12345 (Queer) Reasons Not To Trust The Police

[may be rescheduled depending on the COVID situation]

Queers don’t let queers become cops.

But why?

For the same reason as why the “first pride was a riot,” as we’ve probably all heard, in more or less pinkwashed versions.

This talk will provide a brief (and nowhere near exhaustive!) overview of the history of anti-queer policing. From the police arresting people on “impersonation” charges to Compton’s Cafeteria and “Operation Soap” raids, as well as many other instances of structural police violence against queers, we’ve been shown time and time again that cops are not our friends and that while a queer person can (sometimes) become a police officer, the police as such can never be queer/ed.

After the talk, the atmosphere will get lighter, and the 2014 movie Pride (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3169706/) will be screened. Lights snacks and a special drink, Police TearsTM, will be available.

This event is a fundraiser for an individual arrested at Reykjavik Pride 2019 after being personally targeted by the Pride Board who apparently believed they were about to carry out a direct action of some kind during the Pride. They were not. They were just walking in the pride parade, along with hundreds of others, having fun and looking for their friends. But if they had been, you’d think the Pride organizers would’ve welcomed a queer-led and -focused direct action, bringing attention to the multitude of issues concerning queer individuals?

Wrong.

Instead, the Pride Board made sure to point out this particular person to the police, who arrested them without a second thought. They can do that because of the notorious Section 19 of the Icelandic Police Act, according to which the public is obliged to obey police orders, no matter what (read more about the ongoing court cases against activists using this Section here: https://www.facebook.com/nidur19, and https://adstandaupp.com/19-gr/) . The charges were dropped after a few weeks, but that does not make the experience of an arrest disappear, as arrests themselves are violent and notoriously used to bully and discourage activists. In addition to dealing with the trauma of an arrest, they’ve also had to deal with the trauma of being betrayed by their supposed queer comrades. (The 2019 Reykjavik Pride Board has still not accepted any responsibility – except for one person who has been so disillusioned by their decision that they have resigned from the Pride Parade Board – and has repeatedly supported police presence at the parade.)

The person has decided to sue the police for wrongful arrest, and so all the money raised will go to pay for the legal costs associated with this. If there is any money left, it will go to Slagtog (http://slagtog.org), a feminist self-defence collective based in Reykjavik. Feminist self-defence and community care are excellent alternatives to policing, and have been proven effective.

Looking forward to see you all! (Except cops, obviously.)

Accessibility:

There is a step before the garden gate and then 5 steps leading to the main entrance, each 17 cm high, door widths in the building vary between 50 cm (upstairs washroom door) and 80 cm (entrance door).

The bathrooms are so far only on the upper floor and in the basement. The door to the meeting room is 75 cm wide (as most other doors in the building). There is no bathroom on the ground floor.

Both washrooms in the building are gender neutral. The event takes place on the ground floor. The movie will be screened in English with English subtitles and the talk will take place in English – questions and comments in English and Icelandic will be welcome, as well as potentially other languages.

Due to COVID19, a very limited number of people will be able to take part in the event. Chairs will be spaced two metres apart and masks will need to be worn at all times, except when drinking and eating. PLEASE FOLLOW THE EVENT FOR COVID UPDATES CLOSER TO THE DATE.

—— Íslenska væntaleg. ——— 

We play board games. Come and play with us if you like strategy and/or long games! Please bring your favourite games as well.

No masks required in the playing room but in the rest of the house (there might be other people). If that makes you uncomfortable coming, please contact us so that we can reconsider.

Contact: Flukx flukx at hilsky dot de

[English below]

Hannyrðapönk í almenningsrými, einnig kallað hannyrðagraff, er
jákvætt hreyfiafl fyrir nærsamfélagið. Grunnhugmynd hannyrðapönksins;
að hver og ein manneskja sem vill láta gott af sér leiða með handavinnu,
handverki og/eða hannyrðum sínum getur starfað undir formerkjum
hannyrðapönksins. Engrar grunnþekkingar er krafist.
Í þessari smiðju á Menningarnótt getur fólk lært grunnatriði útsaums og hvernig er
hægt að graffa almenningsrými bæði með nýjum og gömlum útsaumi og
þannig stuðla gegn sóun textíls með afturnýtingu.

Craftivism in public spaces, also known as yarngraffiti, is a positive way to activate and influence our community. Anyone can be a craftivist, no special skills are required. If you use your crafts as a form of activism, and for the greater good, you can call yourself a craftivist.
In this short workshop on Menningarnótt you’ll learn the basic skills of embroidery and how to use yarn and upcycled textiles as a form of graffiti in your community.

Accessibility

Outdoor event, therefore it’s wheelchair accessible.
Seating is limited to what’s in the garden already.
Neither childcare nor food/drinks available.
Sigrún hannyrðapönkari speaks Icelandic, English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and little of German and French. Therefore she can interpret as she helps with the embroidery.
Visual instructions will also be available.
The event is free of charge and all embroidery materials will be provided for, and also free of charge.

Komdu að vefa! Það er án efa það skemmtilegasta & auðveldasta sem þú munt læra í allan dag.
Skapaðu hvað sem þér dettur í hug úr hinu ótrúlega aðgengilega efni sem vex allt í kring.
Möguleikarnir eru endalausir
Komdu með vini & alla fjölskylduna
Gæludýr velkomin.
—–
Come and fun with grass! The great material so poorly utilised by everyone. Don’t just cut it down. Build up the world in your own way with this easy and simple method.
Come on over and learn a new trick.
Bring your friends and family.
Dogs welcome, and cats as well!
——
Chodź, splot! Jest to bez wątpienia najfajniejsza i najłatwiejsza rzecz, której nauczysz się przez cały dzień.
Twórz, co myślisz o niesamowicie dostępnych treściach, które rosną dookoła.
Możliwości są nieskończone
Przyprowadź przyjaciół i całą rodzinę
Zwierzęta mile widziane.
——
Ven a tejer! Es sin duda la cosa más divertida y fácil que aprenderás durante todo el día.
Cree lo que piense del contenido increíblemente accesible que crece a su alrededor.
Las posibilidades son infinitas
Trae amigos y toda la familia.
Mascotas bienvenidas.
—–
Venez tisser! C’est sans aucun doute la chose la plus amusante et la plus simple que vous apprendrez toute la journée.
Créez ce que vous pensez du contenu incroyablement accessible qui se développe tout autour.
Les possibilités sont infinies
Amenez des amis et toute la famille
Animaux acceptés.

Komdu að vefa! Það er án efa það skemmtilegasta & auðveldasta sem þú munt læra í allan dag.
Skapaðu hvað sem þér dettur í hug úr hinu ótrúlega aðgengilega efni sem vex allt í kring.
Möguleikarnir eru endalausir
Komdu með vini & alla fjölskylduna
Gæludýr velkomin.
—–
Come and fun with grass! The great material so poorly utilised by everyone. Don’t just cut it down. Build up the world in your own way with this easy and simple method.
Come on over and learn a new trick.
Bring your friends and family.
Dogs welcome, and cats as well!
——
Chodź, splot! Jest to bez wątpienia najfajniejsza i najłatwiejsza rzecz, której nauczysz się przez cały dzień.
Twórz, co myślisz o niesamowicie dostępnych treściach, które rosną dookoła.
Możliwości są nieskończone
Przyprowadź przyjaciół i całą rodzinę
Zwierzęta mile widziane.
——
Ven a tejer! Es sin duda la cosa más divertida y fácil que aprenderás durante todo el día.
Cree lo que piense del contenido increíblemente accesible que crece a su alrededor.
Las posibilidades son infinitas
Trae amigos y toda la familia.
Mascotas bienvenidas.
—–
Venez tisser! C’est sans aucun doute la chose la plus amusante et la plus simple que vous apprendrez toute la journée.
Créez ce que vous pensez du contenu incroyablement accessible qui se développe tout autour.
Les possibilités sont infinies
Amenez des amis et toute la famille
Animaux acceptés.

private group

private group

Closed private event

private group