CALL FOR AFFINITY GROUPS - By SOAR
Many of the actions during the G8/G20 are being organized around or welcome an affinity group structure. We encourage people to form affinity groups with trusted friends, lovers, comrades, etc.
An affinity group is a small group of people, about 3-10 or so, who are interested in similar tactics and have similar levels of comfort. They can be thought of as the basic building block of the larger, decentralized group that we will form during many of the actions. In a demonstration, affinity groups are able to communicate and make decisions quickly and autonomously, and can act with greater efficiency and safety.
We've got a month and a half to get ready for this! Let's gather in the secret, quiet places, and discuss with our trusted buddies what would excite and inspire us. Then, once we share a vision, let us scheme how to create it. Here are some things to think about when preparing as an affinity group:
- Comfort level – what sort of things are you willing or not willing to do?
- Legal preparations – How will you deal with arrests?
- Getting used to working as a group – In the coming weeks, make some
time to go adventuring together.
- Have a plan – What sort of roles will your affinity group take on
during the events? What are you good at? How will you apply those
skills?
- Material preparations – What will you need to bring to do what you
need to do? Don’t forget water!
Once you have an affinity group, SOAR wants you to get involved with the planning of autonomous actions, particularly for Sunday, June 27th. In the coming weeks, SOAR will be organizing spokes councils, where representatives from affinity groups can come help plan the details of actions, and to plug in by committing to taking on certain roles as a group. If you are interested in attending such a meeting, drop a line to torontospokes @ ecologyfund.net. And of course, the internet is not a safe place to discuss any specifics of these actions.
All SOAR events celebrate a diversity of tactics, meaning that we support all the many different ways that people choose to resist our common enemies. We will not condemn or attempt to prevent or control actions being taken by others, and will vigorously resist state repression against anyone. That said, respect for diversity of tactics also means not smashing things while part of a child-friendly march.
The Toronto Community Mobilization Network statement on Respect and Solidarity can be found at: http://g20.torontomobilize.org/SolidarityRespect
Donate
 |
 |
The G8/G20 meetings took place in Ontario from June 25-27, 2010. Toronto-based organizations of women, people of colour, indigenous peoples, the poor, the working class, queer and trans people and disabled people organized a peoples convergence with 40,000 people taking to the streets, standing up for justice in collaboration and solidarity!
Activists, community members, inspired and outraged individuals came together as a movement to demand justice for people and the planet. Over a week of mobilizations, events, workshops and direct actions took place in the face of state and police repression, violence and infringements on rights and freedoms.
We must continue to mobilize and build greater solidarity among our communities- an important part of this is supporting all those arrested during the G20 summit, including our allies still in detention, and those released on bail.