Basel: Demonstration against militarization, deportations, nations and borders

On the evening of friday September 18th, around 400 people walked from Claraplatz to the deportation prison “Bässlergut” in a demonstration against the military exercise “Conex15” and to show our solidarity to the prisoners. When the demonstration arrived there, about 60 riot-cops were waiting to protect the prison. From the outside we could hear the prisoners banging on the bars and shouting slogans, amongst others against the cops.

As the demonstration tried to get closer to the prison and the cops were attacked to drive them away, they responded with teargas and rubber bullets. There were a lot of slogans shouted and the attacks on the cops continued, but unfortunately we didn’t succeed to get closer to the fences. After these confrontations, which lasted for about half an hour, the demonstration continued to walk into the direction of the harbour, where originally a part of the military exercise was supposed to take place. On the way buildings of a local newspaper (Basler Zeitung), of the ISS and the border police were attacked and one ISS car was set afire. Several public transport ticket-machines were smashed.

The “Basler Zeitung” takes part in the racist campaigns against the migrants, the ISS participates in the facility management in prisons Europe-wide and the reasons for the attacks against the border police are self-explanatory. After the demonstration 8 people got arrested, but all of them are free again.

This demonstration was a sign of solidarity to the people who are imprisoned and deported and shows our anger against this society which is accepting this situation. And it is an expression of our rage against the cops, the military and the border guards, who are protecting these structures of power like prisons and borders.

Fire and Flames to the (Deportation-)Prisons!!!