“Animal liberation front, supporto ai movimenti di liberazione!” Movimenti - Intothebaobab
The idea of this interview was originally intended to give voice to an important Italian organisation that takes care of the animals’ rights and tries to give them support and dignity they deserve. It is important to underline they have the courage to operate in a backward country (let’s face it!), that do not care enough about animals’ living conditions.
I do really support their ideas and initiative and I also think that they give us hope for a prosperous future in which animals can have the dignity they deserve. Even though their contribution is a tiny beacon of hope in this doomsday scenario, we must take into account the fact that changes start with small step, and if we relate their work to the merciless environment in which they’re operating, we all agree that Agripunk is already a giant step forward!
During “Questa è Roma mica” fest, they were there, and the filthy punkmetaloihcsxe audience had the chance to taste their sophisticated and delicious cuisine!
I know one of their members since I was 15, so when Flavio told me that he’d make a report of the festival, I jumped at the opportunity to interview him in order to hear all the story from scratch!
Hi Marta! Thanx a lot for asking me to talk about Agripunk! Agripunk is basically a shelter for animals freed from farms, intensive farms, mistreatment and slaughter but is also a social space for human animals who want to liberate themselves from that crazy and sick world! It was founded in 2015 by David and Desirée after the closure of an intensive turkey's farm for Amadori and McDonalds. The farm was also closed for the direct actions made by them than when it closed they "occupied" it to convert it from a place of death and slavery into a place of freedom and liberation!
Where do you live and where’s your “head quarter” eheh? How do you manage all the work and how many people are involved in the organisation?
The place is in Ambra (Bucine), between Arezzo and Siena. Now we're 3 to live permanently here but there are a lot of flats to host guests and for those who want to participate at this project. Agripunk is developed in an area of 26 hectares of which 4 arable, 20 are dedicated to the animals that inhabit the shelter, wild animals and trees and 2 are occupied by the former breeding facilities and various housing units and warehouses. The work is self-managed between us and often friends and volunteers comes here to help us, especially for events or gigs.
The first goal is to buy the place so as not to reopen the farm. We also want to create a small anti-speciesist and anti-fascist community based on sharing, diy/punk attitude and mutual aid.
What initiatives do you carry out in order to give Agripunk the exposure it needs?
Basically, we organize punk gigs, almost two in a month. We organize benefit lunch as well, seeds exchange, cineforum, diy market (open to anyone want to participate) and we go to gigs and festivals all around Italy with our self-production (we are famous for our liquors, especially the "Nocivo"!), to cook, or to talk about our project. We also have a screenprinting lab.
I think that the closure and the occupation of an intensive farm is already a big goal. Then, the other big result is the remediation from the waste of the farm of the natural area all around. It's a long work that is not finished at all, after 5 years! Of course, I think that to offer to all the animals the opportunity to live their life free without slavery is the biggest goal and the biggest satisfaction that we have every day.
What do you think about the Italian’s reality comparing it to the international ones? Do you think that it is harder to be heard and to uphold the animals’ rights?
I'm not much informed about international reality. I know that there are animal's sanctuary in other countries but I don't like to compare. I think that Agripunk is one in a kind, here the struggle for the animal right meets the struggle against fascism, sexism, homophobia, racism and all the discrimination. This is not just an animal shelter but also a social space with punk concerts and other activities, so maybe it's impossible to compare ahahahah!
The main goal is to buy the place and to do that we need the help of all of you. You can help us giving a donation with that link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/supportAgripunk
Than should be great to increase the number of human animals that live here, cause the more we are, the more activities we can organize! New people mean new energy, new ideas!
Would you like to say something more?
Thanx again for giving me the chance
to talk about that beautiful little space of utopia and i just like to invite
all of you to help us and come here as volunteers cause you’ll never know and
understand Agripunk if you won’t come here!
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/agripunk.it/
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