Hello everyone,
Tomorrow evening (Friday) at 7pm, there is a screening of the film Factory to the workers. In 2005, the workers of a Croatian company occupied their factory for the production of tools. Since then, they have been managing their factory collectively. After the end of Yugoslavia and the return of capitalism in the post-socialist part of Europe, they are the only successful example. But they too are struggling with the conditions of the global market. Filmmaker Srđan Kovačević accompanied them over five years. In the end, the question remains: can a single collective business survive on the edge of capitalism, or does it need more? The film will be shown at MaHalle, Waldemarstrasse 110. Entrance is free.
On Saturday, at 1.30pm, there is a demonstration to mark the day of remembrance for the genocide in Armenia. The demonstration is happening because the genocide and the displacement of Armenians have no end. Today Armenians in Artsakh are suffering under pan-Turkism. Azerbaijan’s war of aggression in 2020 led to a blockade which prevents the only connection between Armenia and Artsakh. The demonstration organisers call on non-Armenians to show their solidarity, and the pain affects us all. The demo starts at Hermannplatz.
Starting at 2pm on Saturday, there will be an event on Oranienplatz in solidarity with the Turkish Green Left Party (Yeşil Sol). Speeches will be held (largely in Turkish), there will also be music and food.
Saturday also sees the next Berlin LINKE Internationals Küfa – an evening where internationals activists and eat together and discuss together. As ever, all food is free, but there will be a collection – this time for the reception at the coming meeting: 75 Years Nakba: Anti-Palestinian Racism and Repression in Berlin. The meeting is an important contribution to helping the German Left understand the ongoing struggle of Palestinians, and to build a serious anti-colonialist movement here. Note that this meeting will take place on 29th April and will now take place at Spreefeld, Wilhelmine-Gemberg-Weg 14 (the meeting will be conducted in German).
Sunday will see a day of action against the building of the A100 motorway, including a bicycle demo starting at Frankfurter Allee/Möllendorffstraße at 11am, and a concert on the motorway from 1pm near S-Bahn Tempelhof. The German transport minister does not see protecting the climate as his remit. Instead he wants to accelerate the building of motorways. The Berlin SPD is cozying up to the CDU which wants to build the A100 against the wishes of local residents and to extend it to Prenzlauer Berg. The protests want to set a sign for bicycle lanes, and investing in more public transport instead of concrete and environmentally damaging cars.
Sunday is also the anniversary of the liberation of Italy from Fascism. To celebrate the event, the Italian organisation ANPI is organising a celebration event Festa della Liberazione at Kolle 37, . Kollwitzstr. 35. ANPI Berlin-Brandenburg, Comites Berlin and VVN invite you to celebrate Liberation Day together with shows, music and a small food and wine offer. The proceeds will be donated to Mediterranea Saving Humans. ANPI are our Campaign of the Week.
Finally, on Wednesday at 6pm, there will be a demonstration at Potsdamer Platz to celebrate the Day of Lesbian Visibility. All L* and their supporters are warmly invited to join us in taking to the streets together for inclusive lesbian visibility. We want to be visible together, peacefully, in solidarity, and in a colorful and diverse way. So come out onto the streets with us on April 26th, join the ranks and let’s set a sign for inclusion and diversity together. Of course, we’re excited about your handmade signs, ideas, and chants, as well as your cheers from the sidelines.
This week is full of activities in Berlin, so make sure you find out what else is going on by looking at our Events page. You can see a shorter, but more detailed, list of Events which we are directly involved in here.
Remember that the preliminary programme for the LINKE Internationals annual Summer Camp is now online. Summer Camp takes place on 10th – 11th June in the Naturfeundehaus Hermsdorf, on the outskirts of Berlin. Please register to ensure free accommodation.
In News from Berlin, another pro-Palestine demo in Berlin is banned, and the FU student parliament comes into conflict with the police and politicians.
In News from Germany, Germany’s last nuclear power plant closes, environmental protestors from Letzte Generation are given jail sentences, the Green Party Conference refuses to discuss the clearing of Lützerath, and cannabis is decriminalized in Germany.
Read all about this week’s News from Berlin and Germany here.
New on theleftberlin this week, we interview the organisers of a workshop about refugees from Senegal, Hari Kumar looks at the Silicon Valley bailout, Anna Southern is frustrated about the Labour Left’s weak response to the continued attacks on Jeremy Corbyn, John Mullen looks at the response of French fascists to the recent protests, Palestinian photographer Rasha Al-Jundi writes about resisting the suppression of Palestinian voices in Germany, and Lana Birley explains how non-Germans can gain dual citizenship.
By the way, you can see a gallery of Rasha Al-Jundi’s photographs here.
In this week’s Radio Programme of the Week, Radio Berlin International talks to Rosemary Grennan from AGIT about cultural resistance in Berlin, and to Zaid from Samidoun about Palestinian prisoners.
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Keep on fighting
The Left Berlin Editorial Board
