[Imc-uk-network] April call out for autonomous centres. http://april2008.squat.net

[Mick Fuzz]

This is an email to to the social centres network,
with other networks included. apologies for the
slightly random nature of it. 

> plus i'd be very surprised to see a rural social
> centre in the british context.
> 

I'm interested in this especially in the context of
the Call for decentralised days of action for squats
and autonomous centres - 

"On Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th of April
2008, we call for two days of demonstration, direct
action, public information, street-party, squatting...
in defence of free spaces and for an anti-capitalist
popular culture."

http://april2008.squat.net 

in their call out, they talk of  

"Whether we speak of urban squats or of purchased
land, of negotiated or re-appropriated rural land, of
restored factories or self-built buildings, these
spaces are refuges for rebels and outlaws, poor and
homeless people, radical activists, illegal
immigrants. Social centres are crucial to us as part
of a movement for social change."

I think that it is more rare for this to be rural in
the British context. 

However there are rural social projects that are
autonomous and non-hierarchical, and it would be good
to build solidarity with them. I'm thinking of a few
projects specifically that do need input and support
now. 
http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/index.php?one=pnm&two=pnm

Also I'm interested in some kind of level of
collaboration between the social centres network and
networks like Radical Routes (housing collectives) and
Indymedia (info collectives), on a more project based
level, rather than their being general overlap. 

It seems like the april day of action has potential
for these networks to work together. And in fact it
does already seem to be happening with Radical Routes
offering £400 for groups taking part in the call to
action.

http://www.wombles.org.uk/article2007121421.php
 
There are 2 gatherings happening at the same time -
9/10th feb -  Radical Routes and Indymedia. 

Indymedia:
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/UkNetworkMeeting2008

Radical Routes:
http://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/

There is also a network that I've been involved in for
may a year that is occasionally  involved in
collaborative actions on anti-globalisation, certainly
anti-authoritarian issues, that again i think it would
be really good to link up with on this issue. 

Temporary Autonomous Arts and Network23.org / free
tekno festival related projects. 

This is a massive european underground of collectives
doing free events. Recently in the UK that network has
matured with art events happening with political cross
over in London, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh etc. 

Maybe the social centre network can take an active
role in planning activities that do involved some
overlap between the networks mentioned in this email. 

We're dealing with a very large cross over of networks
here, and if we want to take effective or visible
action in april, then it might be good to use the
establishes centres to help co-ordinate this. 

niceone
mick