(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #248 - Resistance
Places: A barricade in Montpellier (fr, it, pt) [machine translation]
On 22 November 2014, a self-directed local opened in Montpellier: the Barricade. This is
the culmination of a long project, partly inspired by the experience of Mille probe port
in Marseille. It aims to create a space in the service of struggles, but also a venue of
revolutionary and anti-capitalist ideas. ---- Three themes were highlighted in the project
Barricade. The first is a cultural component: in times of crisis, it is necessary to make
available free cultural activities in order to recreate the social link where there are
more. Specifically, two months after the opening, an animation AG is established where
various workshops are offered: games, film club, art ... In addition to these workshops,
local offers its members a snack bar, open weekend and a press area.
Support space struggles
In addition to creating spaces of popular solidarity, the place is also intended to
support the struggles of space. And since its inception, many collective gather there:
collective transport fraudsters in common struggle against precariousness, coordination
Luttopia student general meeting outside the walls, assembled against repression ... That
said, the place is not limited not to lend its walls to support the struggles: evenings
are organized to support such struggles against the repression of the anti-National Front
demonstration of 29 November in Lyon.
Finally, as recalled by its charter, the place is a space of "spreading revolutionary
practices, anti-capitalist, internationalist, self-management and direct democracy" . It
therefore also aims to be a vehicle for dissemination of revolutionary ideas. This is also
reflected by the publicly available information of a corner and documentation with reviews
publications of capitalism, but also the organization of public meetings and debates.
Furthermore militants of Alternative Libertaire are part of the group and contribute to
its animation.
A risky but successful bet
The group that manages the site operates self-managed manner, following the rules of
direct democracy with the requirements and revocable mandates.
Take a local in the city center of Montpellier with consequent rent was a gamble in
financial terms, but the success of the place since it opened and the support he received
from so many activists and groups ( unions, groups) have covered its costs for the time
and especially to donate money in support of the repression, but also various struggles.
The opening night was well attended by over two hundred people, exceeding expectations of
the members of the collective.
Since then, the organization that runs the place with more than four hundred members, and
the place lives well, experiencing high attendance, whether in informal moments, but also
in political events. Hopefully the place continues to expand on this momentum and to fight
it capitalism and the bourgeoisie in the most efficient way possible!
Matthijs (AL Montpellier)
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Lieux-de-resistance-Une-barricade
