Banksy's Anarchist Lifeboat

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anon (not verified)
Banksy's Anarchist Lifeboat

https://autonomies.org/2020/09/the-many-lives-of-louise-michel/

Historicity is not forgetfulness, but deviation. It is recollection, but not submission. … More than a homage to a past time, we endeavour to recover, to redeem, the moment of truth of those crushed rebellions, the possibles never realised, condemned to oblivion.

Diego Sztulwark, La ofensiva sensible

This is the M.V. Louise Michel, An independent high speed lifeboat that patrols the Mediterranean

It might seem incredible there is need for a homemade emergency vehicle in one of Europe’s busiest waterways, but there is. The migrant crisis means that European states are instructing their Coastguard not to answer distress calls from ‘non-Europeans’ leaving desperate people to drift helplessly at sea. To make matters worse authorities prevent other boats from providing assistance, arresting crews and impounding boats that do.

The Louise Michel is a former French Navy boat we’ve customised to perform search and rescue. She is as agile as she is pink. Measuring 30 meters in length and capable of over 28 knots, she was bought with proceeds from the sale of Banksy artwork – who then decorated her with a fire extinguisher. She is captained and crewed by a team of rescue professionals drawn from across Europe. She runs on a flat hierarchy and a vegan diet.

Our mission

To uphold maritime law and rescue anyone in peril without prejudice. We onboard the Louise Michel believe we are all individuals, nationality should not make a difference to what rights one has and how we treat each other. We answer the SOS call of all those in distress, not just to save their souls – but our own.

How To support

The M.V. LouiseMichel needs

  • Funding to do this work, fight legal cases and replace impounded equipment.
  • Help spreading the word about these inhumane policies. #searescueisnotacrime

The people at sea are not unlucky casualties of the elements. This crisis is not a natural disaster. It is created by political decisions and a failure of humanity. It cannot be solved by lifeboats. If we want to sustainably stop the drowning we have to stop forcing people onto these boats. So if you want to contribute – speak up against racism, join the movements for climate justice – take any kind of action to defend global respect for all forms of life, near or far.

How societies manage migration is a complex issue that involves us all. But it should never be one that casually dispenses the death penalty.

Search and Rescue

Solidarity and Resistance

For further information, see the M.V. Louise Michel website.

Louise Michel

anon (not verified)
We need one of these for

We need one of these for every sea, who's up for it?

anon (not verified)
Very liberal praxis, typical

Very liberal praxis, typical rich artist stuff. He should be questioning the politics of the nations these people are escaping, or their reasons to leave their native country. Is is capitalist aspirations or are they genuinely perse uted in the countries they leave? Is Banksy recruiting for his personal gain?
I'm not a racist, just being a critical thinker commenting on humanism's methodology.

anon (not verified)
What I'm trying to explain is

What I'm trying to explain is that some regions like Italy are being overburdened by immigrants from corrupt unsympathetic North African nations which are "passing the buck" of responsibility and allowing these people, or assisting them on their exodus. This binary welfare ethos of " Banksy " is a typical knee-jerk feelgood liberal action that really annoys me, its so sickening the way people become puppets and manipulated rather than the ideas of intellectual critics such as myself are ignored! Trendy yuppy do-gooders MAKE ME SICK how exacerbate the situation. Now MORE people are going to try to "get rescued" by Banksy's boat by going out into the dangerous ocean in flimsy crafts.

anon (not verified)
There are many reasons to

There are many reasons to move around, besides persecution. Against all nations, countries, borders, and for freedom of movement.

H.G.S.-N.D.M.F. (not verified)
Yes, very liberal indeed.

Yes, very liberal indeed.

anon (not verified)
Wait! If this was a vegan

Wait! If this was a vegan powered boat, wouldn't it use sails rather than a gas guzzling engine. And why don't the folk quitting their own countries get some patriotic values and try to make their own countries better places to live in rather than just becoming pawns in the weak disempowering humanist path in life?

anon (not verified)
Hey wait... it's painted PINK

Hey wait... it's painted PINK, so it's 100% cool by LGBTQ standards. Just like the big corporate bank in my town with the gay pride-related ads.

Anyways, who cares about your petty lowlifer comment!? Who the fuck are you.... You ain't rich White alpha male like our beloooooved Banksy, who just keeps scoring big hits and have it his way, fucking refugees of his liking on his yatc... I mean refugee rescue boat!

anon (not verified)
Endogenous source of economic

Endogenous source of economic development is a lie, it’s a world-economy, if the place you were born in is fucked, there’s nothing you can do to improve its economy. How is moving disempowering? How is drowning empowering?

anon (not verified)
Bankey's boat is a liberal

Bankey's boat is a liberal IdPol boat, an anarchist boat would be like a Viking boat and painted black for stealth attacks, and be rowed by muscular men with chaos and Christian slaughter on their minds!!!

anon (not verified)
Seriously though, its very

Seriously though, its very compassionate of Banksy to help people stranded at sea, but he has the money and means to finance these people and return them to their countries of origin. These are people escaping poverty and to take them to Europe is to further impoverish and alienate them. With a few thousand dollars each they can have a fresh start in their african village.

anon (not verified)
Europe will fall by its own

Europe will fall by its own weight and we’ll have a fresh start, karma. What did they expect would happen when they enriched themselves while impoverish others? Did they think everyone would stay put and take it? All the areas that made into hell-holes by the material and geopolitical implications of extractivism, and legacies of colonialism? In which direction would you expect migration to be with these push and pull factors?

anon (not verified)
Colonialism and the latter

Colonialism and the latter neo-colonialism is a bygone argument, Europe was colonized by the Romans 2,000 yrs ago, I don't accept any premise based on neo-colonialism and it being a force of inclusion and exclusion, or your "push and pull". So what he does after he plucks these aspiring settlers out of the sea will determine the depth of his commitment to achieving an anarchistic goal, rather than just being a taxi delivering these lost souls to a process facility and confinement ashore.

anon (not verified)
Banksy's stunts aside, the

Banksy's stunts aside, the fact is that living conditions on this planet vary, and if you don't like the living conditions of your current place of residence and suspect you'd prefer the conditions you may find elsewhere, you may feel the urge to go there. I don't know how you could contrive a narrative where what some call the global south or least developed countries or whatever euphemism is not the legacy of colonialism and neo-colonialism and is due to how the world economy and geopolitics function. These migrants aren't anarchists looking to achieve an anarchistic goal, but since anarchists are against borders and nations, they may be better suited to save these people from drowning if they felt inclined to do so.

anon (not verified)
Yes, and deliver them to

Yes, and deliver them to their former colonial masters to be factory fodder, añd a few pretty ones marry pop star celebrities, nice! :)

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