Aubonne Case: International Anti-Repression Gathering
bug | 06.05.2004 15:00 | Repression
On June 28th in Switzerland the court case against four people from the affinity group (including the climbers) will take place
On June 28th in Switzerland the court case against four people from the affinity group (including the climbers) will take place - ironically, they have all been charged with blocking the traffic and endangering human life. We would like to use the weekend before the court case (26-27th June) as an opportunity to bring people together to discuss proposals to create a stronger and more effective anti-repression network in Europe, with a particular emphasis on raising awareness of and dealing with repression-related trauma.
Anti- Repression Gathering around the Aubonne Court case
26-28th of June 2004 in Geneva
The Aubonne Bridge Action
The Aubonne collective was created to support two climbers whose rope was cut by police during a blockade against the G8 summit in Evian, Summer 2003. One climber fell 20 metres, survived due to incredible luck, breaking his back, pelvis and left foot. Almost one year later he is still dependent on physiotherapist treatment. The other activist was saved from falling by the quick reaction of her support team, but is still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Other people have also been traumatised by the incident.
During our work, raising awareness about the case and directly support the affected activists, we have realised that our capacity (“us” personally, and “us” as a “movement”) to support groups and individuals in the face of such repression is really limited. This appears to be an ongoing problem for all groups and individuals working on anti-repression issues, and a source of anxiety for all of us who risk facing jail or hospital at some point.
Our personal experiences around this incident and our contact with other victims of repression have made us aware that dealing with the trauma that often follows such situations is as important as dealing with the legal and political circumstances, but can be the most neglected aspect of the support work, with enormous long-term, emotional consequences for the people involved.
Anti - Repression Gathering
On June 28th in Switzerland the court case against four people from the affinity group (including the climbers) will take place - ironically, they have all been charged with blocking the traffic and endangering human life. We would like to use the weekend before the court case (26-27th June) as an opportunity to bring people together to discuss proposals to create a stronger and more effective anti-repression network in Europe, with a particular emphasis on raising awareness of and dealing with repression-related trauma.
We expect a great variety of people from different places in Europe to come. This invitation will be sent to groups and organisations of different countries who are actively involved or interested in anti- repression work of different areas, such as solidarity networks, human rights groups, prisoners’ support organisations, refugee support groups etc.
We want this to be an open, diverse and inclusive gathering.
The issues that we would like to concentrate on are:
· Promote detailed awareness as to the many different cases of repression that have happened recently…. the Thessaloniki 7, Genoa (victims of Diaz- School), those still in jail from Gothenburg…. To compare and contrast different 1st hand accounts to work out which tactics have been successful, what infrastructure, skills and resources we are lacking.
· How we can coordinate and make more effective (international) pressure in responding to these cases as well as police impunity, also regarding preparative anti- repression work as an important part of organising events
· As a central subject, the ongoing mental trauma that people face is of great concern to us, it is something we often overlook but the effects of repression are long lasting and often lead on to other problems. We will be spending considerable part of the weekend discussing trauma and plan to invite trauma counsellors to attend, in order to explore possibilities of creating mental health support group.
If you would like to offer a talk/discussion/workshop/video on any issue around “(anti-) repression”, please contact us, so that we can include it into the program. Equally, if you know interested people to contact, please do so, or pass on the information. There will be people presenting experiences of the “big cases” (Genoa, Thessaloniki…) which doesn’t mean that “smaller cases” are being overlooked. So if you wanna talk about a case that wasn’t globally recognised, feel free to do so.
The Court Case
On the Monday following the gathering, we would like to invite everyone to attend a non- violent, symbolic action outside of the courthouse in Nyon, near Geneva, during the trial. It will start at 9 am and will probably be finished at around 2 pm. We see this as one of the few opportunities left to publicise the issue once more and to question publicly the impunity of police in this and many other cases.
More details
The gathering will take place from the 26th to 27th of June (Saturday - Sunday) in a social centre in Geneva called L’usine (information how to arrive will be available on www.aubonnebridge.net soon). The court case will be on the 28th (Monday) 9 am in Nyon, not far from Geneva.
It is meant to be a working meeting rather than a festival.
Accommodation and food will be provided (but don’t forget your sleeping bag and mat). Since we want this to be a self- organised event, we expect everybody to proactively take part in cooking- and cleaning etc. tasks. Playback facilities to show videos will be provided. We will have to ask for a low daily contribution from everybody and unfortunately will not be able to help with any travel expenses.
Please confirm your attendance beforehand via Email (below), so that we can calculate numbers (important !) and write 2-3 sentences about your main interested to take part in the gathering. Since our capacities are generally limited (up to 100 people), we might see ourselves in a situation where we cannot accept more participants.
The proposed program for the two days, although still in process, so far is:
Saturday:
9 am Introductions and go round (Peoples expectations of coming to the meeting etc).
10 am Presentation of and exchange on cases, from Genoa, Thessaloniki, Aubonne, Gothenburg, others
1.30 pm Lunch.
2.30 pm Presentation on new (and existing) EU legislation relating to activists
4 pm European Anti-rep network meeting
6 pm Working on and discussing the Action for Monday (Painting banners, Press release etc.)
8 pm Delicious food
9 pm DJ's
Sunday
10 am Workshops on Trauma (in parallel)
1.30 pm Lunch
2.30 pm Follow- up on Network discussion, evaluation
4.30-6.00 pm Final co-ordination and division of tasks for action
After the action planning: Open space for what people feel is necessary
8 pm Dinner
After Dinner: More Open Space (e.g.Videos, more discussion etc.)
Monday
7 am Waking up, quick Breakfast
8 am Leaving for court case (15 - 30 min. by train)
Contacts
aubonne@no-log.org
escanda-info@gmx.net
www.aubonnebridge.net
Anti- Repression Gathering around the Aubonne Court case
26-28th of June 2004 in Geneva
The Aubonne Bridge Action
The Aubonne collective was created to support two climbers whose rope was cut by police during a blockade against the G8 summit in Evian, Summer 2003. One climber fell 20 metres, survived due to incredible luck, breaking his back, pelvis and left foot. Almost one year later he is still dependent on physiotherapist treatment. The other activist was saved from falling by the quick reaction of her support team, but is still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Other people have also been traumatised by the incident.
During our work, raising awareness about the case and directly support the affected activists, we have realised that our capacity (“us” personally, and “us” as a “movement”) to support groups and individuals in the face of such repression is really limited. This appears to be an ongoing problem for all groups and individuals working on anti-repression issues, and a source of anxiety for all of us who risk facing jail or hospital at some point.
Our personal experiences around this incident and our contact with other victims of repression have made us aware that dealing with the trauma that often follows such situations is as important as dealing with the legal and political circumstances, but can be the most neglected aspect of the support work, with enormous long-term, emotional consequences for the people involved.
Anti - Repression Gathering
On June 28th in Switzerland the court case against four people from the affinity group (including the climbers) will take place - ironically, they have all been charged with blocking the traffic and endangering human life. We would like to use the weekend before the court case (26-27th June) as an opportunity to bring people together to discuss proposals to create a stronger and more effective anti-repression network in Europe, with a particular emphasis on raising awareness of and dealing with repression-related trauma.
We expect a great variety of people from different places in Europe to come. This invitation will be sent to groups and organisations of different countries who are actively involved or interested in anti- repression work of different areas, such as solidarity networks, human rights groups, prisoners’ support organisations, refugee support groups etc.
We want this to be an open, diverse and inclusive gathering.
The issues that we would like to concentrate on are:
· Promote detailed awareness as to the many different cases of repression that have happened recently…. the Thessaloniki 7, Genoa (victims of Diaz- School), those still in jail from Gothenburg…. To compare and contrast different 1st hand accounts to work out which tactics have been successful, what infrastructure, skills and resources we are lacking.
· How we can coordinate and make more effective (international) pressure in responding to these cases as well as police impunity, also regarding preparative anti- repression work as an important part of organising events
· As a central subject, the ongoing mental trauma that people face is of great concern to us, it is something we often overlook but the effects of repression are long lasting and often lead on to other problems. We will be spending considerable part of the weekend discussing trauma and plan to invite trauma counsellors to attend, in order to explore possibilities of creating mental health support group.
If you would like to offer a talk/discussion/workshop/video on any issue around “(anti-) repression”, please contact us, so that we can include it into the program. Equally, if you know interested people to contact, please do so, or pass on the information. There will be people presenting experiences of the “big cases” (Genoa, Thessaloniki…) which doesn’t mean that “smaller cases” are being overlooked. So if you wanna talk about a case that wasn’t globally recognised, feel free to do so.
The Court Case
On the Monday following the gathering, we would like to invite everyone to attend a non- violent, symbolic action outside of the courthouse in Nyon, near Geneva, during the trial. It will start at 9 am and will probably be finished at around 2 pm. We see this as one of the few opportunities left to publicise the issue once more and to question publicly the impunity of police in this and many other cases.
More details
The gathering will take place from the 26th to 27th of June (Saturday - Sunday) in a social centre in Geneva called L’usine (information how to arrive will be available on www.aubonnebridge.net soon). The court case will be on the 28th (Monday) 9 am in Nyon, not far from Geneva.
It is meant to be a working meeting rather than a festival.
Accommodation and food will be provided (but don’t forget your sleeping bag and mat). Since we want this to be a self- organised event, we expect everybody to proactively take part in cooking- and cleaning etc. tasks. Playback facilities to show videos will be provided. We will have to ask for a low daily contribution from everybody and unfortunately will not be able to help with any travel expenses.
Please confirm your attendance beforehand via Email (below), so that we can calculate numbers (important !) and write 2-3 sentences about your main interested to take part in the gathering. Since our capacities are generally limited (up to 100 people), we might see ourselves in a situation where we cannot accept more participants.
The proposed program for the two days, although still in process, so far is:
Saturday:
9 am Introductions and go round (Peoples expectations of coming to the meeting etc).
10 am Presentation of and exchange on cases, from Genoa, Thessaloniki, Aubonne, Gothenburg, others
1.30 pm Lunch.
2.30 pm Presentation on new (and existing) EU legislation relating to activists
4 pm European Anti-rep network meeting
6 pm Working on and discussing the Action for Monday (Painting banners, Press release etc.)
8 pm Delicious food
9 pm DJ's
Sunday
10 am Workshops on Trauma (in parallel)
1.30 pm Lunch
2.30 pm Follow- up on Network discussion, evaluation
4.30-6.00 pm Final co-ordination and division of tasks for action
After the action planning: Open space for what people feel is necessary
8 pm Dinner
After Dinner: More Open Space (e.g.Videos, more discussion etc.)
Monday
7 am Waking up, quick Breakfast
8 am Leaving for court case (15 - 30 min. by train)
Contacts
aubonne@no-log.org escanda-info@gmx.net www.aubonnebridge.net
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