Last Saturday (25th September) marked the start of the No Border camp in Brussels. As of this morning , Thursday 29th September, there are over 700 people on site, and more are expected tomorrow. The camp will conclude this Saturday with a demo through the centre of Brussels.

On Sunday there was a demo outside the closed detention centre Steenokkerzeel near Brussels airport, and yesterday (Wednesday), some No Border activists took part in the demonstration against austerity cuts organised by trade unions in the city while others protested outside Frontex, the European Border Agency (see report on the day here and a press release about police repression here). Meanwhile there have been workshops, debates and concerts both on the camp and at various locations across the city, including at the squatted Gesu monastery in the east of the city which is occupied by 130 sans-papiers.

Up-to-date news on the camp can be found on Indymedia Brussels and a programme of the camp can be downloaded here.

The camp's website is here, and below is the call out for the camp....

Where, why, how to get involved?

A NO BORDER CAMP ?

The NO BORDER CAMP IN BRUSSELS follows the tradition of No Border camps, organised all over the world since the 90s. Neither a normative frame, nor an organization, the No Border Camp is most of all a meeting, a convergence of struggles aiming to end the system of borders that divide us all.

Like in Calais or Lesvos in 2009 it’s about building a temporary and autonomous space of living, thinking, sharing (experiences, skills, information, analysis,…) actions concerning the questions of borders, migration and the right of freedom of movement and to chose the place where you want to live.

OUR BASIC DEMANDS ARE:

- No one is illegal!
- No borders, no nations!
- Equal rights for everybody!
- Freedom of movement and settlement!
- Against capitalist and authoritarian systems that are the origin of forced exile, wars and misery.

OUR BASIC PRINCIPLES ARE:

* The camp and the actions organized during the No Border are based on self-organisation.
* Sexist, racist and violent behaviour are not tolerated in the camp.
* The targets of the actions of the No Border are multiple and various, they are not only related to the structures of the repression of migrants: the anti-migratory policies take place in a capitalist and European structure that is the base of the problem, repression does not concern only migrants.
* All the participants of the camp accept and respect the different ways of acting.
* All the participants of the camp are solidarity against state repression.

WHY IN BRUSSELS?

Belgium will take presidency of the European council from 1st July until 21st December 2010. As the capital of Europe Brussels is the symbol of the development of the European (anti-) migration policy.

In reality the European Union has, over the last 10 years, increasing closed its doors to migrants, constructing a real fortress Europe. The EU strengthens the repression (forcing people into clandestine existence, raids , locking people up and deporting "people without papers") that is already enforced by Belgium and the different member states.

So Europe is organising, with the help of Frontex (European agency organising the operational cooperation at the exterior borders) border patrols, helicopters, boats, and it shifts its frontiers towards Asia and Africa by financing states (from Ukraine up to Morocco) to enforce the prevention of migration in its name.

By organising a No Border camp in Brussels we want to question this (anti-) migration policy.

WHEN?

- The construction of the camp will be from September 24th until September 26th 2010.
- Activities will start on September 26th and will continue until October 3rd.
- During this week we would like to see Brussels swarming with different activities about (anti-) migration policy and its consequences. The camp is also offering the opportunity to fight together with different action strategies, but also to build up a longer term dynamic. We invite all (individuals or collectives) to participate as they see fit and to propose their own activities or co-operations.

There will be three big action days:

On 26th September there will be a demo at a local detention centre. The demo will also be linked to the commemoration of Semira Adamu, who was killed in 1998 by cops who wanted to deport her.

On 29th September there will be a mass action against the ECOFIN summit.

On 2nd October there will be a No Border No Nation demo.

Also there will be other actions, workshops, presentations and so on. And there is many space for your ideas.

HOW TO SUPPORT AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE

A No Border Camp is what everybody wants to make of it, everybody can play his/her part and offer support.

- By participating in the organisation of the camp, by working in one of the different working groups (mobilisation, logistics, media, big demo, internet, medical, programme, welcoming committee, finances, translations, cooking, legal)

- By making a proposal for a workshop, film, expo, lecture. We propose the following themes:

* The security politics of Frontex and the militarisation of borders.
* Clandestinity and the struggle of migrants.
* Capitalism and migration.
* Closed detention centres for migrants and deportations.
* European (anti-)migration politics.

- By mobilising, participating in actions, coming to the big demo, or by organising your own actions that can halt the deportation machine.

- By organising a benefit (a concert, a night out, dinner)

- By proposing sites, sleeping places for actions or activists.

- By making a financial or material donation

- By offering material (tents, vans, kitchen material, portable toilets…)

You also can join us. The more of us there are to bring about change, the faster Fortress Europe will fall.

CONTACT: nobordercamp@vluchteling.be

HTTP://WWW.NOBORDERBXL.EU.ORG

On the website you will also find links to print out posters and flyers in different languages.