An article from the anarcha-feminist network which sadly missed the last issue, and we felt should be shown in public now rather than just waiting for the next issue:
Bristol anarcha-feminists are planning an event to celebrate
International Women's Day on March 8th.
The Sunday before, March 6th, there's a skillshare by and for women: a
supportive space to learn new things from each other. There will be
workshops on self-defence, carpentry basics, bike maintenance and more.
It's open to all women (cis and trans) of all ages and experiences.
Workshops run all day from noon at the Factory, 28 Portland Square, St
Pauls.
More information about these events, our regular meetings and more is
available by emailing us at bristolanarchfem@riseup.net and at our
in-progress blog at http://bristolanarchafeminists.wordpress.com/
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Better Late Than Never
Ok, so it took a while. But the new copy of the Autonomist is now completed and should be available in hardcopy by the weekend. View/download below:
Autonomist February/March 2011 (pdf)
Autonomist Directory February/March 2011 (pdf)
Autonomist February/March 2011 (pdf)
Autonomist Directory February/March 2011 (pdf)
Thursday, 28 October 2010
November Issue Out Now
Autonomist November 2010 (pdf)
---
Police Attack Local Anti-Cuts Demo
Around 800 protesters marched through Bristol city centre on October 23rd to voice their anger at the government’s cuts to services and welfare and their attack on the working classes. Many trade unions were represented along with community groups and an anarchist contingent.
There were a large number of cops, and as soon as the demo left the park the police tried to snatch an anti cuts banner in the anarchist bloc. Their attempt failed as marchers hung on and pushed the cops away. A second attempt to take the banner was more violent, injuring some protestors.
At College Green the Police attempted to film individual marchers - a common tactic used to gather evidence of political involvement and harrass acitivists. When people blocked the filming, mounted police were sent in. Many of the protesters split from the main rally to help, and the cops were forced back.
Bristol Council are embarking on a programme of cuts to local services to meet government demands for savings. Jobs are being cut in many departments, planned social care homes have been abandoned, and the price of school dinners is going up. Meanwhile all the mainstream media seem to care about is the loss of child benefit by those poor few who somehow manage to earn more than £40,000 a year.
---
End Violence Against Women Week Exhibition
A variety of bristolian organisation are holding events between the 22nd and 26th of November for End Violence Against Women Week. The events aim to increase awareness and visibility of the prevalence of gender-based violence, which the UN estimates affects around 70% of women.
Bristol Feminist Network are putting on an exhibiton of art and writing by survivors of domestic violence. Exhibition organiser Jan Martin says "The idea behind this project is to communicate the message emotionally, in words and images that are the direct experience of survivors. Hopefully it can encourage a change in attitudes from the ground up, and so bypass the need to persuade the politicians and policy makers."
Bristol Anarcha-Feminist Group meet at 8pm at the smiling chair every thurs.
---
The 28 Portland Square social centre has seen off an eviction attempt after a judge ruled that there was no immediate legal reason to evict. Further attempts are expected, but the occupants have vowed to keep the centre open as long as possible. "As the government presses ahead with cuts, the closure of council services to the poorest communities is inevitable, and self-run spaces such as this will become even more vital" one of the collective said.
---
Five vehicles left Bristol last month to join the Roads to Hope Convoy to Gaza. Travelling by road across northern Africa, the group of 11 will attempt to break the Israeli-imposed blockade of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. If they make it there without being shot by over-zealous Israeli soldiers, they will donate the vehicle's loads of medical and educational materials, plus the vehicles themselves, to local community groups.
---
The nuclear power station at Hinkley Point was blockaded by local activists in protest at Edf's plans to build 8 new nuclear plants throughout the country, including a new one at Hinkley. The activists, who were mainly from Bridgewater and the surrounding area, wore badger masks and used arm tubes to prevent their removal. The morning shift were unable to get to work for four hours until the people responsible for protecting us from horrific nuclear accidents remembered they had another gate.
---
Activists from Bristol and Bath Rising Tide dropped a banner reading 'Import Coal: Export Poverty' from Avonmouth bridge near Royal Portbury Docks as part of a global week of action for climate and environmental justice. The docks contains one of the largest coal import terminals in the UK. There are currently plans to build several new coal power stations in the UK, and 71% of coal used in Britain is imported. Tracy Jones from Rising Tide said “Coal extraction devastates communities, from villages destroyed by floods in Pakistan to landgrabs in Colombia.”
---
Police Attack Local Anti-Cuts Demo
Around 800 protesters marched through Bristol city centre on October 23rd to voice their anger at the government’s cuts to services and welfare and their attack on the working classes. Many trade unions were represented along with community groups and an anarchist contingent.
There were a large number of cops, and as soon as the demo left the park the police tried to snatch an anti cuts banner in the anarchist bloc. Their attempt failed as marchers hung on and pushed the cops away. A second attempt to take the banner was more violent, injuring some protestors.
At College Green the Police attempted to film individual marchers - a common tactic used to gather evidence of political involvement and harrass acitivists. When people blocked the filming, mounted police were sent in. Many of the protesters split from the main rally to help, and the cops were forced back.
Bristol Council are embarking on a programme of cuts to local services to meet government demands for savings. Jobs are being cut in many departments, planned social care homes have been abandoned, and the price of school dinners is going up. Meanwhile all the mainstream media seem to care about is the loss of child benefit by those poor few who somehow manage to earn more than £40,000 a year.
---
End Violence Against Women Week Exhibition
A variety of bristolian organisation are holding events between the 22nd and 26th of November for End Violence Against Women Week. The events aim to increase awareness and visibility of the prevalence of gender-based violence, which the UN estimates affects around 70% of women.
Bristol Feminist Network are putting on an exhibiton of art and writing by survivors of domestic violence. Exhibition organiser Jan Martin says "The idea behind this project is to communicate the message emotionally, in words and images that are the direct experience of survivors. Hopefully it can encourage a change in attitudes from the ground up, and so bypass the need to persuade the politicians and policy makers."
Bristol Anarcha-Feminist Group meet at 8pm at the smiling chair every thurs.
---
The 28 Portland Square social centre has seen off an eviction attempt after a judge ruled that there was no immediate legal reason to evict. Further attempts are expected, but the occupants have vowed to keep the centre open as long as possible. "As the government presses ahead with cuts, the closure of council services to the poorest communities is inevitable, and self-run spaces such as this will become even more vital" one of the collective said.
---
Five vehicles left Bristol last month to join the Roads to Hope Convoy to Gaza. Travelling by road across northern Africa, the group of 11 will attempt to break the Israeli-imposed blockade of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. If they make it there without being shot by over-zealous Israeli soldiers, they will donate the vehicle's loads of medical and educational materials, plus the vehicles themselves, to local community groups.
---
The nuclear power station at Hinkley Point was blockaded by local activists in protest at Edf's plans to build 8 new nuclear plants throughout the country, including a new one at Hinkley. The activists, who were mainly from Bridgewater and the surrounding area, wore badger masks and used arm tubes to prevent their removal. The morning shift were unable to get to work for four hours until the people responsible for protecting us from horrific nuclear accidents remembered they had another gate.
---
Activists from Bristol and Bath Rising Tide dropped a banner reading 'Import Coal: Export Poverty' from Avonmouth bridge near Royal Portbury Docks as part of a global week of action for climate and environmental justice. The docks contains one of the largest coal import terminals in the UK. There are currently plans to build several new coal power stations in the UK, and 71% of coal used in Britain is imported. Tracy Jones from Rising Tide said “Coal extraction devastates communities, from villages destroyed by floods in Pakistan to landgrabs in Colombia.”
Friday, 22 October 2010
November Events Calendar
Things are looking up this month after last month's printing nightmares - here's the events and spaces calendar for the window of your autonomous space, the wall above your desk, or for flyposting over right-wing posters:
Autonomist Calendar November 2010 (pdf)
The paper itself is underway and hardcopies should be ready in time for the Free Vegan Food Fair on the 30th (Broadmead Baptist Church, near Tesco)
Autonomist Calendar November 2010 (pdf)
The paper itself is underway and hardcopies should be ready in time for the Free Vegan Food Fair on the 30th (Broadmead Baptist Church, near Tesco)
Friday, 1 October 2010
How Autonomous Is The Autonomist?
Head over to our latest post on Bristol Indymedia for what looks to be shaping up to be an interesting discussion...
http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/693613?&condense_comments=false
http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/693613?&condense_comments=false
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
October Issue Out Now
This won't be hitting the press for a couple days whilst we sort some ink out, but it's all here in PDF and text:
Autonomist October 2010 (pdf)
We've also done a 2-page A4 expanded directory, intended to be displayed at social centres and so on, but also useful if you like your roaching material to be a little more radical:
Autonomist Directory October 2010 (pdf)
---
Local Anger as Tesco Application Crawls On
“We never expected the council to stop Tesco today”, reads an anonymous communique sent to the Autonomist after the council planning decision on the 22nd September. “Even though the members of the planning committee clearly wanted to oppose the development, they are mere puppets of the system, helpless beneath the wheels of capitalism.”
By now you probably already know what happened - the applications by Tesco were tentatively approved, with conditions, and a letter will be sent to the government complaining about the intricities of the planning system. PRSC are calling for a judicial review, but the fact remains that the store has all the permission it needs to open - this is just about rearranging the deckchairs.
Local feelings have always run high about the chain moving into Stokes Croft. Earlier in the year the former Jesters Club, where the store will be built, was occupied by squatters and turned into a community social centre for several months until it was evicted in what was dubbed “The Battle of Stokes Coft”. Campaigners have vowed to keep fighting the development. “We do not need our leaders to save us,” concludes the communique, “for we are willing to take whatever action is needed to drive [them] out of our community.”
---
EDF-Off
Local campaigners blocked the road entrance to Hinkley B nuclear power plant for an hour last weekend in protest against EDF's plans to build a new nuclear plant there. Despite not having received planning permission, EDF have begun preliminary works, trashing wildlife-rich fields and woodland and cementing over badger sets.
If it goes ahead, Hinkley C will be the first in a line of new plants across the country. Nuclear not only presents serious health risks and leaves us with centuries of radioactive waste, it also commits us to a centralised model of energy production, unlike wind and solar which can be produced locally. It's a dangerous distraction that diverts funds from clean energy.
Bristol-based activists from several different groups plan to campaign against the new plant and take direct action where necessary.
---
Disgraced former leader Tony Blair's planned book signing in Bristol was cancelled due to protests at other signings, a large anti-war demo outside the bookshop, and local activists sneakily moving copies of his book into the 'crime' section of the store.
---
The Natwest branch on Gloucester Road has had its windows smashed and paintbombs thrown inside one night in late september. The action was dedicated to imprisoned anarchists in Chile, whose government has strong financial links to RBS, owners of Natwest.
---
Residents in Ashton Vale have successfully had land near their homes declared a town green, protecting it from development into a football stadium. Meanwhile, Bristol council are planning to sell off more green space around the city, prompting a wave of petitions and complaints.
---
Taking its first tentative steps towards the Big Society, the council has cut funding to Connexions, who help young people find employment, by £2million, resulting in 55 more people looking for employment in the city.
Autonomist October 2010 (pdf)
We've also done a 2-page A4 expanded directory, intended to be displayed at social centres and so on, but also useful if you like your roaching material to be a little more radical:
Autonomist Directory October 2010 (pdf)
---
Local Anger as Tesco Application Crawls On
“We never expected the council to stop Tesco today”, reads an anonymous communique sent to the Autonomist after the council planning decision on the 22nd September. “Even though the members of the planning committee clearly wanted to oppose the development, they are mere puppets of the system, helpless beneath the wheels of capitalism.”
By now you probably already know what happened - the applications by Tesco were tentatively approved, with conditions, and a letter will be sent to the government complaining about the intricities of the planning system. PRSC are calling for a judicial review, but the fact remains that the store has all the permission it needs to open - this is just about rearranging the deckchairs.
Local feelings have always run high about the chain moving into Stokes Croft. Earlier in the year the former Jesters Club, where the store will be built, was occupied by squatters and turned into a community social centre for several months until it was evicted in what was dubbed “The Battle of Stokes Coft”. Campaigners have vowed to keep fighting the development. “We do not need our leaders to save us,” concludes the communique, “for we are willing to take whatever action is needed to drive [them] out of our community.”
---
EDF-Off
Local campaigners blocked the road entrance to Hinkley B nuclear power plant for an hour last weekend in protest against EDF's plans to build a new nuclear plant there. Despite not having received planning permission, EDF have begun preliminary works, trashing wildlife-rich fields and woodland and cementing over badger sets.
If it goes ahead, Hinkley C will be the first in a line of new plants across the country. Nuclear not only presents serious health risks and leaves us with centuries of radioactive waste, it also commits us to a centralised model of energy production, unlike wind and solar which can be produced locally. It's a dangerous distraction that diverts funds from clean energy.
Bristol-based activists from several different groups plan to campaign against the new plant and take direct action where necessary.
---
Disgraced former leader Tony Blair's planned book signing in Bristol was cancelled due to protests at other signings, a large anti-war demo outside the bookshop, and local activists sneakily moving copies of his book into the 'crime' section of the store.
---
The Natwest branch on Gloucester Road has had its windows smashed and paintbombs thrown inside one night in late september. The action was dedicated to imprisoned anarchists in Chile, whose government has strong financial links to RBS, owners of Natwest.
---
Residents in Ashton Vale have successfully had land near their homes declared a town green, protecting it from development into a football stadium. Meanwhile, Bristol council are planning to sell off more green space around the city, prompting a wave of petitions and complaints.
---
Taking its first tentative steps towards the Big Society, the council has cut funding to Connexions, who help young people find employment, by £2million, resulting in 55 more people looking for employment in the city.
Sunday, 12 September 2010
October Deadline
fast approaching! Get your news and events in (BristolAutonomist@Gmail.com) by the 20th if you want them to be in the October edition.
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