By Earth Movement
The Indignados are gathering again in Spain for today’s 12M rally. Thousands of people are “Taking the Square,” partying, and generally creating/fueling opposition to the false governments of Left and Right. The Socialist government under Zapatero has extracted more social wage, the global financial austerity package that he has embraced is draining the coffers of the people of Spain, and environmental destruction carries on at a startling pace. To match this economic and ecological decline, the guardia civil is turning into a militarized organization of bigots and brutal goons who unleash their stupidity and arrogance not only on protestors, but on immigrants and the poor as well. Spanish resistance to corruption does not seek a reformed Socialism as it currently exists, it seeks a valid, popular system of people-power. The infrastructure of revolutionary politics is building its base, and a new world is possible.
The EF! Newswire is posting This is not a demonstration – Actions, constructions and revolutionary turns to save the world to celebrate this event in hopes that the fire of revolutionary mobilization will spread far and wide.
Cross Posted from Take the Square
In the past two years we have completely reinvented the way we try to transform the world into a place where life does not hurt. The old demonstrations, so gray and limited, become obsolete and useless, and have given way to an infinity of possibilities. We rethought the action, the complaint, the relationships, the public, the common, and our imagination has completely overwhelmed the space of what is possible, building already new worlds inside the old structure of this one. We collect here a list of dozens of actions and constructions that we have organized during these two years, sharing all of them that brightness of the new, that smell so special that returns us the confidence in us, and announces what is to come. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
[Original Spanish version of the compilation in this link]
- Camps. The public space recovered. People take to the squares of their cities and install permanent camps that turn into spaces for discussion, meeting, organization and life. From Tahrir Square to Puerta del Sol from Zuccotti Park to the Rothschild boulevard.
- Tent monsters. Action against the ban on camping. Melbourne cops come to stop a camping and that’s what they find…
One of the weaknesses of the system is its rigidity, one of our strengths is our ability to reinvent ourselves, responding unexpectedly. They attempt to prohibit our actions, but we escaped through the cracks and appear where they least expect.
- Flo6x8. Anticapitalist flamenco flashmobs. The flamenco group flo6x8 attack the banks with their dances and songs against predation and bank speculation.
- Theft Foundation (Fundación Robo). Collective musical project that aims to bring music criticism as openly as possible.
“On one hand, we try to create a space to write other kind of letters, those that involve opening the window and take a look at what happens outside. On the other, we try to dilute, to the extent possible, the concept of authorship. All songs are signed with the pseudonym Robo and launched and shared across the network, with Creative Commons licenses, and are available to download free on our website. Through this fluid structure have passed and will continue joining different artists.”
“It’s time to share the frustration and turn it into political power. Have ready a forceful rhymes may be helpful to us. There are ways and ways to do crack [http://esunrobo.bandcamp.com/track/c-mo-hacer-crack]. Better together in the street than home alone insulting the tv screen.”
They have also launched the literary version of the foundation, called Assault (Asalto).
Another 99% literary project: The invisible squares
- Electoral ATM machine (Cajero electoral). Campaign inviting citizens to vote in the general elections of 2011 directly on the bank.
The campaign aimed to end the misconception about democracy spread by politicians, and transmit an idea about power more in line with reality. If banks are ultimately those who govern, should not we vote directly on the banks?
One of the campaign participants commented that the most surprising thing was that bank employees believed the performance. What was intended as a satire was such a success in the diagnosis of reality, that the employees saw it as possible.
- #closebankia Party (Fiesta #cierrabankia). Flashmob to motivate the closure of bank accounts, organizing a surprise party for a client who closes his account in Bankia bank.
- Reflectives. Tutorial to build Reflectives (Reflectantes). These are giant inflatable figures to bring to any action, with multiple uses: barrier against police violence, way to ruin police recordings, symbolic element, or just fun toy that lower the tension in the demonstrations so it does not degenerate into violence.
- Illuminator. Mobile lighting system to do light graffities through all the city buildings. A bat-signal to call the 99%. The van on which is mounted includes a library and an information point.
- The strength of non-violence and silence (reaction to police brutality at Davis University in California). A group of students performs a nonviolent sit-in in the university and the chancellor calls the police to evict them, who sprayed the students brutally and without a word with pepper spray [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmJmmnMkuEM]. The next day the students waited for the chancellor to protest against being brutally attacked because of peacefully protesting. The chancellor refused to leave her office and meet them, and when she left the campus at night this was the overwhelming reaction of the students:
- 15mparato (pun meaning “15M for Rato” and “15M for long time”). Crowdfunding campaign to pay a law firm to sue Rodrigo Rato (former chairman of Bankia Bank) and other bank responsibles for the fraud committed by it.
The campaign, launched by the goteo.org platform, brought together in less than 24 hours the required 16.000 euros and 50 shareholders who volunteered as complainants, and dozens of internal witnesses.
“The impunity is over. In the war from the ones in the top against the ones in the bottom fear has changed sides.”
- Takepart (Tomaparte). Free tool for collaborative demands (the proposal, the funding, and the legal development) against the 1%.
“Tomaparte is a tool for citizens to unite our resources for solutions. Lawyers across the country will provide the knowledge needed to find the appropriate legal action. Anyone may make a proposal online. The community will vote on the proposals, provide evidences and testimonies and the funding necessary to cover court proceedings through crowdfunding. Thanks to Tomaparte those who until now faced inequality in the justice system now have social, professional and financial support to take their case to the end. Lawyers and solicitors may donate time to any cause in an open and collaborative way. Documentation will be available under Creative Commons licenses and could be reused. Tomaparte is a project for the 99% suffering the abuses by the 1%. We are tired of injustice. We are tired of impunity. We want a just society and we’ll unite to get it”
- Take to the strike (Toma la huelga). Initiative to reinvent new ways to organize and lead a general strike, in an inclusive, imaginative way and reaching all sectors of the population, including those not traditionally included in the concept of strike (unemployed, housewives, self-employed, paperless, precarious workers, etc). A strike of the 99%. It has a repository for gathering initiatives and new ways to strike, and a map to place them.
“We want to be part of the strike though we are not part of collective bargaining, we want to be part of the strike, even if we are unemployed or precarious.
Because the strike is the heritage of everybody, is a right achieved collectively, a collective tool we want to use and reinvent.
Take to the Strike to invent new ways to strike. Let’s make a strike anyone can live. An open and inclusive strike. To extend solidarity networks and block financial economics and parties supporting austerity and cuts on democratic social and labor rights, to cut the roads, to block the banks that evict us. “
- #bookcamping. “Open and collaborative library birth into the light of the 15M aimed to socialize reading and encourage the culture of sharing. Here you can review, link, and download content in different formats (text, audio, video). Far from wanting to be a ‘piratebay-library’ #bookcamping proposes to fill their shelves with 100% free content contributing to a sustainable model of culture “
- Indignant marches. Marches walking the continent from Madrid to Brussels, organizing assemblies in every town and city through which they pass. In this way generate spaces for debate and share experiences learned across the continent, making the discussion not limited to the cities with greater mobilization.
New marches that came from many other parts of the country and from other countries joined the initial march. The marches would end in Brussels, bringing a message to the financial heart of Europe. At the end began a new march to Athens.
- 15M.cc Collaborative copyleft project which aims to “facilitate the greatest possible number of stories around the 15M: so everyone can tell ‘his 15M’”. All material is produced collaboratively by anyone who wants to contribute something and always with copyleft license. It’s way to make possible to be ourselves who count our own history, and for everybody. It consists of a documentary, an encyclopedia, bank storage of materials (texts, photos, audios and videos), and an archive of academic papers. Brother projects also arise in other cities under the same umbrella of 15M.cc
- Propongo.tomalaplaza.net and Indignant Ballot Boxes. Propongo (“I Propose”) is a platform for collecting online proposals to change the world. The tool allows users to vote on proposals to know the support of each one. It also generates a discussion forum for each proposal, so it could be debated by users, and it facilitates that these discussions generate new improved proposals.
In addition to the online tool was organized a day for collecting proposals on paper by placing volunteers and tables for collection through all the squares of the city, calling the event the Indignant Ballot Boxes.
- Howtocamp. Platform aiming to compile manuals and texts on methods, techniques and any related knowledge about the revolution. Topics range from civil disobedience to direct democracy through assemblies, media, camps, or legal information. It belongs to the global squares project takethesquare.net [ENG]
- Vaca(c)tions (Vaca-acciones). Action reinventing the idea of holidays, transforming it from “a way to disconnect from everything” into a way of connecting with others, doing actions, learning, etc. During the month of August 2011 they tour the country performing actions, assemblies and meetings through the towns and cities and adding people along the way.
“We are organizing a trip to through Spain in cars and vans during the month of August. A living, learning and enjoyment experience among diverse people, known and unknown. Inspired by the spirit of Puerta del Sol and “La Barraca” from Lorca, we want to go through the villages learning and sharing what we have lived in Sol.
When thinking of holidays we usually say “I need to disconnect” as unplugging us from some kind of mechanics of everyday life, “turn off the machine” that connects us to productivity but often disconnects us from life. The 15M allows us to question this standardised fact and think about other ways of holidays. We wish it would serve to “connect”: to connect with life, with others and with oneself.
Enjoy the human connection we have lived in Sol with strangers and diverse people. We imagine a holiday in which we use human skills to make nice things, and we think that this is possible and infinite if we do among many people.”
- Anti-markets shield. October 15, 2011, during the 15O global demonstration in Madrid, an anti-markets shield is deployed to protect against the black magic of markets. A shield produced by the psychic energy of the people present, and his trust in others. From the heights, a shaman leads the ceremony.
“Financial and political shamans threaten us. Their magic is powerful. Frighten us with omens on derivatives, financial tsunamis, subprime earthquakes, asset poisoning, inflationary curses, credit bottlenecks, risk rating… (…)
They require us trust and sacrifice. We can only save us if we sacrifice pensions, health care, public education and social services. They call it confidence, but it’s only resignation and fear. (…)
The Debt is black magic The Brent Barrel is black magic The Risk Premium is black magic The Ibex 35 is black magic The Laffer Curve is black magic The Full Employment is black magic… And in the Economy of Voodoo, the next will be you.”
- Stop evictions. Campaign to stop the evictions. They organize calls via internet, for groups of people to concentrate on the doorsteps of the people who are going to be evicted, the day the eviction will occur, and so prevent this to be carried out. Thanks to them hundreds of evictions have been stopped. They have also organized an ILP (Popular Legislative Initiative) to change the law with respect to evictions and housing.
- Xpain (eXpaña). Visibility campaign of disobedience acts carried out by the people. In addition to the visibility they invite people to send letters to the government to give up being represented by the government, to foreign embassies to stop recognizing the government as a valid spokesperson, and they grant passports from that new collective non-country that is built with each action.
“Xpain is giving a name to all those acts of disobedience that increasingly surround us in our lives and build other way of relating between each others, of defining our society: the locksmith who refuses to participate in evictions, the physician who attends immigrants without health card, the people losing their fear. Such new country that is being constructed from our private lives, from our intimate acts, but always thinking collectively. Contrary to what politicians sold us with the Spain Brand, the contrary to what they approve in their laws, to their empty talks in the media. Two worlds exist in parallel, and one is declared irrelevant each time we do one of those big and small actions of disobedience.”
- Take the media. Independent media produced collectively.
http://www.livestream.com/spanishrevolutionsol/
http://bambuser.com/channel/Audiovisol
https://www.youtube.com/user/spanishrevolutionsol
http://www.tomalatele.tv/web/
https://peoplewitness.wordpress.com/
http://www.livestream.com/peoplewitness
http://agorasolradio.blogspot.com.es/
http://occupiedmedia.us/ [ENG]
http://madrid15m.org/
http://takethesquare.net/ [ENG]
- 25S Voices. Interactive mapping system that allows participants in a demonstration to connect and centralize information via twitter, sending: streamings, information on the demonstration and photos or opinions. The sent messages are located on the map from where they were sent. https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-snc6/277077_467841113251180_1854552821_n.jpg
- Iaioflautas. The elder cluster to perform actions, campaigns, occupations, etc.
- Touch to Bankia. “A web tool that will organize people individually to act collectively, all together, for a full day in all the country (and beyond) without risk of fines or arrests to stop Bankia Bank and with clear demands, which if not addressed will cause a new attack, perhaps longer… “
- Take the…/ Occupy the… Different campaigns seeking to reinvent and fill with critical spirit the spaces and practices which we usually live. Includes workspaces, education, forms of consumption, leisure, etc.
http://takethesquare.net/2012/05/31/open-letter-to-the-occupybiennale-do-artificial-contexts-pervert-replication/ (Occupy Biennale) [ENG]
https://www.facebook.com/OccupyBerlinBiennale
http://www.berlinbiennale.de/blog/1-6-biennale/7-berlin-biennale
http://occupymuseums.org (Occupy the museums) [ENG]
http://occupyharvard.net/ (Occupy Harvard) [ENG]
http://fundacion-eticotaku.org/2011/11/18/maxima-indignacion-en-harvard-los-alumnos-de-la-catedra-de-introduccion-a-la-economia-de-la-universidad-harvard-exigen-nuevas-perspectivas-academicas/ (Occupy the economy)
tomalafacultad.net (Take to the faculty)
http://occupyfarms.nycga.net/ (Occupy the farm) [ENG]
http://starbuckssenligi.blogspot.com.es/search/label/english (Occupy Starbucks) [ENG]
http://tomalascumbres.blogspot.com.es/ (Take to the summits)
- Israel loves Iran. Citizen campaign in which thousands of citizens of Israel sent a message of respect and love for the people of Iran against the messages of hate and fear that defends their government, which as they say does not represent them (the same they believe happens in Iran). The campaign was followed by a equivalent campaign from Iran.
- The bailout of Spain (message to Germany). Citizen campaign in which Spanish citizens send a message to the citizens of Germany to counteract the manipulative message their politicians are giving them about the situation and the people of Spain, and to ask them unity against the corrupt technocracy. It was organized in the Assembly of Tres Cantos in Madrid.
- Facethebank (Encaralabanca). Action consisting of filling the walls of banks with images with the faces of the people who were cheated and evicted by the bank. A way to visualize the problem, to point at the guilty, to put a face to those affected. The action is complemented by a series of interviews posted on their website, with those affected that were photographed. This action gives voice and allows us to understand the victims of this scam.
- The fines are not going to stop us. Crowdfunding campaign to denounce police abuse and to pay indiscriminate police fines, which are used as a mean of repression of social movements.
- The collector with the tracksuit. It reinvents the image of an old company of Spain called “the collector with the dress coat” who followed the defaulters. Organized by twitter, is a campaign to locate and point at corrupt politicians and bankers responsible for the destruction of the public system.
- Escraches. Exported directly from Argentina. Campaign to publicly identify and point at those responsible for the problem of housing and evictions (in this case) in their homes, on the streets, in public appearances, etc.
- I do not pay. Campaign that calls to the economic disobedience in the public transportation and in the tolls. It invites people to default on them massively and simultaneously as a protest, and to avoid repercussions. The idea is exported from Greece, which applies to more sectors.
- Alternatives. Economic alternatives, banking, labor, food, service providers, transportation, space management, etc.
- #OccupyMordor. Pot banging and pitodromo (horndrome) for weeks at the headquarters of La Caixa, one of the banks responsible for the crisis. It reinvents the “escrache” with humor by putting it in the epic imaginary of the Lord of the Rings. The pitodromo consists in inviting the cars passing to honk if they agree with the action, creating a continuous sonic chaos and facilitating other forms of participation other than the concentration.
- Universityonthestreet (Unienlacalle). The University takes to the city for a day and transform over 575 squares and parts of the city in master classes, from physics to veterinary, through the electoral system, texts of Cicero or public cryptography.
- Wrap the Congress. When police armour-plate the Congress to protect it against protesters, these transform the fences in a public space to hang the thoughts and desires of the people.