In the week before November 17 this year, a university occupation strike for the
climate took place at at least eleven faculties across the Czech Republic. Theevent, combined with a number of educational and cultural programs, revived thelocal climate movement and the method of democratizing academic land by occupyingsome of the most overlooked members of the academic community, the students. The"Occupation", the accompanying program and the final demonstration through thestreets of Prague were of course supported by anarchists. ---- "The climatecrisis and other related problems, such as the war in Ukraine, energy poverty orthe polarization of society and leaning towards the extreme right... these aresuch serious problems that we don't want to just stand idly by! RememberingNovember 17 is not enough, and there is no future in empty promises! We wantclimate justice in universities and in society," the strikers said and publisheda list of specific demands towards the government and university management.As the Anarchist Federation, we have been involved in the climate movement andoverall ecological events in our country for a long time - the climate crisis isa fundamental, defining challenge of our time, which cannot be avoided by doingnothing comfortably. And which, moreover, is closely related to the actors wehave been opposing for a long time: fossil capitalism and the state defending theprofits of the economic elite. Not to mention the drastic inequality between theglobal South ravaged by hurricanes, droughts and floods, and the wealth of theNorth built on gigatons of greenhouse gases released in the name of endlesseconomic growth.So we also participated in the occupation strike. Due to the hectic time, we didnot particularly coordinate, but rather went to different places on our own axis.I headed to join some friends at the Faculty of Humanities, which was occupied atthe time - coincidentally near the already completely impoverished villa, thesecond legendary Milada squat. And I won't lie, I arrived late for the scheduledprogram due to the nasty weather and traffic jams. Just like that, I made my waythrough the door together with a group of female students, whose entrance wascomplicated by the faculty security guard due to the late hour.The hypermodern, austere interior of the faculty was decorated with many bannersreferring to the climate crisis and the prevailing inequality in its effects. Inthe central atrium, a kind of performance was taking place, and dozens of mainlyyoung people were walking around and discussing. I greeted my friends and sat onthe stairs with my friends who were regularly drinking non-alcoholic beer,because alcohol was banned during the climate strike. The main program of theevening - the Northern Platform concert - is hard to describe. The so-calledSeverko is always great, on this occasion and in the huge space of the facultyatrium, despite the inappropriate acoustics, it was epic.But the journey home was not at all straightforward, so getting up for thedemonstration on November 17th was marked by a lot of fussing, brewing hugevolumes of coffee and promises that I would never sit in strange night bars againbefore the event. But I managed to arrive and meet a few comrades again on thespot. It was downright nasty and dry weather. Some people warmed up with chantsagainst fossil capitalism and so-called more liberal topics, I mostly huddled inmy coat and sometimes rolled my eyes at the parades of empty November sentimenton Národní trída.The several-headed, relatively loud march was a success. I especially appreciatedthe stop at the residence of the coal baron Kretínský in the luxurious ParížskáStreet. Coincidentally, there were a couple of buffoons walking by from/toconcurrent events of anti-vaxxer nationalists who, decked out in Nazi rag brands,were hawking pearls in the style of "down with waste sorting" at the demo - andnot worth anyone's attention. Finally, amid more chanting, we arrived at theGovernment Office, where after a few more speeches, we parted ways.Although I am writing in a light-hearted spirit, the university climate strikewas an important and encouraging moment: the scope definitely exceeded at leastmy expectations (as a graduate of the University of Prague), and the involvementof a number of new people showed that the efforts for climate justice definitelydid not die out even with the energy crisis.For us, as anarchists, this is a field in which we should naturally be involved -not only because we ourselves deal with ecology, which is the modern Czechanarchist scene alive. But also because the climate movement is naturallyanarchic, standing on similar principles as ours, and also against the sameopponents. In advance, we look forward to meeting the participants of the climatestrike, for example, at a future Climate Camp. Our declared terror of the coalbarons, the Graeber affinity group, is ready and motivated. Thanks to you too,striking students - thanks for that!14.12.2022-vc-Ecology From Home ActionIn the coming days:Public meeting of INN Brno12 January 2023, Brnohttps://www.afed.cz/text/7810/klimaticky-17-listopad_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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