The Czechoslovak Anarchist Federation (CSAF) was founded in 1995. CSAF is a member of the International of Anarchist Federations (IAF-IFA). The CSAF consists of groups or individuals, who consider themselves as anarchists. We are an organization of working people, students, unemployed people and pensioners, who agree with anarchist principles. It means above all federalism, autonomy, grassroots activities and absence of all kinds of hierarchy or inequality. CSAF strives for building a libertarian and autonomous society, based on autonomy of territory and production, federalism, solidarity and social justice. All what we like or don´t at the society and what we want instead of it is written in platform minimum (http://www.afed.cz/platform_minimum.php).

Anniversary

CSAF reminded 15 years of its existence in the year of 2010. On that occasion, CSAF organised a weekend meeting, where took part contemporary and former CSAF members, but other anarchists, too. Rich programme included speeches, discussions, movies, shows and culture.
Recalling 15 years of existence CSAF thus became an opportunity to meet each other and especially to reflect activities and organization during those years.

Anarchist Mayday

CSAF decided to reduce own public actions like big demonstrations and public marches last year. The only demonstration of the organization was the traditional anarchist mayday meeting. The meeting was held on the Prague Shooting Island, Strelecky Ostrov in Czech, (traditional place of the mayday meeting since 19th century), where the roots of Mayday were remembered. An anarchist march through the streets of Prague took place afterwards. The main issue of the march was the anarchist critique of wage labour.
Mayday actions continue on Festival against racism, organized by Antifascist Action (AFA).

Regional groups of CSAF declared an action days few days before the Mayday. They were focused primarily on employment agencies and staffing agencies, whose offices were symbolically closed.

Not to vote is our choice

There were two elections in the Czech Republic during the year 2010. It was a good opportunity to reiterate anarchist criticism of parliamentary democracy. CSAF devoted one issue of a newspaper Zdola to parliamentary elections. In many places billboards and posters with politicians were remade or damaged.
For municipal elections CSAF prepared an anti-election set of stickers and posters. Regional groups of CSAF expressed its opinion in creative way – poll stations were symbolically closed, election billboards were remade or destroyed and figurines of famous politicians were hanged on trees and streetlights.

Against cuts and neoliberal reforms

New parliamentary conservative coalition began to introduce policy of cuts and neoliberal reforms in public sector, (an attempt) that will result into additional load on ordinary workers, students, unemployed and pensioners. It was mainly the state employees who expressed their protest against the government cuts. On the 21st of September a demonstration of labour unions attended by 40,000 people was held in Prague. Some anarchists have decided to critically support the action.
Radical students united themselves in antiauthoritarian initiative “Education is not a commodity” in order to fight against commercialisation of the education and against tuition fee. The initiative,in which many anarchist students actively work, organized a bigger public actions like "The march of the products", "Demonstration against tuition fees" or "Don´t let cut yourself" on the 17th of November.

Remembrance actions

Commemorative events co-organized by CSAF were held mainly in the spirit of anti-fascist. There was a remembrance of the murder of an anti-fascist skinhead Jan Kucera in January and the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II in May.

Solidarity

Local group of CSAF in northern Bohemia supported and expressed solidarity with employees of Grammer company who were on a wild strike.
Former member of CSAF,who was acting like media co-ordinator of ISM in Palestine, was arrested by Israeli army and deported to Czech Republic in January. It was an impulse for establishing Czech branch of ISM, which started to organize discussions and protest actions in which CSAF took part as well. CSAF actively follows international calls for solidarity in various cases throughout the world. CSAF has joined the expression of solidarity with “friends in Oaxaca, FAU Berlin, Russian miners of Meždurečen, struggle of the Greek working class, freedom of refugees movement or protest action against the SKANSKA company.

Exhibitions, discussions, benefits, games …

CSAF prepared two exhibitions in the year 2010. the first one was the one on the occasion of the anniversary of our federation, and was realised (as - instead of "like") a survey of the previous events, activities and organizational changes in the federation.

The second one was aimed at Squats and autonomous centres.

CSAF took part in organization of various lectures and discussions like lecture on the anarchist movement in the middle east, discussion about libertarian education or about various ways of animal protection and liberation.

There was also a benefit gig for CSAF in September or benefit gig and flea fair for (the) support of illegal immigrants in December.

The very new activity was a project called “ Who´s playing and teasing in Discentrum” which attempted to join social games and discussions.

Anarchist black cross

We continued to work with CSAF Anarchist Black Cross (ABC-CSAF), an initiative to support persecuted or imprisoned activists. Fortunately, we did not have any serious case in the year 2010, which would hit the local anarchist movement. ABC-CSAF thus focused primarily on information about the cases that take place elsewhere in the world. We focused on four cases : "Belgrade Six", "hostage” of Khimki, Belarus anarchists, and Jock Palfreeman.

In 2010 we started a project called "ABC distro / label, focusing on publishing of materials were used for support of persecuted activists either at home or abroad.

Publication activities

Perhaps the most important publishing event last year was a revival of the anarchist magazine Existence. Existence is primarily aimed inside the anarchist movement - trying to document its activities, bringing the theoretical articles, and inspiration from abroad or history. Except the first issue is any issue somehow themed: "Sexual Violence", "Greek Hot Spring", "15 years of CSAF."

Every month, we also managed to realise a project of wall newspapers A3, which are intended for the general public.

One of the prints of CSAF is a newsletter Zdola (From bellow),which does not have a fixed periodicity and is usually based on some occasion.

In addition, we also published two issues of a regional newsletter Informator, which was during the year renamed to the Komentator.

Among other publications, it is certainly worth mentioning the first comic book which was published by CSAF. It is devoted to the polish well known comic book character, the Liquidator.

CSAF considers the web page csaf.cz (there exists an ENGLISH section, where the information about some of our activities in English language are available)as the most important. The web is daily updated. Theory, translations, actual information from anarchist movement at home or abroad can be found on our website. We are also trying to inform about our activities on the websites abroad.

With the massive onset of so-called social networks on the Internet,CSAF has also created its presentation on Facebook.

Other activities

Members of federation met twice this year on regular congresses. Discussions about activities, lectures and workshops took place on the congresses. CSAF also organized so called "informal" meetings, where theoretical discussion, workshops and even fun took place.

Members of the CSAF also participated in events of other collectives and informal groups. For example: anarchist Camp 2010 , a reminder of the International Women's Day or Scream fest, combining entertainment with a protest against a plan to demolish municipalities due to coal mining. Some members of the CSAF are also active in several local Food Not Bombs groups.

International activities

Seeing that anarchist movement has always been international, CSAF tries to keep the contact with the anarchists and anti-authoritarians from other countries. CSAF is a member federation of IFA/IAF. Members of CSAF took part in one of meetings of the International in Berlin in May or in October in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

Members of CSAF also took part in various protest actions abroad.


Czech report: http://www.afed.cz/index.php?clanok=1104

Activities of the CZECHOSLOVAK ANARCHIST FEDERATION in the year 2009
Activities of the CZECHOSLOVAK ANARCHIST FEDERATION in the year 2008