Zone A Défendre
Tritons crété-e-s contre béton armé

Home > Events & Announcements > Call for International Day of public denunciation of state violence

Call for International Day of public denunciation of state violence

Friday 18 January 2013

All the versions of this article: [Deutsch] [English] [Español] [français] [italiano] [Português]

Invitation to participate in the International Day of Public Denunciation of State Violence – in the convivial spirit!

Saturday, January 26, 2013; wherever you like !

1 – As an introduction, here’s a presentation of the ZAD and the struggle against the Grand West Airport in France A plan for an airport at Notre-Dame-des-Landes supposed to replace the Nantes Airport , first emerged in the late 60s. In 1974, A Zone of Differed Land Settlement (which gives the initials ZAD in French) was put in place at the site of the project. In 1979, during the oil crisis, the project was abandoned. But starting from 1998, it was put back on the table and pushed through – without regard of the legal democratic procedures. In 2009 a Camp for Climate Action took place on the ZAD. A call to reoccupy the ZAD, rebaptized a Zone to Defend (also ZAD in French), is put forth. In 2012, there were around 30 living places squatted. Numerous projects – collective gardens, auto-constructions, direct action campaigns... pushed up all over the ZAD in an ecological spirit and that of autonomy from the capitalist system. From mid-October to end of November 2012, a large and violent eviction and demolition operation baptized “Cesar” took place and numerous living places were destroyed. In response to these violent evictions, a great solidarity came together all over France. Many people joined the struggle against the airport and the world it represents. During the reoccupation manifestation on November 17, around 40,000 people came to the site to reoccupy and re-build a village which is now used as a center for organizing the struggle. Since then hundreds of people have put their energy forward to occupy and defend the zone in as much autonomous means as possible. The struggle has only grown stronger... 2 – It is in this context that a direct action group proposed this call to motivate actions everywhere on the 26th of January:

Invitation to participate in the International Day of Public Denunciation of State Violence – in the convivial spirit

Saturday, January 26 2013 ­ wherever you like!

Victims of irreparable police violence (broken bones, internal hemorrages, grenade shrapnel, deafness, blindness...) over 120 injured (during 2 days of the last police operation), as well as a strong political repression (hundreds of trials and arrestations, as well as two political prisoners today), some of the occupants of the ZAD – Zone to Defend against the Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport project – associated with the ACIPA (an Inter-communal Citizens Association of the Population touched by the Notre-Dame-des-Landes Airport project), invite everyone to denounce publicly state violence on the 26th of January all over France and elsewhere. The violence was shocking, but the political occupants of the ZAD are obviously not the only to suffer state violence. The violence is symbolic, legal, judiciary, police, military, institutional; in the form of presumed guilt, discrimination, humiliation, deportation, the control of our lives...There are so many forms of violence ordinarily endured by the population. The invitation is sent out to any person who also feels compelled to denounce these forms of State violence. The call goes out beyond all borders, resounding with other struggles against the economical dictature and the great useless projects that come with it, in Italy (No TAV), in Spain, in Russia (Kimki), in Brazil (The Without Land Movement), in Indonesia (Kulon Progo)... In response to State violence, we have decided to respond with non-violent action: festive, artistic, convivial and federating marches. There will be no official organizers, nor a predefined program. All artistic action is welcome (theatre of the oppressed, Republican Serenity Chorales (tran. the abreviation is the same as a French special intervention corps of the police), photo exhibitions, video projections, music...) So come in numbers, let ideas flow, and let the force of autonomous existence once again be shown!

ZAD everywhere!

Ideas: testimonies, video projections, chorales, exhibitions (pictures, weapons used by the police...), theatre-forum, theatre of the opressed, clown performances, variety of workshops (how to survive arrestation and custody, etc...

Documents: There are many videos, testimonials and songs as well as documents presenting the weapons of repression on the ZAD’s website: zad.nadir.org

Contact : gadnv@riseup.net

Attached documents