Meeting @ London Anarchist Bookfair 29 Oct: "Anarchism and the Struggle against the Borders"

Dear friends,

we'd like to invite you to a discussion a few of us have organised at 
the London Anarchist Bookfair which takes place on Saturday 29 October 
in Tottenham. See http://anarchistbookfair.org.uk/ for details and 
directions; our meeting will be 2pm-4pm.

The title of the meeting is "Anarchism and the Struggle against the 
Borders".

 From the fences and hotspots of Fortress Europe to raids on the streets 
of London, many anarchists are active in the fight raging at the 
borders. At previous bookfairs and other events, there have often been 
meetings where we present our activities. This year we would like to try 
and go a little bit deeper.

As the "migration crisis" escalates, we see a growing wave of violence 
and misery, as the fences and concentration camps go up again across 
Europe. But we have also seen powerful action and solidarity: many 
thousands of people on the move defying borders, tearing down fences, 
escaping and destroying detention centres; other thousands of "citizens" 
cutting wires, opening safe houses, helping people live and cross.

Still, many of us say we feel lost and overwhelmed, lacking a clear 
vision for action.

In this meeting we would like, first of all, to share ideas for how to 
fight. How can we go beyond "radical humanitarianism" and act 
effectively to challenge the border regime?

But also (and as this is the anarchist bookfair after all) we want to 
relate the question of action to our fundamental ideas and values as 
anarchists. So we would also like to ask a couple of further questions. 
Why is the struggle against borders important for us as anarchists? And 
what as anarchists involved in these struggles can we learn about 
fighting alongside others with different beliefs, whether migrants or 
citizens?

We have invited a couple of speakers to open the meeting with short 
introductions. One Syrian comrade will talk about links between the 
Syrian revolution and diaspora, and resistance to the European borders. 
Another comrade will bring in the struggle against "internal" borders 
here in London. Events and technology permitting, we may also try to set 
up videolinks with Calais, where the eviction of the jungle is likely to 
be well underway, or maybe elsewhere.

Then we would like to open up the discussion. If you feel you have 
something to say on these issues, we invite you to prepare a short 
contribution, or just come on the day and get involved.

In solidarity,

some anarchists against the borders