Reclaim the Power joins the mobilisation for an international anti-fracking camp in the Basque Country
This year the European anti-fracking movement is connecting up and taking action together in the Basque Country, Spain. The Basque anti fracking movement, Fracking Ez, together with an organising collective representing anti fracking struggles from five other countries is calling on anti-fracking activists from across Europe to come together near to Gasteiz- Vitoria in the Basque Country for a week-long Frackanpada camp from 13-19 July.
The Frackanpada camp will bring together the people involved in the struggle against fracking from Europe, to share experiences and exchange skills. It will be a place to connect the struggle against fracking with other struggles related to the defense of the land, as well as struggles for social justice, against austerity and for a sustainable society.The Frackanpada collective wants to put into practice participatory ways of social organising and visions of just alternatives. The camp will be a place to meet, to learn and to enjoy, but also a place where to take action to expose the problem of fracking. We will show the fracking industry that the movement to protect our common resources is growing, and they will face serious resistance if they try to frack here or anywhere else.
The camp will take place in Subijana de Alava, small village part of Vitoria-Gasteiz municipality. The location has a strong symbolic meaning and tactical position, since is the place where the industry plans to use fracking for the first time in The Basque Country, and in Spain more widely. The Frackanpada has the support from the inhabitants of the village, that have allowed the camp to take place on their communal land.
So far fracking has not taken place anywhere in the Spanish state. However, there are several companies with permits and a government in Madrid completely favorable to fracking and a Basque government which, despite showing some doubt is financing a Basque public company (SHESA) to begin the exploration. So far public pressure has protected the region from fracking, with 13,000 people taking to the streets in Gasteiz/Vitoria in 2012. Mikel Otero from Fracking Ez is clear that now is the time to re-escalate action in the region “The more numerous we are the more it will cost them to frack.”
At the Frackanpada camp we want to have a wide range of activities for everyone, from workshops and talks to films, activities for children and skill shares. We want to learn about fracking, and share skills for resisting this industry from groups all over Europe and further afield, we also want to connect this struggle to other struggles against climate change, fossil fuel extraction, social injustice and other threats that our communities face. An open call for the camp’s programme is now available and inviting proposals. See: http://frackanpada.frackingez.org/home
No fracking here or anywhere!
