Border fence saboteurs of the Balkans: “The sound of pliers cutting the wire relieves me of stress”
Wanneer: 11/01/2016 - 12:54
As razorwire fences are being erected across Europe, migrants and comrades are taking action to bring them down. In the latest incidents, comrades have attacked the Croatian-Slovenian border. Accounts gathered from the mainstream media.
‘They look like your neighbours, ordinary people and students who in no way seem different. But, only during the day. When night comes, they dress in black, pull balaclavas over their heads with slits for the eyes and put gloves on their hands. They take scissors for wires and go into the night, towards the Slovenian border. With a bit of luck, they return with a thick roll of razor-wire fence and publish the photos of their trophies on the Facebook page of a group which brings together anonymous wire cutters. The initiative started in Croatia, in Istria, and soon spread throughout the whole Croatian border area. After one of the raids in Hrvatsko Zagorje, the idea crossed the border, reports Jutarnji List on December 31, 2015.
Protesters on both sides of the border started peacefully, decorating the razor fence with Christmas ornaments, playing volleyball over it, hanging banners with various messages. Slovenian composer Matija Krečič even performed a “Christmas Morning” concert next to the fence in Bela Krajina region with three violins and a cello, but all these ideas had little effect. However, then a guerrilla initiative was started. As soon as the fence appeared near Matulji, local residents started cutting it and posting photos of souvenirs.
A team which recently started doing similar raids near Zagreb includes a member of the Workers’ Front, a radical left-wing organization which campaigns against the “dictatorship of capitalism and party oligarchies”. He recommends that anyone who wishes to participate in the raids should find a field with stretched wire fence, and go there at night in a group of three people, “with two cutting and one driving”.
“After fifteen minutes, the driver picks up those who were doing the cutting. The wire is very dangerous, so you have to use those thick heavy-duty gloves. But, at least the wire will not be able to hurt anyone else or prevent somebody’s movements”, says the anonymous razor-wire cutter on the Facebook page which brings together supporters with a slogan: “Let’s cut the wire! The initiative for the self-organized removal of wires on the borders which divide people, kill animals and take us back to the Dark Ages of European history.”‘
All of the Slovenian activists came there from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana. “This is our fourth intervention. The sound of pliers cutting the wire relieves me of stress. I would recommend it to all who feel stressed”, said a young man dressed in black. On his head there was a GoPro camera attached. Clearly, the video will end up on the internet.
“After the activists came to the wire, they started cutting it. The razor wire is very dangerous. It can catch clothes and make small cuts on the hands. When animals get stuck there, they are doomed (note from rabble: many deer have apparently been killed after getting caught up in the wire). Activists helped each other to get out if someone got stuck in the razor blades.”
Source: http://rabble.org.uk/border-fence-saboteurs-of-the-balkans-the-sound-of-...