay. They reckon
they can raise about 400Euros themselves. I have been able to raise about
85Euros in the UK so far, and hope to raise some more. All the details
about the group, their bookshop and their e-mail addresses can be found on
their website at http://www.geocities.com/subesipu/
The postal address is Goldolko Auntonom Antikvarium, Budapest 1066, O u40, Hungary.
Please make direct contact with the group if you think you can help
Could you also circulate this information to other groups who may be
interested in some practical mutual aid?
From: Martyn Everett
email:martyn_everett@hotmail.com
After days of varied police presence outside the Stoke Newington social
centre, police arrived this morning on the pretense of looking for drugs.
After searching everyone and coming up empty handed they went for what they
were really after - the computer hard drives. The accompanying people from
the electric board cut off the electric supply. Loads of neighbours came
out in support of the social centre, as they have on previous police
visits, and many have already offered help.
We have now put a sign up outside the dairy: "Thankyou for all of your support this morning. For those who don't already know, the police came to visit us again today. They have taken our computers and te electricity was cut off. However... WE WANT TO STAY! We will have an open meeting this evening at 6.30pm and all are welcome. We now need donations of gas lamps, tilly lamps, car batteries, gas bottle heaters etc, (oh yeah and solar panels and wind turbines would be great too!)"
The meeting will be followed by the usual Friday night acoustic caff!
we hope that some of you can make it! It would also be great to get hold of someone to do a workshop for making coal burners out of gas bottles so that we can keep warm while and learn new skills. Please get in touch with support and ideas for ways to go from strength to strength with this wonderful place.
You can call the Radical Dairy on: 0207 249 6996.
TIPS FOR THOSE WISHING TO WRITE TO PRISONERS FOR THE FIRST TIME
One of my most lovely mates goes to prisoner writing nights and writes
to them all the time so I thought I'd ask her some basic questions about
how to get started and she replied with some really helpful stuff. So I
have edited her response a little to get rid of some names and some
personal stuff about me and others but I hope that it still helps
inspire you to get writing and get over any fears that you might have
that you may have.
Her response: okay prisoner stuff. i think it's best if you start off with postcards or making cards cos that's a kind ov creative thing to do and you dont have to write much. its worth knowing a bit about someone before you write: you can either check the earth lib prisoner website : http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk
i think the shac 3 are still doing time and they are all quite uplifting
people to write to i tend to write more to english ones, cos its cheaper
and you have more points ov reference. even better, if you write to
those in your area you can visit. it's very important to prisoners.
also, you can do noise demos and things at the prison and strike up a
real friendship. so I would say go as local as possible. saying that, it
might be you are particularly moved by someone's experience and want to
write to them. all the MOVE prisoners for example have had a hell ov a
time, and although that means writing to the states, that might be
something to get a good relationship across continents. A friend writes
to a guy in germany the last two years and wants to visit but has to
learn german which she cant!! so there are problems with that too. also,
you might want to write to a woman cos you feel a stronger bond,
whatever you feel moves you. i try and remember its a relationship with
that person, not an act ov charity.
i tend to write from a social centre [or other non-residential address]
rather than home address at first, and i tend to use one ov my aliases
unless i start visiting in which case you have to use a real name. that
isnt to fool them, it just makes me feel safer, cos its true, you don't
know who they are and prison can leave you vulnerable to weird emotional
stuff. some prisoners develop crushes on who they write with, and vica
versa when i first started i got a guy who wrote me a poem i found
deeply offensive cos it was sexist. i wasnt sure what to do, so i wrote
back explaining this, i dont think you have to be softly softly, just be
yourself. just cos someone is inside doesnt mean they are naturally good
or used to writing letters either!!!!
ask about which company uses prison labour, cos that;s useful for us on
the outside too.... say you arent used to writing to prisoners, ask them
if they think letters are important, ask them how prison is, say about
the noise demo at holloway [that a few of us took part in a while ago]
and about starting up prisoner writing nights at the dairy. ask if they
think that's a good idea, tell them about when you had a curfew and how
it made you feel, tell them you havent been to prison but you expected
too....
usually, the first letters back are so warming and real you find
yourself writing quite freely. i would exercise caution about being too
personal at first, i never mention my lovelife to prisoners unless ive
been writing for a long time. if they ask, you can just skip the
question unless you want to tell them and it feels fine to do that.
i hope this is ov some use to you.
We formed in January 2002 to provide a support and communications network for the newly emmerging occupied and legal social centres, infoshops, Radical Bookshops and independent community centres. We have public monthly meetings made up of all the Social Centres [next meeting is on
March 20th]. We currently have the following centres in our network: Radical Dairy, Emmaz, LARC, 56a infoshop, Carnivalistas. There is also another collective called the Red & Black club who are opening up a space in south London.
There aren't any formal memberships to be made to be included in the network, as long as the spaces are open, public, community focused and are run by anti-authoritarian/anti-capitalists they will be supported and there space will be publicised on the website when it is up. We also have two mailing lists: Discussion list: londonscn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
If you would like to get involved in the network there is an unending list of things to do from helping clear out newly occupied buildings, web skills, distributing leaflets and also forming your own collective and
open a social centre.
The two jobs are described on our web page at http://www.brycchouse.org. In
particular, we're looking for people with collective organizing experience.
Though it doesn't say on the web page, the pay for the coordinator job is
$19,000 - $21,000/year with benefits. The part time facility maintenance
job is $8/hour, 20/hours a week. Needless to say, both of these jobs would
require that you relocate.
If you're interested, submit a resume by mail to Brycc House, 1055
Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205, or email to brycc@brycchouse.org. If
we ask you for an interview, we can't pay travel expenses but we can put
you up in my house during your visit. You can email me with any questions.
The prehistory of "FREE DOM" ("dom" means in Polish "house") begins in the middle of 90', when the group of friends squatted a small house near the
center of Wroclaw (called "REJON 69"). During 3,5 years the group form a
small comunnity and organised many cultural "&" political events (like punk
concerts and festivals, regular food not bombs, demonstrations). In 1999 we had to leave this building and we squatted the next building. Unfortunately it lasted only 2 weeks. Anyway we organised there "Eviction party" (concerts connected with spectacles and games for children), which showed the support of local (Jewish) community and made the "questions of squats" present in the media - first time on such a level.
Owing to the big campaign, in the september 2000 we got the building for the cultural activity from the local authorities. It was quite devastated and we've spent almost a year on repairs. We called it "FREE DOM".
The activites in the house began in the spring of 2001 with a new alternative library, space for the anarchist black cross, and cinema and
concert rooms with acts like: Citizen Fish, Catharsis, Sin Dios, Tragedy, and many many others. There is now a info cafe, dark room, serography space, art gallery exibitions and every Sunday there is Food not Bombs which gives squatters a chance to give food and eat together with local homeless people and speak to the community people.
Many things we do is to have contact with the local people. It is a
cultural "community" center after all with the purpose of taking care of the local issues. We plan to start a local newspaper to give out independent information as well as promote anti-capitalist ideas and alternatives to capitalism, and give more possiblities for community involvement. We've started activites with the city kids which have started to become part of the house. Together with their parents we held parties and childerens feasts with games and painting. Also in the plan is to begin an "after school" program where they can get help with homework and spend their time with some creative activites like juggling, theater, photography workshops etc.
The idea and function of the Cultural center is to be the place where
people can come, and without money realise non profit projects, ideas, or just have a place to meet. This house is the only legal place like this
in the city. But - we cooperate with the squatters groups from the city. Now there are 2 squats and one wagenburg in Wroclaw - we are in close contact with these groups, we've tried to give them support, when they had problems with police (eg. Kromera - one of the squats was evicted and reoccupied after 2 months, owing to a large campaign it exist until today). We cooperate also with other squats and autonomous groups from Poland -
last November we've hosted persons from dozens of Polish autonomous groups
on the congress.
Polish squatters used to have problems with police. There is not any good
squatters laws, police is often agressive and works outside of law in the
contacts with squatters. "Free Dom" as a legal center doesn't have such a
troubles. But our activity is also not acceptable for many politics from the local government - eg. Food Not Bombs, contacts with children. Instead of
police they use the fact that we are legal: we have to fullfill many rules,
ordered by Fire Brigade, police, building inspectors. Many of theserules
are absurd and we can't fullfill them because we don't have enough money to pay bribes (and we generally don't want to do it) and to make many reparations. We can't organise any cultural events, if we don't fullfill it and we can be kicked out from the building.
So - much support for us is needed - especially from abroad. When the local government see, that some groups and individuals from abroad support us, it will help us very much in negotations. They must feel that we are not alone!
You can send the letters with support (the best solution is to write few sentences in English and in your native language) to the following addresses:
We need also money for the repairs, lawyer, architect, etc... so if you
want to help us financially, please contact us.
Our address:
HOW? - a group of likeminded friends who are prepared to put a bit of time in finding, securing and maintaining a building of your choice.
WHY? - increasing property speculation means that there is less and less building s in the city centre for affordable community use. Obviously some people are going to feel that its just a big party - so if you want it to be 'issue based' or political make sure you make this clear from the start.
WHEN? - nice to coincide with an event - ie days of action against a
global summit; a local issue such as privatization, etc
WHERE? - take your pick!
WHO? - its up to you - the more the merrier....
GET SQUATTING! - people before profit every time....
Squatter's Handbook- a guide to practicalities of squatting, is
available from the Advisory Service for Squatters, 2 St Paul's Road,
London, N1 2QN. Tel: 020 7359 8814
This doesn't deal directly with infoshops, but is a good firsthand account of just how shit the system is and hopefully will inspire people to work for it's destruction.
The story is at: www.abusedbythesystem.org.uk
Just wanted to share one clear success that we have had - a weekly video
viewing. We solicit videos (alternative news videos, PBS docs, SOA
video, whatever we think is interesting) from wherever we can find them,
send out news releases to our local paper, and show the videos in the
shop. This has proved a great tool for free advertising - our local
paper runs the news release since it is a local event. And we get our
name in the paper every week. For free.
Good luck, Cincy Collective! (see contacts page)
Sorry i can't offer money.
thank you, "è" au!!
marty camberlango
1. In what way your infoshop is managed? Is it managed by collective management, do you have one manager who\'s responsible for running the shop, do you have some kind of mixed management method, or is your infoshop managed by other ways?
2. We have problems getting money for the infoshop. I was wondering whether you can advice us on how to get the initial funding for starting the infoshop (to buy equipment, repair the place etc.) and to get funding for running it.
I would appreciate any advice on those matters or any other ideas you have that you think can help us in establishing the infoshop. Thank you very much,
Liat and the group.
e-mail: emma-infoshop@yahoogroups.com
email: Markus.Fugmann@gmx.net
My concern is that I will not be able to meet the wonderful sort of DIY-ethical people I have here quickly enough for my own satisfaction when I get there. Selfish, I know, but direct, DIY, start-at-home kind of action is so dear to my heart and such a part of who I am and hope to be that I feel I will need pals to help with my first month or so of culture shock.
However, I noticed on the site that there are no infoshop type things listed for Paris or even France...I know this site is incomplete, and that can't possibly mean there are no such things at all there, but--do you or anyone you know have any connections to fun, happy activist kids in Paris? I've been searching also for all-ages clubs, collectives, etc. to no avail. If you could put me in contact with somebuddy that would be so owchey.
I would even be into starting something when I get
settled there...
Best Regards,
email: tinybadger17@hotmail.com
At the present time we can only manage Anglophone works, and English translations of works, but our goal is to be able to manage the different currencies, then we can bring in French, Italian, Arabic and Spanish languages from the communites we've mentioned and more.
Also, I'm having a difficulty locating infoshops, anarchist bookshops, anti-racist/ antifascist groups and organisations in Italy, France, and the rest of Europe. Do you know any?
email: collorcoop@hotmail.com
email: OKasional-cafe@nematode.freeserve.co.uk
As far as we know, this is the first conference of its kind. As people
involved in PAZs here in L'ville, we are extremely interested in
discussing organizational strategies to help our projects better live up
to the world we're envisioning. We are in need of people like the ones
on this list to sign up to run workshops so we can encourage the spread
and growth of non-hierarchical, non-government, and non-corporate
institutions. Please get in touch with me, Liz, ASAP if you're
interested in attending, helping with, or learning more about this
conference, or just send a message to this group. We hope to make this
an annual gathering of PAZ organizers around the country that's
informative and inspiring (and oh yeah -- fun.).
Thanks,
Tyneside Squatters are at it again! This time in a brilliant social
club in Newcastle city centre which is due to be turned into a lap-
dancing bar. Women have opened up the squat today, at the same time
as a hearing a magistrates in Newcastle regarding a licence for the
proposed sexist bar. The results of the hearing aren't known yet, but
the club will inevitably be delayed by the squatting.
So, WE have a wonderful social centre for the immediate future. So
please come along to express your support for the squat and protest
at the plans for another way of comodifying women's bodies. It's a
really great building, so there is various events planned, but come
along anyway during the day - something will be going on.
Programme of Events (all start are from 7pm)
Electic City II is in the former Manors Social Club, Carliol Square,
Newcastle NE1 6UQ. Tel: 07833 646228
We seem to have a knack for seeming more together from the outside than we actually are and this often leads to people thinking that we couldn't
possibly need any help. NOT TRUE. Yes Atherden is an amazing space with a lot more potential and lots more ideas for things to happen there, but we cannot stress enough that there are not enough people helping with the day to day running of the place, to keep it open and welcoming. So to keep it secure as well as being a pleasant place to be, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE to get involved.
If you live in the area and think that you can sign up to the rota which is set up in four hour shifts, then please give us a ring and/ or pop in
soon.
A council closed nursery - re-opened as a community centre with a thriving community focus - is now under threat of eviction
The identity of Hackney is being challenged by the marginalisation of
local populations through gentrification and outrageously incompetent
council spending. One of the ways community groups have challenged this
process is to reclaim neglected or un-occupied buildings and land for
communal use.
The increasing dilapidation of Hackney in the face of the
erection of enclosed, guarded private housing complexes highlights the many
social and economic questions ignored by the government. In light if this,
and in spite of it, local community activsts have addressed their own needs
and those lacking in the local community, by forming a collective that
opened a community space that functions as a comprehensive and autonomous
social center, comprised of people from a wide variety of backgrounds and
interests.
Atherden Community Centre is this example - fighting to
provide an alternative and inject creativity and energy into a tired urban
city-scape. The diverse collective which includes mothers, artists and
activists, demonstrates a group on the front lines of alternative
strategies for opening up the community zeitgeist. They liberate the
imagination of the community by presenting an alternative space and invites
them to be part of and even be the key to this process.
Atherden Community Center offers mother and toddler mornings,
arts and craft space, a cafe, office space for campaign groups, samba and
DJ rehearsals, a cyber-café made from recycled computers, gallery space, library and a wide selection of free weekly workshops offers tuition in anything from shiatsu to ceramics. It provides a huge space and opportunity for local people to get involved, and if given the support, will soon become an even stronger and more important community focus in
Hackney.
It is also part of the focus in the fight against the failing
Hackney council and hosted get-togethers where ideas and strategies could
be discussed and exchanged between the various campaign groups and
concerned locals, involved in the Hackney fight back campaign, including
the Hackney Heckler bulletin.
Benefit parties are regularly held for various campaign
groups, and these proved to be enormously popular, with DJs such as
Megabitch and local comedians like Rob Newman and Jeremy Hardyleaving
audiences laughing out loud at the audacity and inefficiency of Hackney
council. The nights offered far more than your average party and
incorporated performance, dance, circus, poetry and independent films and
guest speakers, including indigenous people from as far as Colombia,
sharing stories of their fights to retain land and autonomous spaces also
under threat from developers.
These benefits prove an invaluable additional resource for
keeping the building and campaign groups afloat - as well as providing the
local community with affordable entertainment and a place to socialise and
relax in their locality. Proof indeed that there is a great need for
such a place.
Atherden Community Centre also provides a forum and venue for
exploring new ways of community orgaisation, such as debates about
decision-making models, and the rotation of roles. It facilitates a search
for new values, criticise existing social models, fighting prejudice and
stereotypes, creates space for original viewpoints and individual
perspectives, and a chance to look at things differently. An autonomous social centre is a form of expression - of direct democracy in action not hypocritical distraction.
Lots of ripples will make a tidal wave. Make sure your part
of that new wave, offering support, time and action for the assured
continuance of this vital local space.
Contact Atherden center: 020 8525 0247 email: atherden@gmx.net
Address: 15 Atherden Road E5, Off Lower Clapton Road
Are planning to squat a big site with disused buildings and open land for farming. Looking for handy people or good childcarers.
After a successful event in Farringdon in March, TAA is back. Look
forward to a film night, art workshops, photography, sculpture,
video, painting, and more on the 23rd, 24th, 25th May 2001. The Random Artists behind this project draw their inspiration from the squat rave scene and tekno culture. Contributions welcome. GET IN TOUCH !!
A police campaign of violence against anti- capitalist activists began
at the weekend when they swooped on a squatted community building
and, with the help of bailiffs and the building's owners, vandalised
the former button factory, rendering it inhabitable. Mechanical
diggers were used to demolish part of the building.
Two hundred (if you read the Sunday Telegraph) or 150 (if you read
the Sunday Times) police officers were involved in the raid, even
though the building was known to be empty. Officers from the
Metropolitan, City and British Transport Police (if you get your news
from the BBC) or Special Branch overseen by MI5 (if you read the
Sunday Times) or riot police (if you read the Sunday Telegraph) were
involved in violence and property destruction. "We're the law, and
we can smash up what the fuck we like," a copper said, still sweating
from his exertions. "I wish you hadn't smashed the bogs up, I need a
shit," said another boy in blue.
There is a long history of squatting buildings for community purposes
in London, and in the Brixton area in particular. This squat was one
in a long line of previous squats (such as the Cool Tan - so called
because it was housed in a former sun tan lotion factory, and the old
Dole House). These squats have been used as meeting places for
community groups, and as art and entertainment spaces. However, in
recent years, a drive by local councillors to turn Brixton into a
high-rent Yuppy playground has led to widespread evictions of
squatters.
Anarchists squatted and continuously occupied the 121 centre on
Railton Road in Brixton for more than fifteen years. By law, the
building should have become the property of the occupants. However,
Lambeth Council decided that building a load of shopping complexes
was more important for Brixton's future than the existence of
vibrant, grassroots, community groups.
Big money is more important than little people, and as ever, the
police will always be on hand to effect the "legal" violence that
usually accompanies such evictions. For many years, councils have
employed professional "property destroyers" whose job it is to make
sure that squatted buildings - once evicted - cannot be used again.
For example, they might fill toilets with cement or take floor boards
out.
Now that they have smashed up the former button factory they say that
"a police presence will be maintained in the area to ensure community
safety." Funny that - coming from the same force that routinely
beats up Black men whilst in custody.
Source: http://uk.indymedia.org/
The Biblioteca Social Reconstruir is visited by investigators researching books, students researching thesis topics, professors, etc., but it is mainly frequented by liberationist youth [many of them punks and other working class kids] that look to the library for inspiration and
knowledge in the quest for freedom and justice for all. The BSR is also a meeting point for liberationist men and women from Mexico and many other parts of the world.
The BSR is the fruit of the labor of old friends who are no longer with us today. We were supported by the bibliographic funds of Marcos Alcon, Ignacio Portilla, Benjamin Cano Ruiz, Eliseo Rojas and Ricardo Mestre Ventura.
SOLIDARITY PETITION.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FOLLOWING FORM:
Address, telephone number, and e-mail (if available) of the collective or individual:
Thank you for any and all support.
BIBLIOTECA SOCIAL RECONSTRUIR
ARCHIVE: ATTACK has got some books, magazines etc. and wants to set up an archive. We are updating what we've got now and would be happy to fill our archive with more medias. Our archive is supposed to be a multi media archive and we can use every kind of prints, videos, tapes, cds and cd-roms etc.. There is no place in Croatia yet where people have access to political, cultural, ecological, feminist etc. medias for free in an alternativ space. We don't have a lot of money for this project. We wonder if you could contribute with any material or money, anything is welcome: any subject, language or media, but we're focused on alternative things. Please contact us to tell what you can spare, or to get more information about attack. We publish a newsletter in serbocroatian language every month that we can send you.
Thank you
The 121 Centre, 121 Railton Rd, Brixton SE24 UK has finally been evicted after 18 years. It was evicted by armed riot cops mid-September this year after barricaded occupation since January 28th. It was a long hard struggle and the Centre was lost with much local and international sadness. To anyone who ever visited the place since 1981 - love to you, we will remember you
all and thanks to everyone worldwide who tried their best to help us save the centre. So: The mailing adress of 121 Railton Rd, Brixton is defunct and after 18 years that's a lot of mail we were getting but we can't afford to have it forwarded (it costs per item). Best idea is to change your address labels and send stuff to: 56a Infoshop, 56 Crampton St, London SE17 U.K (Thurs + Frid from 3-7pm). This is the only remaining anarchist infoshop in South London. We've been here since 1991 and are still rocking on. We are an infoshop with all the
usual trappings (books, mags, t-shirts, badges, records etc). We operate London's only open-access Anarchist archive with thousands of titles (inc. leaflets and posters). This archive maintains itself mainly by donation so any mags, zines etc that want stuff archived but also freely available to browsers - put us on your freebie list and we'll thank you forever. No,
really we will! We also have occasional potluck dinners and cafes, meetings and special
events. We do squatting info and run a bicycle workshop. Come by and say hello.
We have e-mail and a web-site but no phone:-
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