On Thursday one of our members (actually this week’s autonomy update compiler, hi!) is holding an event to celebrate the life and dreams of Rachel Corrie, a peace activist killed in Gaza in 2003 whilst defending a Palestinian home from the Israeli army. We’ll be building community, singing, eating, laughing and crying together. We have performances of celebration and resistance from around the world, including Scottish, Jewish and Palestinian songs. And we’ll

collectively sing progressive songs including some antifascist favourites.

The Glasgow-University-Anarchist-Student-Group have organised a protest on Thursday (before the singalong, so come to both!) about Milo’s candidature for the rectorship election. Far from being a “free speech” defender, he has already promised to close down the Uni Islamic Society if elected, and previously used a public talk to target a trans student – outing and mocking her from the stage

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/12/15/university-ignored-warnings-about-far-right-speaker-leaving-him-free-to-bully-trans-student-on-stage/

Have a good week y’all.

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WestGAP looking for volunteers

Volunteer at WestGAP!

We are a collectively run welfare rights anti-poverty organisation in Cessnock. Many of us have experienced the brutality of the benefits system ourselves.

We’re looking for people to help us to fight benefits sanctions and the horrendous disability and health assessments. We need help with a variety of activities, from giving advice and support to welfare claimants, making links with other groups, public events and generating and distributing information. We organise training and skills-sharing and prioritise collective working, well-being and fun! If you can spare half a day a week get in touch: info@westgap.co.uk

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Unity World Cafe/Food bank

Tuesdays, (21st, 28th March etc) – 1200–1400

GAS, Tradeston Industrial Estate G5 8

The Unity World Café is a friendly, safe place, welcoming destitute asylum seekers and anyone else in need of some lunch and a chat. Run by volunteers on a shoestring budget, it offers tea and cake and free food to take home; every Tuesday at GAS.

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Arabic/English exchange

Tuesdays, (21st, 28th March etc) – 1800-2000

GAS, Tradeston Industrial Estate G5 8

Come and join us for the Unity* Arabic/English language exchange!

It is a conversation class where people can learn Arabic and Arabic speakers can learn/improve their English and get to know each other in a supportive environment – an environment where English is not put on a pedestal and everyone is learning.

The class started as a response to the limited spaces for people to study ESOL at college. Many are on waiting lists for many many months, so we wanted to act together so people could practice their English in the mean time.

Anyone of any level can attend. We also urgently need more English speakers!

An organisation called Arika has given us some money to provide travel expenses for those that could not attend the class otherwise, but this money is running out. Please help if you can:

https://www.youcaring.com/people-who-couldn-t-attend-otherwise-601139

Come on down! 🙂

*The Unity Centre has been open almost 10 years and offers

unconditional support and solidarity to asylum seekers and all other migrants http://unitycentreglasgow.org/

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Protest Against alt-right candidates at Glasgow Uni Rector elections

16th March. 5pm. Assemble at the main gates.

We are organising a demonstration on the 16th March to coincide with the hustings taking place at the University of Glasgow for the position of rector. We have called for this action to protest the nominations of Milo Yiannopoulos and Professor Jordan Peterson for rector of the university.

The University of Glasgow is one of five Scottish universities that elect a rector to represent students as chairman of the university court, which administers university resources. The rector is also expected to bring student concerns to the university management. So far, the position of rector has been largely ceremonial, it has important powers should they be utilized and is very prestigious. Given that both these men’s views are in direct conflict with University’s Equality and Diversity policy

(http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/equalitydiversity/policy/equalitypolicy/#d.en.308442 ), they would not make suitable rectors.

Milo Yiannopoulos is a Trump-supporting alt-right troll who recently became infamous for his comments supporting paedophilia. He has written numerous articles for Breitbart and made comments attacking foreign students, women in science, the LGBTQI+ community (transgender students in particular), and anyone who disagrees with him. His views put him in direct opposition with many parts of the Equality and Diversity police, including, for example, the commitment to increase the number of women in senior academic roles. He has repeatedly used speeches on University campuses to target students, and encouraged his followers to harass them.

Professor Jordan Peterson has angered many students at the University of Toronto for his refusal to use gender-neutral pro-nouns and his attacks on members of the campus community who use them. Addressing people by their chosen pronoun is clearly stated in University policy

(http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/equalitydiversity/policy/equalitypolicy/app-e/), and thus Peterson’s position directly breaches it.

We will be protesting not only to show that these views are not welcome on our campus, but also that we will stand in solidarity with and support those members of our community that these views target. To be clear, we do not equate Jordan Peterson with the fascist troll Yiannopoulos; however, both represent to varying degrees the intolerant trope, currently on the rise in the West, of privileged voices that seek to silence and oppress others. In addition, both have expressed views that are diametrically opposed to the University’s Equality Policy.

This is not a limitation on free speech, as both nominees have ample opportunity to spread their bigotry elsewhere. As they are ‘free’ to spout their venomous views from positions of privilege and power, we are also ‘free’ to protest them.

The University has refused to remove Milo Yiannopoulos and Jordan Peterson from the nomination despite their standing in stark opposition to their own Equality and Diversity policy. By claiming ‘neutrality’ over this issue, the University refuses to guarantee the safety of its own students and ridicules its proclaimed ‘inclusive’ credentials. We will be demonstrating to show our discontent and that there are some who will not tolerate the continuing spread of hatred towards vulnerable groups.

We call on students and the wider Glasgow community to join us at 17:00 on March 16th, at the University main gate and help us to show the university that we will not tolerate fascism and hatred to be spread on our campus.

For more information please contact:

https://www.facebook.com/Glasgow-University-Anarchist-Student-Group-706433722825155/

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/401288756892280/

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Celebrate Rachel Corrie’s life with Open Mic & Communal Singing

Thursday 16th March – 1800-2200

Glasgow Autonomous Space.

Address details : http://glasgowautonomous.weebly.com/find-us.html

Rachel Corrie was an American peace activist killed in Gaza in 2003 by Israeli forces whilst she was defending a Palestinian home from demolition. She has become a symbol of hope and solidarity for many, but to me she was a friend and awesome human being taken from us too early because of the ravages of war, borders and racism that kill millions worldwide.

https://fleabite.wordpress.com/2014/03/16/fight-war-not-wars-rachel-corrie-the-american-girl-killed-defending-a-palestinian-home/

I want to celebrate her life with something she would have loved – building community and celebrating the diversity and richness of Glasgow with songs and performances and sharings from all over the world. In direct opposition to racism and divisions, let us enjoy and celebrate each other’s roots and be an active part of creating a culture that supports and nurtures us all and our dreams and works for a decent ￼world.

Songs from Palestine! Jewish songs of resistance to Nazism and anti zionism! Egyptian compere! Scottish folk! Bring songs, poems, jokes and food to share. Readings from Rachel’s own words. Everyone gently encouraged to participate in a supportive environment. Doesn’t have to be your own composition – sing/read/perform/or even just tell a joke that tickles you. The important thing is that we come together to relish our diversity and connections.

Feel free to invite anyone who will appreciate and participate.

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Unity Herbal Clinic

Saturday, 18th March – 0800-1700

Glasgow Autonomous Space

Address details : http://glasgowautonomous.weebly.com/find-us.html

The Unity Herbal Collective was set up in response to restricted access to healthcare for people without papers. We run a free clinic for people in the aslyum process and their allies. Our collective is made up of qualified & lay herbalists, grass roots campaigners and people in the asylum process.

Our politics are aligned with the Unity Centre, and No Borders.

Contact: unityherbalclinic@gmail.com, phone – 07821202134

No website or facebook.

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Smut Slam

Monday, March 20

7:30pm

The Rum Shack (657-659 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow G41 2AB)

So good, it’s coming back for Round 2: SMUT SLAM.

This fast-paced storytelling open mic based on real life, real lust, real sex is back for another blast of Smut. The theme for this SMUT SLAM is “EPIC FAIL”. Tell us the times when things really,

spectacularly didn’t work. We’ve all been there, and we’ll be there again.

Created and hosted by professional touring perv Cameryn Moore, the Smut Slam features real-life, first-person sex stories, guest stories from our panel of celebrity judges, and also THE FUCKBUCKET, a convenient and funnily named receptacle for all your anonymous questions and confessions!

CELEBRITY JUDGE PANEL TBA!

****SEXY PRIZES, including prizes from Luke & Jack and an NJOY stainless-steel toy!

SMUT SLAMMERS sign up on the night to tell a 5-minute dirty story, based on their real lives, and a lucky eight to ten names will be drawn at random.

RULES: – no notes (this is storytelling) – no costumes or props (this is not theatre) – only five minutes (with a one-minute grace period) AND – the story must be real and have happened to you. Stories often are funny and/or epic win, but we want to encourage people to consider sharing their sad, disturbing, poignant, serious, simple and/or “fail” experiences, too.

IMPORTANT: Smut Slam is queer-friendly, kink- and vanilla-friendly, fat-friendly, sex worker-friendly, virgin-friendly, poly-friendly, … we’re really, really friendly. We welcome people with all types and amounts of sexual experiences. We DO NOT welcome stories involving racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or any other kind of discrimination, objectification, or fetishization. All stories must be CONSENSUAL!

NOT A SMUT SLAMMER? Don’t worry. The audience is in for a good time at SMUT SLAM! Sit back and enjoy. All we ask is: – No interrupting. – No heckling. – No necking in the front row. Doors open at 7:30pm, and the smut starts slamming at 8. Admission is £8/door, 18 and over please!

SMUT SLAM is CREATED by Cameryn Moore, an award-winning

playwright/performer, sex activist and educator, and former phone sex operator. When not performing or actually having sex herself, Cameryn writes Sidewalk Smut: custom type-written pornography as street performance and literary art. Find Cameryn being NSFW on Facebook, or at http://www.camerynmoore.com

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The Workers Theatre Launch Party

Thursday, 23rd March – 1900-2300

Govanhill Baths, 99 Calder Street, G42 7RA

We are launching The Workers Theatre, a co-operative venue for liberating art!

Join us for our launch party extravaganza – starting as we mean to go on with the very best of Scottish theatre, performance, spoken word and music.

Hot on the heels of Megaphone, our massively successful Kickstarter campaign to fund three residencies for artists of colour —

https://bit.ly/megaphonescotland — this mega party will be the beginning of something exciting: entertaining, radical, and accessible art committed to the liberation of all people!

THE DETAILS

PERFORMANCE from MAMORU IRIGUCHI and REBECCA GREEN

THEATRE from GOVANHILL THEATRE

POETRY from TAWONA SITHOLE

MUSIC from BLACK DOVES

and FOOD froM TWO RIVERS KITCHEN

7pm: Doors open

8-9.30: Performances

10-11pm: Music

Entry by donation, sliding scale, suggested £4 on an average wage

First chance to buy sparkling Workers Theatre merch, badges and tees!

THE ARTISTS

Govanhill Theatre is the company based at the beautiful Govanhill Baths, and has staged over 40 plays and performances there since moving there in 2012. They are currently producing a new production of “My Name is Rachel Corrie”. http://www.govanhillbaths.co.uk

Black Doves are a cabaret pop band taking inspiration from new wave, synthpop, 60s pop music and glam rock. ‘Downward Spiral’ from our forthcoming album ‘An Introduction To Queer Theory’ is out now! Watch the music video here: http://tinyurl.com/gs8xksf

Mamoru Iriguchi is a multimedia performance maker who originally trained as a zoologist! He’s interested in 2D and 3D, liveness and pre-recorded-ness, gender and sexuality, fairytales and evolution theories. http://www.iriguchi.co.uk/

Rebecca Green is an artist working in spoken word, live art, painting, writing, craft and participation. She uses humour and surreality to play with love, instinct and sentiment, always with a wicked and sincere wink. http://schedulingspontaneity.tumblr.com/

Tawona Seeds OfThought grew up with the oral tradition of spoken word and music from Zimbabwe, now living in Glasgow and sharing his heritage. Using these influences, he has developed a contemporary style, through mbira, spoken word, creative writing and drama.Trying to link cultures together, he sees creative expression as a

celebration, and building of positive self-esteem.

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/profile-author/16846

The Workers Theatre is a new project to create a co-operatively owned and managed theatre in Scotland. We’re launching with residencies, collaborations and pop-up events, working towards opening a new venue. Our work will be guided by our Manifesto for a Workers Theatre, and will always be run on democratic co-operative principles.

http://www.workerstheatre.co.uk/

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GLITCH Film Festival 2017

Welcome to GLITCH 2017!

We are a glitch in the system

Our lives deny the lies

Our complexity is dissent

We fight for love

GLITCH Film Festival will run 24 March – 1st April 2017 @ the CCA.

We provide an international platform for film and art created by queer/LGBTIQA+ people of colour.

GLITCH is back with Black queer vampires, taboo sex, carnival, radical gangs, fevered dreams, trans activism, cruising, pregnant drag queens, butches, Queering Bollywood, violence and self-defence, gay hanky codes, gay chorus groups, femmes, ovas, Inuit lives and taking the world by storm!

We’re bringing a visual feast of UK and Scottish premieres from around the world spanning features, documentaries, short film, artists moving image, directors Q&As, panel discussions, performance art and an exhibition.

See our programme 24 March – 1 April 2017

http://www.digitaldesperados.org/glitch/programme-2017/

Access: We’re passionate that the arts be accessible to all so entry to GLITCH is free! All events are wheelchair accessible. Most – if not all – of the films will be subtitled & all live events [apart from M.Lamar] will have BSL. Induction loops also available throughout.

Gender neutral toilets present for duration of the festival.

Thank you to our amazing funders, partners and volunteers for making this possible.

With our trailblazing programme focus on films by or about LGBTIQA+ people of colour we continue to empower our participation in film & amplify our voices and visions.

Watch, share, experiment, talk & party!!

#GLITCH2017

Tweet us @GlitchFilmFest + Facebook us

digitaldesperados@gmail.com

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March for Gaza

25th March. 2pm. George Square

Glasgow Anti-Fascist Action (GAFA) will be doing a march in solidarity with the Palestinian people highlighting the occupation on the Gaza Strip by the Israeli government highlighting the thousands of deaths caused by the Israeli government.

The March will start from George square then down Buchanan street then along to the BBC then back to George square

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Protest the ‘White Pride March’ in Edinburgh

Shamefully, on 25th of March a ‘White Pride March’ has been called in Edinburgh.

There is no pride in racism. There is no pride in fascism. There is no pride in white nationalism.

We must stand up to fascism whenever and wherever it occurs.

The racists plan to meet at 1pm Market Street entrance of Waverley Station and then go to the Covenanters memorial grassmarket for 1:30pm.

So, we shall meet them at Waverley and stop them even getting to the memorial.

Join us in standing up to these abhorrent views and making it clear that we welcome people of all races and from different backgrounds here in Scotland.

[NB THIS IS SO YOU ARE AWARE OF THE PROTEST. WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE DETAILS OF ANTIFASCIST MOBILISING FOR NEXT WEEK’S UPDATE. SO FAR EVENTS ARE UP FROM UAF BUT AS WE DON’T WANT TO PUT PEOPLE IN HANDS OF RAPEY SWP* WE DON’T WANT TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO THAT. Cheers. the autonomyupdate compiler 🙂

* eg http://swpoffcampus.tumblr.com/post/91184286604/to-everyone-going-to-marxism-2014

involvement of the SWP in UAF and in general UAF’s despicable behaviour at antifascist mobilisations towards autonomous antifascists is beyond the scope of this update as I want to get it out at some point! But google should help you.]

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GAS Open Day

Sunday, 26th March 1200-2000

Glasgow Autonomous Space

http://glasgowautonomous.weebly.com/find-us.html

On the last Sunday of every month, GAS will be open to relax, enjoy

music, food and a film together !

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Our Voices Unified // Sisters Uncut Glasgow

Thursday, 30th March – 1800-2000

The Pearce Institute, 840-860 Govan Road, Govan G51 3UU

SISTERS UNCUT GLASGOW ANNOUNCE:

“OUR VOICES UNIFIED: SISTERS HOLDING GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL TO ACCOUNT”

Women’s services and rights are too frequently used as a political

pawn, Sisters Uncut Glasgow exists to stop politicians & bureaucrats

from treating women’s rights as a bargaining chip and aims to protect,

maintain and increase women’s rights and services in Glasgow, holding

council and government to account.

Ahead of the Glasgow City Council local elections on 4 May 2017, and

against a global backdrop of austerity politics and rising

government-sanctioned fascism, Sisters Uncut Glasgow invite our

communities to come together to create a list of demands and pledges

that insist upon the preservation and centring of women’s services in

Glasgow. We will then lobby prospective candidates to sign up to these

pledges in advance of elections to ensure these demands are met as

councillors.

We therefore invite sister organisations, communities and individuals

to shape this pledges with us, through a creative manifesto-writing

workshop. We will formulate a set of achievable but ambitious items

and priorities that pertain to women’s rights and specific areas of

council responsibility in Glasgow. Following this event, Sisters Uncut

Glasgow will launch a rigorous campaign, targeting all candidates to

sign their name to these collective demands.

With this event we hope to bring together our community, build

relationships and support for service providers, and to build and

present a united and strong collectivised front to those in power in

our city.

While this event is to create a city-wide coalition between Sisters

Uncut Glasgow and sister organisations, individuals who wish to attend

are more than welcome to feed into our demands for the upcoming 2017

councillor elections.

“We are deliberate and afraid of nothing” – Audre Lorde

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Mayday Picnic

The May Day on the Green Committee is organising a May Day picnic for May 1 at 2 pm on the Glasgow Green near the bicycle area (Free Wheel North). Our purpose is to revive a long-standing radical tradition in Glasgow; an event on the Green to celebrate May Day, the day to demonstrate our solidarity with the struggles of working people around the world and to reaffirm our commitment to a new and better world.

Our picnic on the Green will include poetry, songs and fun for children. Everyone brings food to share with others in a communal meal.

We want this to be an inclusive event with everyone who shares our perspective welcome to join us.

We need your support to make the picnic a success:

–The Spirit of Revolt and the Clydeside branch of the Industrial Workers of the World have endorsed the May Day picnic. Help us to get out the word and get more organisations endorsing the event and publicising it. Contact Susan at doraziosusan92@gmail.com

–We want to have bicycles carrying signs that can go around the city on the morning of May 1 to tell everyone to come to the Green. Contact Bob at bob@citystrolls.com

–We are looking for poets and musicians who would be interested in performing at the picnic. Contact John at john.c.at95@btinternet.com

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The Autonomy Update is brought to you by Glasgow Anarchist Federation. Visit our blog at: http://glasgow.afed.org.uk

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