(en) Britain, Anarchist Action Network is holding the Anarchist Travelling Circus in Newport

From the 26th May to the 1st June 2014 Anarchist Action Network is holding a week of 
Anarchist events dubbed the Anarchist Travelling Circus in Newport, South Wales. The week 
will include, workshops, discussions and skillshares and more. We hope that these events 
will address some of the issues which most people are facing right now from problems with 
housing, to welfare cuts and the government austerity agenda, as well as increased 
poverty, environmental destruction, police repression, racism and the racist border 
system. ---- If you would like to be involved in putting on an event email 
anarchistactionnetwork@riseup.net ---- Why Anarchism? ---- Anarchism is the philosophy 
that says we don?t need governments and bosses, we can make communities based on mutual 
aid and solidarity. Anarchism means rejecting all forms of domination, oppression, and 
exploitation, and living as free as we can, right here right now. Anarchism is a living 
tradition of struggle and creation.

Anarchism is the most beautiful idea we know. We think we need to get the positive message 
out about what anarchism really means. What can we learn from more than 200 years of 
anarchist history? What can anarchism mean in the 21st century?

more info at http://www.anarchistaction.net/ideas/anarchism/

Why Newport?

On the 4/5 September another travelling circus is coming to Newport. This year NATO will 
have their next summit at Celtic Manor Resort, in Newport, south Wales. In early September 
2014, ?world leaders? ? all directly responsible for untold death, illegal torture 
flights, and wars fought
purely to protect Western business interests and resource supply routes ? will gather on 
the edge of this historic Welsh city. Many people from Newport, Cardiff, Bristol and 
beyond, will oppose the summit and use a diversity of tactics against it.

Newport has a history of radicalism. The Chartist rising, which celebrates it?s 175th 
anniversary this year, was the last large-scale armed insurrection in Wales, England and 
Scotland. A popular piece of public art celebrating the revolt was recently demolished 
ahead of schedule, as part
of a planned redevelopment of the centre, financed by a ?90million loan which the Council 
have gifted to developers whilst slashing funds for frontline services. This naive gamble 
on reviving the fortunes of the town via the pumping of public funds into private 
companies, joins a long list that includes LG, The Ryder Cup, and now this NATO summit.

Newport Rising will be a chance to get to know each other and discuss ideas before the 
NATO summit.

What is the Anarchist Travelling Circus

Anarchist Action Network is planning to hold similar Travelling Circus events around the 
UK with the aim of raising public awareness of anarchism and building a movement with the 
strength to take renewed action.

principles
The Anarchist Action Network has agreed some basic principles and objectives for our work.

We have adopted the PGA Hallmarks. These are a set of guidelines that were agreed by 
anti-capitalist resistance movements from across the world who came together to form the 
?Peoples? Global Alliance?. The Hallmarks were first created in 1998, but have been 
adapted since then. For more details about the PGA and the history of the hallmarks, see 
here. Here is the current version of the Hallmarks, which we have agreed:

A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism; all trade agreements, 
institutions and governments that promote destructive globalization.
We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination including, but not 
limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious fundamentalism of all creeds. We embrace the 
full dignity of all human beings.
A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying can have a major impact in 
such biased and undemocratic organisations, in which transnational capital is the only 
real policy-maker.
A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social movements? struggles, 
advocating forms of resistance which maximize respect for life and oppressed peoples? 
rights, as well as the construction of local alternatives to global capitalism.
An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy.
We have also agreed a few additional principles. These are in line with the ideas of the 
PGA hallmarks, but make a few points more explicit for our network:

We are openly anti-capitalist. One of the main roles of our network, as we see it, is to 
highlight and target the ways in which exploitation and oppression are interconnected and 
systemic. We want to bring together people who are struggling against particular problems 
and issues (austerity, climate change, migration controls, globalisation, etc. ? however 
important these are), and focus on the way these issues are part of the same capitalist 
system. See this page for more on what we mean by capitalism.

We respect a diversity of tactics. We aim to show solidarity with everyone who is fighting 
against capitalism, and whose actions are in line with our general principles (see the PGA 
hallmarks), whatever tactics they choose. For example, we will not stop supporting people 
just because their actions are labeled as ?criminal? or ?violent? by state authorities. 
Or, on the other hand, because they are accused of not going far enough.

We aim to make decisions by consensus. That means trying to make decisions that everyone 
in the network can agree to. For example, decisions by majority vote can often mean that a 
minority of people are simply ignored or left out. Instead, if we do really need to agree 
a general position as a whole network, then we should try to find one that respects 
everyone?s views and concerns, even if they are in a minority. That also includes thinking 
about the views of people who can?t get to meetings, or don?t shout as loudly.

A main aims of the network to help re-build an anti-capitalist movement in the UK and beyond.