Anarchistische Groep Nijmegen - English

Hambach forest poli party - the Black Lodge

Landrot — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:58:53 +0000

It's getting colder and colder, the nights are getting longer. But somewhere out in the night, people are partying. Have a damn good cup of coffee, and dance away. Egdol kcalb eht ot emoc!

The Black Lodge is a solidarity dance party with a surrealistic Twin Peaks theme. We're raising money for the Hambach Forest occupation.
"Hambach forest is an old growth forest in the west of Germany. Everything that has evolved here over thousands of years is now being destroyed to make space for a continually expanding lignite coal mine. For decades people have been resisting this profit driven destruction and for five years the forest is occupied with treehouses." For more information, go to www.hambachforest.org

To help raise money for the Hambi occupation you can make a voluntary donation at the door, and we wil also sell delicious vegan cherry pie :)

for more info go to the facebook event page

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Basta: The EU-Turkey Deal: Is this a solution for the migration crisis?

withdefiance — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:09:39 +0000

The European Union is trying “control” the current refugee influx in Europe and does so by using many different tools. Older tools for example are the requirement of a Visa or the founding of Frontex. A more recent tool has been the new agreement between the EU and Turkey.

The EU-Turkey, signed on the 18th of March, was presented as the solution for the refugees "crisis". It would supposedly stop the deadly boat trips refugees were willing to take and thus control the amount of refugees coming to Europe. However a deeper look into it, as well as these two months it has been in place for, make it look like more of problem than a solution for the refugees.

That is why in this Basta we will analyze the EU-Turkey deal in depth. We will also use it as an example for a broader look into the effects and consequences of border control.

These are the questions we will answer:

What are the consequences of the EU-turkey deal?
What role did the Netherlands play in this?
Are there any precedents of this deal?

Speakers to be announced soon! More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1600900006904103/

Date: 2 June at 19:30
Location: De Kargadoor, Oudegracht 36, 3511 AP Utrecht
Hosted by Kritische Studenten Utrecht (https://kritischestudentenutrecht.wordpress.com/)

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TranScreen film festival

hannieschaft — Tue, 24 May 2016 19:56:59 +0000

TranScreen, the famous transgender film festival, comes back to Nijmegen this year. The collaboration between the TranScreen group and the Trangendergroup Nijmegen will bring you a day full of trans* movies and discussions. On Saturday, 28th May, with two afternoon short films sessions and a movie in the evening. Have a look at the program:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1400150316953199/

All movies are free, so be there Saturday May 28th, from 14.30 at the Klinker, van Broeckhuysenstraat 46, Nijmegen.

Met afterparty in de Onderbroek!

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Openavond AGN - Nieuwjaarsborrel en launch inBeweging #7

withdefiance — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:49:35 +0000

Woensdagavond 13 januari organiseren we met de Anarchistische Groep Nijmegen (AGN) een openavond waarop we de nieuwe inBeweging - magazine van de AGN - lanceren. We willen deze avond met lezers en belangstellenden in gesprek over de onderwerpen die in deze InBeweging worden behandeld. Tevens willen we met deze activiteit het nieuwe jaar inluiden als nieuwjaarsborrel en mensen in de gelegenheid stellen om met ons in contact te komen.

Je kunt een kopie van de inBeweging in Nijmegen vinden in de Grote Broek, en in andere steden als Amsterdam in het Fort van Sjakoo, de anarchistische bieb de Bollox en de Vrankrijk, in Den Haag in het Autonoom Centrum en in Groningen in oa. boekhandel Rosa en het Sociaal Centrum Groningen.

Komende weken gaan we de inBeweging ook op straat verspreiden. Maandag 4 januari zullen we daarbij in Nijmegen de verschillende wijkcentra aan doen en op zaterdag 9 januari zullen we stand draaien in de dorpskern van Cuijck waar die dag mogelijk ook een (extreem)rechtse betoging zal zijn tegen vluchtelingen. Wil je meehelpen met de verspreiding van de inBeweging, stuur ons dan een mail via onze contactpagina.

De avond begint om 20:30 in de Klinker (van Broeckhuysenstraat 46, Nijmegen). Vooraf is er soepcafé vanaf 19:00.

(English below)

Wednessday the 13th of Januari the Anarchist Group Nijmegen (AGN) organizes an open evening on which we will launch the new inBeweging - magazine of the AGN. At this evening we want to get in contact with readers and those interested and have a conversation on the topics that are discussed in the inBeweging. Also we'd like to enter the new year with drinks and give people the opportunity to get in contact with us.

You can pick up a copy from the inBeweging in Nijmegen at the Grote Broek, and in other cities as Amsterdam at the Fort van Sjakoo, anarchist library the Bollox and the Vrankrijk, in The Hague at Autonomous Centre and in Groningen at bookstore Rosa and the Social Centre Groningen.

The comming weeks we will also distribute the inBeweging on the streets. On monday the 4th of January we will hit the different neightbourhood centers and on January ninth we will have a stand at the villagecenter of Cuijck where that day also might be a protest against refugees by some right-wing extremists. If you want to help distribute that inBeweging, send us a message through our contactpage.

The evening will start at 20:30 in the Klinker (van Broeckhuysenstraat 46, Nijmegen). In advane there will be soup from 19:00.

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Hand in hand against the politics of divide-and-conquer

withdefiance — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 10:48:23 +0000

How society is being set up against the refugees

Since this summer, when refugees started coming to the Netherlands again, the outcry that there is really no place for them here – or, even worse, that there is no space anymore because of them – is becoming louder and louder. Especially the latter you hear being said about social housing, but it also goes for public healthcare. However, what we have actually seen over the last decade is that political parties across the whole spectrum have contributed to the sell-out of public services – from the PvdA (social democrats) to the VVD (liberals), from the PVV (nationalist liberals) to GroenLinks (‘left’ liberals). Instead of forming a united front against those who are responsible for this sell out, we are being played out against each other in the irrationality of the moment: people are fighting one another for the leftover crumbs.

Actually, all of the political parties are responsible for the dismantling of the Dutch welfare state and for the fearmongering that is currently taking over public media and opinion. The cheap propaganda against refugees comes from all directions. A classic example is member of parliament Halbe Zijsltra (VVD). He spread the perverse fantasy about refugees who come here to get “eyelid corrections, breast reductions or –enlargements” and “complete teeth renovations” at “our expense”. The hypocrite reaction of fellow politicians who condemned these remarks only following a public outrage speaks for itself. Zijlstra ‘corrected’ himself afterwards, but for how much longer will this still be necessary? He was only one out of many politicians who couldn’t wait to define clear boundaries for the refugees in a “strict but fair” manner. But what are we actually talking about?

The dismantling of social housing

In the Netherlands there is a model of social housing where state- and non-profit organizations own houses that people with lower income may rent for affordable prices. The idea behind this is that everyone has the (basic human) right to a fine and secure home. However, this system hasn’t been able to solve the shortage of living space. It’s important to note that this shortage is not something that evolved over night but already exists since the 1980’s. It is thus the result of a long-term process, and the apparent climax it has reached with the arrival of the refugees is artificially construed. Since 2014, a rigorous restructuring of social housing has taken place. It mainly consists of measures that lead to a profound privatisation of the social housing market. Only last year, 7000 houses in this sector were sold to large, profit-oriented investment companies. If the original 2014 plans are fully executed, an estimated total of 200.000 to 300.000 social houses will be sold into private hands.

Examples of this mayor restructuring are very well visible in Nijmegen’s neighbourhoods like the Waterkwartier, the Wolfskuil and the Willemskwartier. In all of these neighbourhoods a large part of the social rental housing was demolished, and in its place, more expensive houses for sale were built. These neighbourhoods are often close to the city centre where the value of property has risen dramatically over the past years. All this is of course done in the interest of maximizing profit. Although in theory, the former tenants have the right to return to their neighbourhoods, many of them can’t afford the steep rise in prices. They are therefore often banned to the outer ring of the city where the price of the ground is (still) relatively cheap. This process – called gentrification - is going on in many places in the Netherlands and in Europe and has far-reaching effects on people’s lives. It’s a straight-forward attack on the social security of those who find themselves on the lower steps of the social ladder.

Cuts in the healthcare system

Not only social housing but also the healthcare system is under attack. Here, too, we hear the most crazy stories: about the care for the elderly being under threat, long waiting lines in hospitals, the homeless not having a place to sleep, and all of this is suddenly seen in relation to the refugees. It is ironic that all of a sudden people seem to care about the elderly and the homeless.

But what is actually going on with the healthcare system? For a while now we have been confronted with a steady increase of the “own risk” (where one has to pay €385 per year out of one’s own pocket first, before being able to apply for funding by the insurance), the disappearance of all kinds of services from the basic healthcare package, cuts on homecare, the restructuring of the long-term care. All of these changes have had immense effects on the people who are traditionally the most vulnerable in our society: people and families with low income, chronically ill people, the elderly. These cuts and the growing influence of financial interests on our healthcare system are conscious political choices. Not even to mention the growing influence of health insurance companies on the working conditions of healthcare practitioners and the amount and quality of personal attention they can have for us.

The responsibility of the current politics

The wrong tracks that politicians have set the public on in the past to distract from the true origins of the harsh austerity measures have created the possibility to now blame the refugees as the ones responsible.

Almost all political parties supported the economic restructuring of the Netherlands that has effectively lead to the breakdown of mutual solidarity and attention for each other and contributed to far-reaching individualism. It is important to identify the origin of the shortages we are facing and the ones who are benefitting financially from this. It’s the private investors, the large corporations, slumlords, and even dentists who profit from the privatization of social housing – at our expense. For healthcare, it’s the insurance companies, banks and the same private investors. They have transformed the rotting carcass of our healthcare system that was once based on solidarity into an individualized sector driven by profit.

Class struggle and international solidarity from below

If we want to take the wind out of the sails of the political right wing, we will have to address the social problems we are facing. It is important to support the refugees, but if we only focus on this issue, we as a movement run the risk of being marginalized and ultimately give the political right the possibility to gain a monopoly on these themes – something that is already happening. Apart from that, austerity and migration are also irrevocably connected to one another.

We need to build up resistance to secure our social securities. There is enough for everyone to lead a worthy life and this is the goal we have to strife for – refugees included. In the Netherlands, 8 billion euros disappear directly into the pockets of the banks each year to pay off interest on state debt only – a multiple of what the care for refugees costs.

In addition to this, people coming to the Netherlands could fully participate in society – if they were allowed. That is exactly what most of them want and it should not create any problems. With more people, the needs of society will equally rise. This should therefore have an effect on the labour market in the form of more jobs. And if this doesn’t turn out to be the case, we could distribute the existing work among more people so that ultimately we could even work less.

We need a totally different way of thinking. Due to the political poverty in the Netherlands we currently witness how the victims of the cuts on social services are being played out against the refugees. If we just stand aside now and watch rather than addressing the source of our problems, we run the risk of all being left behind empty-handed.

“IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL, THE NEWSPAPERS
WILL HAVE YOU HATING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
BEING OPPRESSED AND LOVING THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE DOING THE OPPRESSING.”

MALCOLM X

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Lezing: the university as a commons

withdefiance — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 12:50:19 +0000

What is a university for? What can a society expect from its universities? Willem Hallfmann will argue that a university is best seen as an organic, growing, digesting archive of knowledge and that this archive can best be organized as a commons. The presentation will be followed by a discussion about the current protests, in particular the role of H.NU (Hervorming Nederlandse Universiteiten - movement for the reform of Dutch universities)

The lecture will be in English
Collegezalencomplex 5, Mercatorpad 1, Nijmegen

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De Nieuwe Universiteit

Benefit for anarchist local 'Magdalena' Madrid, Spain

withdefiance — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:39:53 +0000

Donderdag 4 december / 19:00 uur
Joe's Garage (Pretoriusstraat 43, Amsterdam)
www.joesgarage.nl

Met eten, de korte documentaire "Anarchism in Madrid" van Mark Bray, een praatje over Magdalena en live muziek van Almudena y Davide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZAfWLAoTa8. De voertaal zal Engels zijn.

[English]

Thursday december 4th / 19:00m
Joe's Garage (Pretoriusstraat 43, Amsterdam)
www.joesgarage.nl

With dinner, the short documantary: “Anarchism in Madrid” 2013, 15 minutes with a short talk about the anarchist local Magdalena: 9:30pm Live music with “Almudena y Davide” voice and guitar, Rebelious folk songs from Spain and latin america. Here you can check the music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZAfWLAoTa8

The anarchist space Magdalena is an anarchist project that has existed for years in the center of Madrid. Their objective always has had two focuses: To be a meeting point for information for people interested on critical theory and fight experience; and also serve as infrastructure for Anarchist Movement.

During the year 2003, the library was born. Following the library, the bookstore, video library, archive and many more ideas were also born. From then on, they have organized a lot of political activities: meetings, speeches, films, debates, workshops etc. Actually, there are ten different groups meeting in the space, two editorials storage spaces, there is a small radio studio, one room for propaganda and they are finishing with cataloging the archives.

Since the 1970’s until October 2014, the space was rented for very little. However, the contract is finished and Magdalena had to abandon the local and re-think their project in a new space. This change means bigger economical effort and this is the motive for which Magdalena is asking for economic support for the very first time, to continue with the project and cover the costs. The new Magdalena will open on December 2014. The relocation means a new period for them, and abandoning the second floor in the old building to move into the heart of Lavapiés, neighborhood epicenter of social and political fights in Madrid, this time finally, at ground level.

What best place to continue conspiring.

The history of the Anarchist space Magdalena originated in the 1970’s when the CNT (already allowed) was able to rent the space for very little. After CNT left (keeping the contract) different groups, such as Mujeres Libres and book’s distributor as Klinamen moved into the space for a period of time, as autonomous groups, only meeting as assembly to talk about the use of the space. In 2002-03, the situation in Madrid became complicated. Lucha Autónoma stopped to be reference for social and political fights, and the insurrectionist speech brought with it a strong repression and many arrests. During this downward slope, Magdalena was born with the illusion to be a visible and stable project where the anarchist people could be involved. With the time, the situation in the space also continued changing and some groups disappeared while others took their place.

In 2003 the Library was born, in 2006 the bookstore, the video library, the archive. Although the change began to be more notable, every group kept their autonomy and they only shared the general assembly to talk about the space. Later it was decided to combine all the ideas into the same political project where the library, bookstore, video library, archive and every activity were in the same assembly with the focus to be information point and meeting place and to serve as infrastructure for the anarchist movement.

However, the passing time brought with it inertia. To fight against this, Magdalena organized new speeches and debates into the local, which were announced on folded two papers called Boletín del Local. They also focused more on producing propaganda creating a space for it.

In that time the local was re-organized. They created one space for assemblies and meetings which was also used by other groups such as Asamblea del Encuentro del Libro Anarquista, Asamblea contra los Centros de Menores, Todo por hacer, Radio Cabezas de Tormenta etc. These groups were enriching the space and provoking the activity of the ‘compañeras’ (multiplying their participation in different assemblies) contacting like that, with the life outside of the local.

This opening revealed other realities. Also the Movement of May 15th in 2011 and the appearance of the neighborhood assemblies brought with it a direct contact with Lavapies, borrowed them the space for their assembly as a result. All theses changes, as well as all the responsibilities and compromises of everyone, provoked less implication from the people, who lost their illusion in the old and benefiting from the new. However, this delusion is already past and Magdalena is strong again and ready to continue disturbing even more and open their new project on December. Help them to keep their fight. http://www.localanarquistamagdalena.org/

Volkseten Vegazulu is a people’s kitchen, every monday and thursday, 19:00 PM, vegan food for €4 or donation. All benefits go for social & political struggles. No reservation. We’re always looking for cooks. Any help is welcome in the kitchen. Experience not required. Enjoying it is a must. If you want to know which days are still available in the schedule, send an email to joe [at] squat [dot] net and book yourself the night. You can, of course, also participate by rolling up your sleeves and doing the dishes.

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ABC-Nijmegen and the AGN set up a soli-campaign for Jock Palfreeman

withdefiance — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 10:13:00 +0000

Anarchist Black Cross Nijmegen (ABC-Nijmegen) and the Anarchist Group Nijmegen (AGN) are starting a solidarity campaign for Jock Palfreeman.

While writing, Jock Palfreeman is already more then 5 years imprisoned in Sofia, Bulgaria for aiding two young Romani-boys when they were under attack from a group of right-wing hooligans. Palfreeman came into a fight with the group of fascists and two of his attackers got injured of whom one died later from his injuries.

We start this campaign because, next to the just move of Palfreeman to act, his court case was a total fraud in which he got convicted to 20 years of imprisonment. While in prison his treatment is worsening. One of the reasons for this is his support for other prisoners through the by him co-founded Bulgarian Prisoners Association. In the beginning of 2013 this was reason for depriving him from his right to finish his study in prison by the prison authorities.

In reaction to this Palfreeman started a hunger strike. A few months later (October 2013) there was another incident in which he and fellow prisoners were subjected to severe beatings by prison guards.

Meanwhile the Bulgarian state upholds a pretty picture about human rights, tolerance and its fight against xenophobia¹. Through this the Bulgarian government is trying to present itself as a fitting partner of the o-so-tolerant bourgeois European Union. This same state is keeping Jock Palfreeman imprisoned while he stood up against a form of injustice that everyone should act against.

Everywhere in Europe we see an increase of right-wing and xenophobic ideas. On the wind of the social crisis and in the name of 'freedom' and as false saviors of 'the people', they are surfing as vultures around the rotting corpse of the capitalist bourgeois democracy. From Poland to Spain, from the Ukraine to Greece they try to win the inhabitants – terrorized by budget cuts and driven into disparity by social demolition by the IMF, the ECB and the EU – for their ideas. They try to put the crisis on scapegoats. Scapegoats like homosexuals, Jews and in many Eastern-European countries the Romani-communities² . This while this specific group is often already living in harsh economic circumstances. It is in this light Jock acted.

There are, when analyzing such mechanics, many complex matters at work. A large part of the Eastern-European countries feels itself – understandably – for years discriminated and neglected. This region is dealing with a torn history of communist dictatorship and after that the trampling by capitalist elites, both 'pro-Russian' and 'pro-European'. Meanwhile there has been a certain racism from West to East. The origins of the social and economic problems these fascist movements point out are disturbing and make clear all the more where the neglecting of an unprocessed history and a tormented past can lead to.

The antifascist struggle and the struggle for a social revolution together are the only path out towards true freedom for all peoples. In the struggle for social justice for everyone it is for its utmost importance to take a firm stance against all forms of discrimination. This way we can prevent, from West to East and also internally, that innocent minorities get the blame on base of their ethnicity, sexuality, social-economic position while we unmask and fight against the true origins of the problem: the international system of nationalism and capitalism; divide and conquer. The people in the front-lines of these struggle need our support.

We designed a poster (in English) to get international attention for the case of Jock Palfreeman and his current situation. This poster is currently being spread widely in Europe (Germany, Austria, Czech, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Croatia). The poster is not only meant to inform the public but also to pressure the Bulgarian state. The Bulgarian state is currently vulnerable because of the attention it receives for the expiration of the need to have a visa in the EU for people with a Bulgarian passport. The Bulgarian state hopes when this works out well it can enter the EU-schengen-zone³.

Next to spreading information through the internet and via posters in the public space, we therefore also call for actions to put up the pressure against the Bulgarian government. They are thus far ignoring and frustrating the release of Palfreeman. Next to the pressure on the government for Palfreeman's release this can also give him some new hope.

We ask to write the Bulgarian embassies with the demand for the release of Jock Palfreeman, send along posters to make clear the story is on the streets. This is not because we are seeing the Bulgarian state as a legit entity but they are the ones who keep Palfreeman hostage.

When you or as an individual or as group want to support this initiative, you can email the AGN. We can send you posters, get your a PDF or web-version or might be able to help you out in an other way. Also we want to ask you to use your own network to spread this initiative to have an as wide reach as possible.

Freedom for Jock Palfreeman and his fellow prisoners!

Anarchistische Groep Nijmegen en Anarchist Black Cross Nijmegen
www.anarchistischegroepnijmegen.nl / http:/abcnijmegen.wordpress.com

If you are not familiar with the story of Jock Palfreeman we would like to direct you to the following article or to www.freejock.com

¹ Xenophobia: an irrational fear of the 'unknown', the fear of unknown things from outside, most often in the form of the fear for strangers, foreigners etc.

² Romani: a diasporic gypsy peoples

³ The Schengen-treaty within the EU allows that the members of the treaty have open borders for free trafic for their 'servants'

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Anarchist history in Mexico - A talk

withdefiance — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:01:23 +0000

An anarchist comrade from Mexico who is currently doing research at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, is so frendly to do a talk about the history of the anarchist movement in Mexico. His talk will start from the text below:

At the beginnings of 1907, in Los Ángeles City, California, in one of her countless reading tours about anarchism and literature, Emma Goldman met some Mexican revolutionaries. They, who edited a small newspaper in that city called Revolución, were very persuasive.

Days after the meeting, Goldman wrote an enthusiastic letter to Peter Kropotkin, in which she assured him there was a strong anarchist movement in México, where “almost all the intellectuals are anarchist”. This was how started the relation between the called “magonistas” with the international anarchist movement. Four years later, when the Mexican revolution broke out, the members from “Junta Organizadora del Partido Liberal Mexicano” (Organizing meeting of the Mexican Liberal party), appealed to the solidarity of anarchist from all the world to impulse the Ideal in this area. The history of this solidarity shows us the greatness and limits of the first and maybe only chance in the history in which the workers of the world created an international network to canalize this solidarity with revolutionary causes of their time without the intervention of any state, party or church.

The talk will be in English.

More info about Ricardo Flores Magón, Mexican Revolution and the Magonistas, check:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Flores_Mag%C3%B3n
http://libcom.org/history/magon-ricardo-flores-1873-1922
http://libcom.org/history/mexican-revolution

Anarchist Library Amsterdam
Saturday 15th of June - 15:00
Eerste Schinkelstraat 14-16 Amsterdam

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