Activism U.K.

A Call for International Days of Action in Support of Alexei Gaskarov and Maxim Solopov

September 17–20, 2010

On July 28, 2010, more than two hundred young antifascists and anarchists carried out a spontaneous demonstration outside the town administration building in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow. They demonstrated in defense of the Khimki Forest, which was at that time in the process of beings cutting down for the needs of big business. The demonstration, during which several windows were broken, received a great deal of public attention. The authorities responded with a wave of repressions. The day after the demonstration, two well-known social activists, Alexei Gaskarov and Maxim Solopov, were arrested. They are now threatened with up to seven years in prison for disorderly conduct, although there is no evidence of their complicity in illegal activities. Meanwhile, the police continue to hunt down and harass other activists, especially those involved in the antifascist movement.

( Collapse )

We ask you to hold protests outside of Russian Federation embassies, consulates, trade missions, and cultural centers, as well as at public events and concerts connected to Russia. We also ask you to send faxes, e-mails, and protest letters to the court, the prosecutor’s office, and the country’s political leadership. In the very nearfuture we will inform you of addresses where you can send these protests as well as more details about the ongoing repressions in Russia. Look for this information on our website http://khimkibattle.org in English, German, Russian, and French.

Join our campaign!

Campaign for the Release of the Khimki Hostages

+7 (915) 053-5912 * info@khimkibattle.org * http://khimkibattle.org
http://khimkibattle.org/?p=302〈=en

I'm working on revamping my website and turning it into more of an e-zine and resource centre. I'd like to include articles written by as many different people as I can, and include links to good websites. I want it to focus mainly on the subjects of feminism, anarchism, cannabis activism, anti-racism/sexism/homophobia/consumerism, environmentalism and that kind of jazz, but I will consider anything really.

If you have any links or anything you've written yourself that you think might fit, please let me know and I will gladly consider it.

I’ve just joined the Make Animal Testing History virtual march. We’re marching in support of updating Europe’s law on animal experiments to better protect animals and increase action on non-animal alternatives. Join me on the march!

www.makeanimaltestinghistory.org

I am most curious to know your thoughts on the following manuscript, http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/fra…

Though I understand that it is by now rather old hat, and you may well criticise me for being less than 'chic', as is the revolutionary way.
I post the article, manifesto, whathaveyou as it seems to have certain ideas that belong to the mainstream of society, presuming one accepts that the mildly alternative is now the mainstream of the wealthy west.
I would be interested to know how much you concur with the ideas written (if at all) and if there is any sympathy for the man and his crimes within this community.

Britain is officially the most 'watched' nation on earth. With less than 1 per cent of the global population, Britain can boast 20 per cent of the world's closed-circuit TV cameras; the average inhabitant is caught on camera 300 times a day. Despite this erosion of personal privacy by the omnipresent cameras, and the regular mislaying of data-sensitive files and computers by government employees in 2008, few Britains have so far complained.
Source - NewInternationalist Jan/Feb 2009.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/m…

(cross-posted, apologies)

I realize, many people here won't agree with me that some level of the State's repressions sometimes benefits to the Art. In some circumstances these mobilize the creative activity. Becouse the artist clearly sees in front of him injustice and malformed and reflects it some way. But if he simply pressed with impersonal force such as money, market etc., he often becomes demoralized. Here's example. Some Russian artists stood with the masks and posters near the vote station at the last parliamentary elections in Russia. "I sell my vote for drink!" was written on their posters. So they expressed their protest against election's irregularities. Next minute they all were captured by the police.

Some other thoughts about art and its environment see in the article below.

The art is died. Long live the art!

There is fairly widespread view that the art is died. This opinion we can see not only in the art community, but also among people who interested in the arts. Many people believe that artists can't say anything new and any new forms can't appears. One can only re-quote and outplay something that was already expressed by somebody. We, supposedly, can only compete with each other in epatage. This viewpoint is quite coordinated to the dominant spirit of our age - postmodernism.

Certainly, the art comes at deadlock. But what is it? Death or crisis? Is it transition in something new?
( Collapse )

( Collapse )

We the modern artists appeal to Mr Obama to support the manifesto "Dyudrok" - the programm of new reality. We hope, that if he will be elected President of the US give it for the consideration of US Congress.

Manifesto "Dyudrok"

(New Experimental Art)

1. In connection with the so-called global crisis art movement "POP-REVOLUTION"
(with the partial assistance of ART-REVOLUTION) and the artist Artyom Suslov
as well as several other free artists decided to create and implement the concept of
promotion of new art "Dyudrok."

The essence of this art is to re-establish the own way of avant-garde and surrealism.
Dyudrok included any avant-garde and modern art with blurred boundaries of genres and
unlimited fantasy of the author.

At the moment, the world economic system as well as world political system infringe
on the majority of rights, freedoms, opportunities and even hopes of man.
In this regard, decreasing the creative capacity of most people because
it decreases the level and scope of vision as well as the hope of translating its
into reality. At the time of the current crisis, a simple man forgets about high ideals,
he dreams at a low level. Dyudrok must to protect people from objective reality.
We believe - the objective reality that is at this level of crisis can and should move to
second place. We have the right to push it into second place if we give to the man a
new reality, which will carry the title of "objective". what is now "objective" will take
second place, or just disappear for a man.

Accordingly, we believe that everyone, regardless of his religious beliefs, his status in
the society, and regardless of the sanctions, which in future could be taken against the
"Dyudrok" has the right to go to the new reality at any time, partially or completely .

2. In our view, any human rights organization and any commission or authority that
to deal with human rights have the obligation to protect the right of every adult
in the transition, partial or complete, in a different reality.

3. If the man who entirely gone in a different reality according with the laws of this reality
can no longer be capable - this is his personal decision as the new reality does not contradict
the existing laws and not causing harm to anyone. Neither does the campaign leading cause harm.
No one is obliged to support the individual's life in old reality when he left a letter of
advice (note) with the signatures of witnesses.

4. The departure of a reality, as well as assistance in this, not an injury to humans,
because the only thing involved in this process - the human imagination.
But imagination does not belong to the bodi, as well as the experiments of the imagination
is not harmful for the rights of mental functions.
Accordingly, there is no room for any regulations on the intentional infliction of harm or death to
humans. Also note that imagination is fully subject to his master.

5. Relatives and friends of man who passed away in a different reality have the right to challenge the
decision through the courts or through the human rights organizations and and demand to return
him to the reality in which they are located. In doing so, c. 5 is partly contrary to the core - 1 item,
and further debate on this soil can be resolved only in the mutual agreement of the parties.

6. As Dyudrok is not limited with anything and depends only on the human imagination,
it does not conflict with any law and religious customs.

7. For the same reason (not limited and opportunity
giving own properties) Dyudrok and concept its development
and its veneration is not any organization or religion
nor the political movement. Because Dyudrok do not have its own symbols and beliefs.

The author of the Manifesto is Artyom Suslov.
Art - Movement "POP-REVOLUTION"

Anti-Militarist Gathering – 29th & 30th November – 60 The Pleasance,
Edinburgh

A gathering of reflection and planning for a new anti-militarist movement.


It should be clear by now that, whatever success the left and the peace movements have had, we are at the moment utterly incapable of doing more than generating good media coverage. It is time that we realized our collective strength. It is time that we looked beyond the ethics of banner waving to what we can achieve through direct action. In short, it’s time to move from anti-war protesting to anti-war resistance.

This movement has already begun. Smash EDO have taken its fight to the streets of Brighton, army recruitment centres across the UK get their windows smashed and daubed in graffiti on a regular basis and recently the rooftop of Ratheon Systems in Bristol was occupied, Nuclear bases at Faslane and Aldermaston have been besieged by blockaders, some examples of a huge number of ongoing campaigns and battles to shut arms factories, suppliers and military bases.

This is a call out to mobilise against militarism in the UK. In November 2009 the NATO Parliamentary Assembly will meet in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre for five days of talks. Over 600 delegates from member states will gather to scheme and plot the extension of western imperialism through the so-called 'North Atlantic Treaty Organisation'.

This is a call out inviting you to the Anti-Militarist Gathering, taking place on Saturday and Sunday 29th & 30th November 2008, in The Societies Centre, 60 The Pleasance, Edinburgh. The gathering will take a critical look at the current state of the anti-militarist/anti-war/peace movement in the UK, celebrating the movement's successes and analysing its shortcomings, as well as providing a forum to discuss how we can build an anti-militarist movement capable of resisting and stopping current and future militarism and aggressive state violence. The gathering will also aim to bring together a broad-based network of groups and individuals to begin mobilising for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly that will take place 13th-17th November 2009.

Join us in Edinburgh 29th & 30th November 2008 for a weekend of reflection and planning for a new anti-militarist movement.

Crash space and kids space will be provided and all venues are wheelchair accessible.

Email us at: edinburghantimilitarists[at]riseup.net

Check: http://edinantimil.livejournal.com for updates and more information



Edinburgh Anti-Militarists are a collective of individuals who have only recently begun working on this gathering and subsequent mobilisation against the NATO Parliamentary Assembly – we are also very in need of funding. If you are able to make a donation to the gathering in order to cover its various costs, we would very much appreciate it. You can send a cheque payable to 'Edinburgh Anti-Militarists' c/o Edinburgh Peace and Justice Resource Centre, St John's Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ.