Upcoming events

CommemorAction on the global day of struggle against the deadly border regime

February 6, 2025
7 pm
Schützenmatte, Bern

Remember
On 6 February 2014, more than 200 people attempted to swim from the Moroccan coast to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. They were attacked by border police and violently prevented from going ashore. At least 15 people died off Tarajal and dozens more disappeared. The survivors were illegally pushed back to Morocco.

Protest
Since the Tarajal massacre, relatives of the victims and missing persons have been meeting with political and artistic activists on February 6th for so-called CommemorActions. The aim is to commemorate together and to fight for truth, justice and compensation. In the meantime, February 6th has become the “Global Day of Struggle against the Regime of Death at the Borders”. Numerous CommemorActions take place internationally on this day.

Solidarity
The Tarajal massacre is one of countless incidents. Fortress Europe kills every day. On the escape and migration routes, at the (externalized) external borders, and within Europe itself, as in the case of deadly racist police violence. On February 6th, we commemorate all those who die because of Europe's racist death policies.

Organised by: Alarmphone Bern, Bewegungsfreiheit für alle!, Medina, Seebrücke

Past Events

The Smuggling Narrativ
Thousands of migrants in prison

16.08.2024, Zurich
20.00 Infoevent with Captain Support Network (ZW, Neue Hard 12, Zurich)
18.00-05.00 Soliparty with Food, Music and specials! @LoRa endlossounds x ZW (Neue Hard 12, Zurich)

17.08.2024, Berne
19.30 Infoevent with Captain Support Network (Progr, Waisenhauspl. 30, Berne)
22.00 Soliparty (Anstadt, Berne)

The European migration regime is criminalizing thousands of migrants and no one is noticing! Whether in Greece, Italy, the Spanish state, Central Europe or North and West African countries, migrants are systematically accused of human smuggling, sentenced and imprisoned. Their so-called crimes: they steered a boat, drove a car or took responsibility in important situations on the journey, held a compass or translated into different languages. This is enough to land them in prison as smugglers.

The consequences are far-reaching: thousands of migrants are sitting in European, as well as West and North African prisons,usually without access to adequate legal assistance or any form of support. But criminalization does not only affect those who face prison sentences and fines; it affects entire communities in countries of origin. E.g. in Senegal, parents were punished for helping to finance their children‘s escape. It is a barely visible aspect of the European migration regime, but it has fatal consequences. It is another aspect that drives people to take increasingly dangerous routes to escape state criminalization.

However, migrant communities and activists are organizing together against escalating criminalization and creating resourcesto support those affected legally and with information. The Captain Support Network is one of them: it is a transnational network of solidarity with those who are criminalized for enabling freedom of movement.

On the panel, people from different regions of the Captain Support network will discuss criminalization along different routes, take up examples and report on their work.

The event will be held in English with translation into German.

CommemorAction!
No forgiving, no forgetting – One year after the Pylos massacre!

Friday 14th of June 2024, 21:00
Meadow, Zurich Kasernenareal
With speeches and open mic.

On 14 June, exactly one year ago, at least six hundred people were killed in the Mediterranean. They drowned on 14 June 2023 near the Greek coastal town of Pylos - in full view of the Greek coastguard. Numerous sea rescue centres and Frontex had been aware of the boat for hours, and a Greek coastguard boat was even on the scene. But the approximately 750 people on the completely overcrowded "Adriana" were not rescued. The boat capsized and sank - according to reports from survivors and independent forensic reconstructions - when the Greek coastguard made several attempts to attach it with a rope and tow it out of the Greek rescue zone towards Italian waters.

European authorities blamed the deaths on the people on the boat and launched a legal campaign against nine survivors, who were detained and faced years in prison. The "Pylos9" were acquitted of all charges at the end of May and the case was dropped. But Pylos is not an isolated case: the deaths at Europe's external borders continue unabated, and the search for justice and answers is never-ending: it is estimated that 2,000 people on the move are currently in prison in Greece as alleged smugglers, and relatives are abandoned by the authorities in their search for loved ones or in the repatriation of their bodies. Europe is making it clear: the deceased and the survivors should be forgotten.

No forgiving, no forgetting: On 14.6.2024 at 21.00 on the Kasernenwiese, Zurich, we will commemorate the deceased and missing people together and stand in solidarity with all those who search for their loved ones every day.

On the same day that feminist movements took to the streets in Switzerland, the violence at Europe's external borders continued unabated and revealed itself once again in all its cruelty. It thus becomes abundantly clear: feminism must be borderless. At its core, it is a revolutionary practice that demands justice, solidarity and emancipation. Feminism must always also fight against deadly migration and asylum policies, concepts of nations and borders, as well as colonialism and war.

With the term 'CommemorAction' we make a double promise: not to forget those who have lost their lives; and to fight against the borders that have killed them. We remember the survivors and the bereaved, show solidarity with all those who have made the journey to Europe and those who are yet to do so. Let us turn our grief into anger and resistance.

For support to cover travel costs, please contact: info@alarmphone.ch

United in Solidarity - freedom of movement and equal rights for all!

CommemorAction!
No forgiveness, no forgetting - six months after the Pylos massacre!

Thursday 14.12. 19:00
Rathausbrücke Zurich

On 14 December 2023, we commemorate the more than six hundred people who were killed in the Mediterranean Sea on 14 June 2023. They drowned near the coastal town of Pylos. The Greek coastguard did not intervene but instead contributed itself to the emergency situation and literally watched the boat capsize. Other European authorities and the so-called border protection agency FRONTEX also stood by and watched, even though they had been aware of the people's distress at sea for hours.

We think of the survivors and the bereaved and show solidarity with all those who have made the journey to Europe and those who are yet to do so. With the term 'CommemorAction' we make a double promise: not to forget those who have lost their lives and to fight against the borders that have killed them. It is a moment to build a collective memory from our pain and to continue to fight for the freedom of movement for all, to fight for a society of solidarity and to fight for the freedom for all to make their own decisions about their lives.

For support with travelling expenses please contact us: info@alarmphone.ch

United in Solidarity - Freedom of movement and equal rights for all!

Past events

Demonstration

01.09.2018 | 14:00 | Helvetiaplatz (Zurich)