[aha] The Shut Down the Camp Initiative, Denmark

[T_Bazz]

La notizia arriva un po' tardi, ma credo sia un argomento interessante. 
Soprattutto notate la strategia con cui in Danimarca organizzano le 
proteste, credo che possa essere un esempio per tutti.

tbazz

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Dear friends

The Shut Down the Camp Initiative calls for a day of action against the Sandholm 
refugee camp in North Zealand, Denmark. To do this we need all the help we can get.

On the 25. of October we are planning a massive civil disobedience action. Our 
aim is to dismantle the Sandholm camp, and thereby physically challenge the 
racism of the Danish refugee policy.

The way Denmark treats refugees is horrible. The process of being granted an 
asylum in Denmark is long and hard. For years the refugees are waiting for their 
destiny to be decided, hidden away in remote locations. For years the refugees 
are waiting for their destiny to be decided, hidden away in remote locations. 
The purpose of isolation is pretty straight forward: It is to exclude the 
refugees from society and anything that resembles peaceful conditions and a 
normal life. The Sandholm refugee camp and the fences around it are brutal and 
concrete manifestations of racism.

The Danish policy towards refugees are based on humiliation and dehumanisation 
of the the world´s most vulnerable. The Shut Down the Camp action is aiming to 
put an end to this. 

The civil disobedience action has been publicly called for. We have asked that 
people take the train together from Copenhagen to a small town near the camp 
called Allerød. From there we march to the camp. See end of mail for specific 
information about the action codex and so on.

There will be accomodation possibilities for foreigners at Solidaritetshuset, 
Griffenfeldsgade 41, Nørrebro from friday 24th. If you need accomodation from 
thursday 23th, contact luklejren.mobilisering at gmail.com 
<mailto:luklejren.mobilisering at gmail.com>

There will be infopoint for foreigners friday 24th at Folkets Hus, Stengade 50, 
Nørrebro, from 7 to 9 pm.

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*Everybody can participate in shutting down the camp!

Where, when and how...*

The action will be confrontational, but non-violent. You will be able to 
participate at the level that suits you. In the main demonstration there will be 
room for everybody who wishes to act up against racism: young and old, parents 
with children, experienced and inexperienced demonstrators. During the action, 
participants will be continuously informed about occurrences in and outside the 
demonstration.

The inhabitants of the Sandholm refugee camp should not be molested. We have 
planned the action with the intention to avoid intimidating the inhabitants. 
Please check out the map of Sandholm beforehand; we should avoid entering the 
residential area. We should not enter the administration, either, as sensitive 
information and documents concerning the cases of individual asylum seekers are 
kept here.

Most inhabitants of the camp have been informed of the action through info 
meetings and flyers translated into all major languages. The overall opinion has 
been favorable. But some inhabitants do not know us, and the action might make 
them feel insecure. So, please consider you actions and show consideration for 
the inhabitants of the camp as well as for fellow participants in the 
demonstration. We have been in permanent communication with the inhabitants of 
the Sandholm refugee camp and during the action a contact group from Shut Down 
the Camp will be present to keep people informed.

We do not intend to foster insecurity among the inhabitants; neither do we wish 
for confrontation with the police or employees of the camp. Our goal is to shut 
down the camp and demonstrate our opposition to racism – a racism which the camp 
is an integral part of. Our strength is our number and ability to take care of 
each other. Use your imagination: Climb the roofs, shut down the control post, 
bring banners and stencils, balloons and a pair of pincers. Show solidarity with 
the inhabitants of Sandholm! Show that racism can never be accepted! Take down 
the fence; the camp must be shut down!

We are a large group of people undertaking this action together, and the success 
of the endeavor relies on your respect for the shared codex. The codex is:

  1. No intentional injury or physical harm to persons;
  2. No entry into the residential area and no intrusion into the administration;
  3. Look out for the inhabitants of the camp and for each other. Be aware of 
others and be sober.

*Saturday October 25: The action plan *

*Allerød Station at 12 am* – We meet up at Allerød Station. People will gather 
here from all parts of the country. There will be collective transportation from 
Jutland, Funen, Sealand and Copenhagen. You can sign up for busses at 
luklejren.dk <http://luklejren.dk> or take the train.

*The demonstration* – When everybody has gathered around 2 pm, we will march 
toward the camp following Sandholmgårdsvej. The police have been notified and it 
is hence a legal demonstration. There will be music and speeches, people with 
banners, party is on and a lot of energy in store. We have the right to 
demonstrate, and the police have been notified of the route to avoid any hasty 
reactions. Should the police nexpectedly stop the demonstration, we will reach 
the camp by alternative routes. The participants will be notified of these 
routes along the way.

There is approximately 3.5 km from Allerød station to the Sandholm refugee camp 
and we will walk at a slow pace. It is a good idea to wear comfortable shoes and 
bring a bottle of water and some food for the road.

*Party at the gates of Sandholm* – When we reach the refugee camp mid-afternoon, 
the main demonstration will stop at the parking lot outside the main entrance of 
the camp. There will be speeches, food and a lot of nice music.

*The action starts* – At a prearranged signal, activists who wish to participate 
in tearing down the fence will break off from the main demonstration and 
initiate the action of civil disobedience. Clear signal will be given when this 
part of the action is started. Hence, everybody will be aware of how to stay in 
the main demonstration or where to go if they wish to confront the fence. The 
main demonstration will stay at the parking lot during the action.

*The camp is shut down by being opened* – The activists confronting the fence 
will cut it down, pull it down, and climb it. If the police try to stop us, we 
will use our high mobility as well as our ability to get through, or around, 
hindrances in the open terrain around the camp. We will not get into violent 
confrontations with the police, but we might push ourselves against police lines 
to get to the fence.

When we get behind the fence, we will use the occasion to demonstrate that 
racism can never be accepted while taking into consideration that people are 
living in the camp. We will use our imagination: Climb roofs, shut down control 
posts, put up banners and flags, decorate with stencils, balloons and graffiti – 
please bring the needed materials yourself. When the fence is cut down it will 
be put up around the buildings of the administration.

*Shared return* – We have not scheduled an exact closing time, as it is hard to 
predict the exact course of the day. Everybody will be informed about when the 
action is called off. We will return to Allerød Station together in the 
demonstration.