Skip to content or view mobile version

Home | Mobile | Editorial | Mission | Privacy | About | Contact | Help | Security | Support

A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

SchNEWS 740: No Borders Camp, Brussels

SchNEWS | 23.09.2010 21:40 | Anti-racism | Culture | Free Spaces | Iraq | Migration | Palestine | Repression | Social Struggles | Terror War | South Coast | World

No Borders Camp 2010 in Brussels kicks off this Saturday (25th) til the 3rd October, so get yourself to the continent to make a start on creating a world where no one is illegal. Among the objectives of the camp are the denouncing of European migration policy; showing the links between this policy and the structures of capitalism and repression; the blocking of Brussels' deportation system and the organisation of an autonomous safe space for the voices of migrants and activists to be heard.

On the Newswire: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

In SchNEWS:1

Links:www.noborderbxl.eu.org


Where will it be?

The camp plans to take space at TOUR&TAXIS, a complex in the heart of Brussels with green areas and buildings usually used for conferences and events. There's plenty of room for upwards of 1,000 people and finding it is pretty easy once you're in the city, check out the travel advice on the website. There's also an anarchopedia website to find travelling partners or arrange liftshares. A decentralised info point will be set up at Gésu, an abandoned monastery which is squatted by around 130 people: from there you can find out what's going on at the camp.

How does it all work?

Different working groups have been responsible for different aspects of the camp and will continue to do so on site, although all decision are made by consensus. The program group co-ordinates proposals for workshops and affinity group actions, and sets locations and times for activities during the camp; the finance group and logistics group take care of money and materials. Support will be provided by the legal and medical teams. There is a dedicated Big Demo working group which is organising the mass action on the 2nd October but self-organised and autonomous actions are actively welcomed during the week too, with the mobilisation group on hand to help you out. The process group will be going round making sure that every proposal is running smoothly and nothing gets forgotten. Food will be cooked on site and organised by the kitchen team. Participation in these working groups is open to everyone at the camp.

A general assembly will be held every morning during the camp for decisions to be made, issues to be raised, and for briefings from the different working groups to be given. Workshops will also run throughout the week with a different theme each day: European migration policy, detention & deportations, capitalism & migration, the struggle of migrants, and the militarisation of borders, all culminating in the mass demo day on the 2nd, then debrief the day after. There will be photo exhibitions and a cinema showing informative films while other spaces in the city will host debates, gigs and cabaret. Download the preliminary program here.

There is a general policy of no photos or filming on site, even for campers. Journalists will be allowed into the area at allotted times, will be escorted, and if you're in shot, you'll be asked for your permission before they take any pictures or film. A dedicated media team will be taking care of this.

What do I need?

Whatever camping gear will make you comfy, and if you're happy to leave stuff like tents and sleeping bags behind at the camp after you leave, it will go to migrants and activists who are camping out permanently in Calais and Brussels and desperately need it.

The logistics group also have a long wishlist of tat and equipment which you can find on the website, so have a read through before you leave in case you happen to be the one who has 300m of plumbing hose lying around in your back garden.

And the coppers?

Generally aren't that bad, and the legal team will be on hand, but there are a few things to watch out for..

Belgian police like to break cameras so although its not forbidden to film them or take pictures, make sure you're doing it out of arms reach.

It's an offence to cover your face with masks, scarves or make-up in Brussels so be prepared to get arrested and have a fine slapped on you if you can't overcome your shyness.

Obviously don't bring anything that can be considered a weapon (even instructions for an oragami crowbar) and if they find drugs on you (even cannabis) they'll arrest and/or fine you.

The Belgian police do use pepper spray, horses and sometimes water cannons for 'riot control'.

If you're a foreigner, the police can hold you for a maximum of 24 hours without charge. The clock starts from the moment they grab you – not when you get to the police station or are put in a van.

You don't have to give your name at any point during your Belgian custodial experience, but if you don't, it's likely you'll be held for the maximum possible time while they try and find out who you are. Staying anonymous won't stop you from getting charged and sentenced if the police are determined to follow through on an arrest.

As they arrest you they have to tell you what it's for, and if you are released without charge, you'll be asked to sign a register that details who the arresting officer was, why they took you into custody, and the times of your arrest and release. If the details aren't complete or you don't think they're right, don't sign it.

If they do charge you, and haven't released you after 24hrs, it mean that a judge has issued an arrest warrant and a trial will follow. The police can hold you like this for up to 5 days, and you only get the right to a lawyer once the arrest warrant has been issued.

As standard, keep schtum and decline to answer any questions or make any statements, and don't sign a written statement or 'proces verbaal' (PV) as its known in Belgium.

You have the normal rights to a translator, food and hygiene supplies and medical aid.

If they try and deport you at any point, they'll have to get you to sign a deportation order. Don't do it. You're protected as an EU citizen so tell them you're appealing on the basis of EU law.

See the camp legal guide here.

Anything else?

Spread the word and get channel-hopping. Feel free to keep SchNEWS updated on how its going via the comments on this article on our website, or by email: mail@schnews.org.uk.

Also in SchNEWS 740: Rewrite His-Tory - Angry at the cuts? The new government? Capitalism in general? Head down to Brum to take it out on the Tory party conference. | All Mex'd Up - Besieged Mexican autonomous community San Juan Copala evacuated after outbreak of paramilitary violence | Running Ham-Mock - Shenanigans-a-plenty in a week's round-up from Rossport | Stockholme Syndrome - Swedes hit the streets after electoral success of far-right party | Good Chap on Trial - British protester stitched up by Greek police after anti-EU protests in 2003 set to appeal eight-year jail sentence. | SchNEWS in Brief - EDL flash mobs hit the North East while new Wildkatz squatted social centre set to open near Brighton. | And Finally - Colombian drugs parrot doing bird after police raid

SchNEWS
- e-mail: mail@schnews.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.schnews.org.uk

Comments

Display the following 14 comments

  1. mass arrests and time line of events — London NoBorders
  2. No Borders Clowns are Capitalist Lackeys — Londoner
  3. actually londoner — suicide causer
  4. Free Market in Labour means lower wages — Londoner
  5. @londoner — internationalist
  6. cultural destruction — flubber
  7. @flubber - Cultural evolution — John Smith
  8. Go Fuck Yourself!! — No Borders
  9. You fuck yourself — borders
  10. Calm down ladies — Bufton Tufton
  11. analysis / back to drawing board — dumb and dumber
  12. to the chauvinist dumbasses — No Borderer
  13. OK — BufTuf
  14. foolish and naive — dumb and dumber
Upcoming Coverage
View and post events
Upcoming Events UK
24th October, London: 2015 London Anarchist Bookfair
2nd - 8th November: Wrexham, Wales, UK & Everywhere: Week of Action Against the North Wales Prison & the Prison Industrial Complex. Cymraeg: Wythnos o Weithredu yn Erbyn Carchar Gogledd Cymru

Ongoing UK
Every Tuesday 6pm-8pm, Yorkshire: Demo/vigil at NSA/NRO Menwith Hill US Spy Base More info: CAAB.

Every Tuesday, UK & worldwide: Counter Terror Tuesdays. Call the US Embassy nearest to you to protest Obama's Terror Tuesdays. More info here

Every day, London: Vigil for Julian Assange outside Ecuadorian Embassy

Parliament Sq Protest: see topic page
Ongoing Global
Rossport, Ireland: see topic page
Israel-Palestine: Israel Indymedia | Palestine Indymedia
Oaxaca: Chiapas Indymedia
Regions
All Regions
Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World
Other Local IMCs
Bristol/South West
Nottingham
Scotland
Social Media
You can follow @ukindymedia on indy.im and Twitter. We are working on a Twitter policy. We do not use Facebook, and advise you not to either.
Support Us
We need help paying the bills for hosting this site, please consider supporting us financially.
Other Media Projects
Schnews
Dissident Island Radio
Corporate Watch
Media Lens
VisionOnTV
Earth First! Action Update
Earth First! Action Reports
Topics
All Topics
Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista
Major Reports
NATO 2014
G8 2013
Workfare
2011 Census Resistance
Occupy Everywhere
August Riots
Dale Farm
J30 Strike
Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands
G20 London Summit
University Occupations for Gaza
Guantanamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
COP15 Climate Summit 2009
Carmel Agrexco
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Stop Sequani
Stop RWB
Climate Camp 2008
Oaxaca Uprising
Rossport Solidarity
Smash EDO
SOCPA
Past Major Reports
Encrypted Page
You are viewing this page using an encrypted connection. If you bookmark this page or send its address in an email you might want to use the un-encrypted address of this page.
If you recieved a warning about an untrusted root certificate please install the CAcert root certificate, for more information see the security page.

Global IMC Network


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech