Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army
The Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA; Secret Insurgent Rebel Clown Army ) is a politically left , anti-authoritarian group of activists who dress up as clowns and take non-violent actions against globalization , militarism , Castor transports , and war in their eyes Protest unsustainable and less socially acceptable aspects of the economic order . The group has its geographic origin in Great Britain and is ideologically related to the fun guerrilla of the 1960s .
history
CIRCA grew out of the Direct Action movement . She took part in protests against George W. Bush's visit to Britain in 2003 as well as in demonstrations against the Iraq war. The group gained greater prominence at the G8 summit in Gleneagles in 2005 . The clown army today has numerous active groups in different countries, e.g. B. Great Britain , Ireland , Netherlands , Belgium , France , Denmark , Germany , Israel and Austria . Many other groups have been inspired by the original grouping.
Occur
Participants in CIRCA campaigns typically wear camouflaged military clothing , alienated by bright patches and political slogans . The “arming” is usually limited to colorful feather duster , even if some activists carry water pistols. The costume is complemented by a red clown nose and make-up . In Germany, the clowns can thereby against the hood ban violated. However, following this up with the police turns out to be difficult and escalating in most cases. Carrying individual items of disguise to a demonstration , which may not all be worn at the same time, does not automatically constitute a violation of the ban on disguise .
In their actions, the army marches in a parody of the military parade . Then actions such as dusting off police officers and emergency vehicles, standing in grim pose next to police officers or spraying them wet begin. The main purpose of this approach is to ridicule military behavior through exaggerated imitation and to confuse the security forces. CIRCA takes the position that these actions are more than turbulent comedy : The costumes and the appearance of the clown army could serve to defuse conflict situations, which are not uncommon when protesters and security forces meet. The costumes serve on the one hand to confuse bystanders and support the effect of actions, on the other hand they also help to maintain anonymity.
Incidents
At the nationwide networking meeting against tuition fees on the Bochum university campus on April 14, 2007, the police wanted to record the personal details of all people present. After various actions such as a clown march through the police barriers, the encircling of the officers or sneaking exercises, the police lost the overview and stopped the action after two hours.
At the G8 summit in Heiligendamm in 2007 , the clown army came under fire because the authorities accused them of splashing acid on police officers . According to information from CIRCA and a clinic where officials were treated, it was only soapy water for soap bubbles. A police spokesman later confirmed that the liquid was neither toxic nor had a strongly acidic or strongly alkaline pH .
criticism
It is discussed whether a direct criticism of the prevailing power relations , as propagated by the army clowns, makes sense. By caricaturing and provoking police officers at demonstrations, an argument arises that often leads away from the theme of the demonstrations. Rather, so the criticism, as a clown it must be about deconstructing uniforms and power relations . The means of reflection are not always appropriate.
Web links
Regional:
- Clown army in Wendland
- Clown Army at the Bombodrom ( page no longer available , search in web archives )
- Clown army in England ( page no longer available , search in web archives )
- Army of clowns in France
- Army of clowns in the Netherlands
swell
- ↑ See CIRCA. ( Memento of the original from June 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved June 5, 2007: Within CIRCA we are developing a form of political activism that brings together the ancient practice of clowning and the more recent practice of Non-violent [sic] direct action. (At CIRCA we are developing a form of political activism that combines the age-old form of clown play with the newer nonviolent direct action.)
- ↑ See CIRCA. ( Memento of the original from June 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved June 5, 2007: We are an army because we live on a planet in permanent war - a war of money against life, of profit against dignity, of progress against the future. Because a war that gorges itself on death and blood and shits money and toxins, deserves an obscene body of deviant soldiers. (We are an army because we live on a planet in a permanent state of war - a war of money against life, profit against dignity, progress against the future. Because a war that feeds on death and blood and money and Excretes poisons, deserves an obscene mass of wicked soldiers.)
- ↑ The police in action against “Rot”: “We don't want to provoke anyone” faz.net, June 6, 2007, last accessed April 19, 2016.
- ^ According to a judgment of the Rostock District Court, cf. Acquittal for anti-G8 clown ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. - No longer available April 17, 2016.
- ↑ Official English homepage ( Memento of the original from June 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved June 5, 2007: Because nothing undermines authority like holding it up to ridicule. (Because nothing undermines authority more than ridiculing it.)
- ↑ Hence the word clandestine (secretly) in the name of the organization. See the official English homepage ( Memento of the original from June 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved June 5, 2007: Because we reject the society of surveillance that watches, controls, spies upon, records and checks our every move. (As we reject the surveillance society that watches, controls, spies on, and records our every move.)
- ↑ Cf. Police want personal details - Rebel Clowns Army intervenes bo-alternativ.de, April 14, 2007, last accessed April 17, 2016.
- ↑ See “Attentat mit Pustefix?”, Article by SPIEGEL Online , accessed on June 5, 2007.
- ↑ See Stuttgarter Zeitung of June 13, 2007: "G-8 clowns and juggling with numbers"
- ↑ See Kaul, Martin / Schulte, Ulrich: "Resistance must be tender", interview with Jean Peters, taz Berlin local dated June 4, 2007, p. 24, 310 Z. , accessed on July 31, 2007.
