The UCL Fougères group (Ille-et-Vilaine) has created a real militant and
libertarian dynamic around local associations, and associations for mutual aidand popular education. ---- Founded in 2016, the UCL Fougères group (Alternativelibertarian at the start) has continued to grow to reach a dozen members at thefederal level as well as a dozen locally active sympathizers. ---- This figuremay be surprising for an agglomeration of only 40,000 inhabitants, with no realstudent presence and near Rennes, which could tend to "suck up" militantinitiatives. ---- One of the reasons for this result is undoubtedly partlyexplained by certain inherent characteristics: a historically working-class citywhich remains strongly marked by precariousness.But the context is not enough, we must analyze the local establishment and themethods of action of the group to identify the springs of such a local enthusiasmfor libertarian communism.A historic working townAs soon as it was set up, the local group coordinated with other libertarians tocreate an association: "Les Oiseaux de la Tempête" ("We are the birds of thecoming storm" is a quote/warning from Voltairine de Cleyre for the martyr AugustSpies, an anarchist executed illegally after the Haymarket Square riots in 1887),who set himself the goal of opening the Center Social Autogéré Fougerais (CSAF).The first space, a former rental restaurant, opens on May 1, 2017 after a lot ofmeetings and a good amount of work. Located in the city center, it quicklybecomes an ideal base for meeting and getting organized.Manon and Pierre (CSAF)A network of solidarity that unites counter-powersA second space, "l'Atelier", has been accessible since 2019. More remote, it isalso larger and can host public events (such as the UCL Congress).Other spaces are under construction: meeting room, collective garden. With theAtelier, they have in common that they are provided by member owners who makepart of their property available to the collective. In doing so, the associationhas a real network of spaces on the territory which allows it to multiply itsfields of intervention.These places are political, social and cultural spaces, for solidarity, for thefight against discrimination, for meetings and non-commercial exchanges, but alsofor the exercise of self-management.Thus the CSAF offers cultural and popular education actions (holiday camps,activities around the book, gesticulated conferences, concerts, screenings,artistic workshops, choirs, etc.).The association also provides spaces for the self-organization of struggles forspecific groups: UCL, LGBTI group, feminist group, Crip cafés (anti-abledistreflection space), Kurdish movement.Finally, it serves as a basis for the collective management of mutual aid andlocal solidarity (food recovery and distribution, pop canteen, administrativeassistance, discussion groups, exchange of knowledge and pooling of equipment)The association operates with a mixed General Assembly per month, open to all,where we manage the life of the association, its projects and where weparticipate in operating mandates. There is also a single-sex GA with no cis men.The association does not receive any subsidy and lives thanks to the free priceand the contributions.Today there are around a hundred members, of which between 20 and 30 attendgeneral meetings every month.Unite counter-powersWith UCL we disseminate our social project, our ideas, we animate debates, weparticipate in the animation of federal campaigns, we campaign for the linking ofeach counter-power on the city, we support struggles, we defend internationalcauses such as that of the Kurdish left, particularly within the Serhildan network.Our activists are involved in the Groupe Féministe de Fougères (GFF), in the CGTwhere we have created a committee for the unemployed, unemployed and precarious,and in the CSAF. The fact that the group has multiple investments is an asset,since in these spaces we are beginning to develop a real local network ofsolidarity, resistance and social experimentation with the prospect of afederalization of counter-powers and collective emancipation.Thus the CSAF was able to set up strike funds distributed to teachers, hospitalstaff, postal workers and recently to water service agents.The GFF is seeking to coordinate a joint event with unions and associations forMarch 8 (a first in Fougères).The CGT unemployed and precariously unemployed committee campaigns, beyond itsspecific action, to develop interprofessional links, self-management practicesand direct democracy, with a desire for social activities. a hundred people withour ideas and practicesThe impact of our action in the city is increased tenfold by the CSAF which,through its operation, its practices, its values and its openness, is a realsounding board. It is a frighteningly effective libertarian soft power. It makesit possible to involve unorganized people who are reluctant to traditionalmilitant frameworks, to raise awareness of individuals who were originally verydistant from our ideology, to serve as a rear base for the organization and toconsiderably broaden our base of sympathizers, our influence, and therebyultimately strengthen the specific organization by contributing vital forces andfeedback.It is no longer just twelve UCL activists, but a hundred people who spreadlibertarian communist ideas and practices in their networks (colleagues, friends,etc.). The activities that are developed there also make it possible to meet thebasic needs of our class and it is now in this type of space that classsolidarity is born. We want to associate with this dynamic the local union CGT,well established, with 400 members, and which completes the action of the CSAF onthe aspect of the fight in companies.One can imagine for later that any of these premises could be a place oforganization of trade union and social struggles, and especially places of socialand democratic life. And who knows, at the end, perhaps, the Commune of Fougères !UCL Fougereshttps://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Bretagne-Dynamiques-libertaires-a-Fougeres_________________________________________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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