Student Solidarity Demonstration in Kyiv

On 17 November students of Kyiv celebrated their professional holiday with a protest action “Student’s Day. Break the Wall”. They were protesting against the repressive education system and expressing their solidarity with students in Austria and Germany that occupied more than 70 universities.

In front of the main Red Building of Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv an independent student union "Direct Action" made a performance symbolizing overthrow of the existing education system.

While Pink Floyd music (‘We don’t need no education…”) was playing, the students went behind a screen with the words "education system" on it and came out in similar robot masks. A few minutes later smoke went out from the screen followed by some small explosions. After this symbolic wall representing repressive education fell down and two dozen students took off the masks and displayed a banner with the words "Student Solidarity”.

The Union activists believe that modern education brings to students stereotyped thinking, conformism and competition spirit among the students. Instead, free education should bring mutual solidarity and ability to question things.

The participants of the demo stated: "While in Ukraine the Bologna system is being introduced only now, students and teachers in Europe have already started with her uncompromising struggle. In Austria and Germany more than 70 universities are occupied, and today there are demonstrations with hundred thousand participants in these countries. Also pupils in Greece started school occupation out of solidarity."  In solidarity with European colleagues, the students were holding banners that were aimed to support calls for protests in Austria, Germany and Greece.

"Direct Action" activists also reminded that the International Students' Day is celebrated in order to commemorate the murder of five students and teachers who came to protest in Prague and were killed by Nazis.  "In a situation of total absence of any rights the students have nothing to celebrate!" the participants emphasized that in a situation of total absence of any rights the students have nothing to celebrate.  In their view, the Students' Day in Ukraine should gain its initial meaning as the students’ rights day.

Source: http://direct-action.org.ua/?fn_mode=fullnews&fn_id=114

Solidarity Demosntartion

On November 17 a group of 10 activists and students came to the Austrian embassy to express their support to and solidarity with Austrian students and squatters.
The demonstration started at 10-20 a.m. after majority of people gathered on the opposite side of the street. 

First, we tried to ring the bell of the embassy, so that someone will go outside and take the support letters addressed at the Austrian ambassador in Hungary. Unfortunately, these tries had no result, as nobody came out. Then we started the demonstration itself. We wanted to put the transparencies and banners on the windows of the embassy, but as the embassy building belongs to Austria, and not Hungary, we could not do that. Instead, we were just holding the transparencies and standing in front of embassy. 


At 10-35 the official part started. I held a speech about the reasons for us to gather in the morning in front of the Austrian embassy instead of doing other things. 

Two major reasons were the following:
- Solidarity with Austrian students who occupied the universities to protest against fees increase and discrimination. The date, 17 November, was chosen due to the fact that 9-18 November are the Global Week of Action "Education is not for Sale". During this week a number of solidarity actions, demonstrations and blockades of the universities were taking place all around the world, from US to Bangladesh.  
- Solidarity with squatters from Vienna who were evicted on 12 October from the newly squatted building in Vienna that was supposed to become a new social center.

During the speech some people were going out and in the embassy, and we were asking them to take the letters to the ambassador. At last one person agreed to call some official representative who could take the letters. At the very end of the speech, the door opened and two people went out. The person who was an official representative was friendly, and listened to the reasons for us being there with interest. Then he took the letters and promised to give them to the ambassador. 

After this each of us expressed our reasons of being present at the demonstration. The major reason was, apparently, solidarity with Austrian students and squatters. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to leave the transparencies at the embassy or on the trees in front of it. Therefore we took them with us and brought to the university of Fine Arts where an informal lecture on student occupations and demonstrations is planned on 18 November - the last day of the action week.

Are You An Anarchist? The Answer May Suprise You!

Chances are you have already heard something about who anarchists are and what they are supposed to believe. Chances are almost everything you have heard is nonsense. Many people seem to think that anarchists are proponents of violence, chaos, and destruction, that they are against all forms of order and organization, or that they are crazed nihilists who just want to blow everything up. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Anarchists are simply people who believe human beings are capable of behaving in a reasonable fashion without having to be forced to. It is really a very simple notion. But it's one that the rich and powerful have always found extremely dangerous.

Read more...

On a need of ideological background for antifascists (In Russian)

Аполитичный Антирасизм В последние годы в российском антифашистском движении четко прослеживается нездоровая тенденция оттока кадров. Причины сложившейся ситуации в каждом случае примерно одинаковы. Активисты разочаровываются в плодах своей деятельности: количество нацистов в результате физического противостояния им на улицах не уменьшается, а само движение находится в стагнации, в связи с отсутствием новых идей и тактик. Возникает историческая необходимость эволюции антирасистских инициатив. Читать полностью...

D. E. M. O.: Solidarity with Austrian Students and Squatters

Time: 10a.m., 17 November
Place: Austrian embassy, 6th district, Benczúr utca 16 (close to Andrassy)
IMPORTANT: It will be legal and take place for sure. The police allowed to make the d.e.m.o.
Scope: the d.e.m.o.n.s.t.r.a.t.i.o.n.  is mainly dedicated to the following:

1) We want to express solidarity with Austrian students that were and/are occupying the universities in Austria in October-November. This action is held within the "Education is NOT for $A£€ - Global Week of Action" [Nov.9-18th].
http://emancipating-education-for-all.org/

2) We want to express our solidarity with the squatters that were evicted on 12 October in Vienna.
http://hausprojekt.noblogs.org/category/untersttzen
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/10/439765.html

Stencil Workshop

In order to commemorate INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST FACISM AND ANTISEMITISM which is on 9 November, Budapest Infoshop organizes a stencil workshop this Monday at 7-30. We will make some antifa and related stencils, but other ideas are welcomed!
Please, bring small cutters if you have them and some pieces of thick paper or plastic sheets, as well as some balloons with paint for practicing spraying the stencils.

9 November: INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST FACISM AND ANTISEMITISM

The World March for Peace and Nonviolence

http://www.theworldmarch.org/

http://www.vilagbekemenet.hu/portal/index.php/aktualitasok/566-megerkezettamenet