These stories are in chronological order. The earlier stories are about planning for the convention. Then there are eight days of a convention. Lastly, a “challenging racism” forum.
“Can we get films reflecting different sexualities and agendas? We need a political film, an activist film and a fluffy film.”
“Could we try to divert them by saying we’re going to blow up the Harbour Bridge?”
The search is still on for a building to squat that can be broken into easily, then sealed up like a fortress against prying neighbours and the cops.
“What we do depends on how arrestable people are and what there is to protest about.”
“What if a couple of Nazi skinheads come in and start a fight? They could cause a lot of damage.”
“Noone can see we’ve broken in – there’s a piece of corrugated iron over the window. There was no electricity, but the water was working.”
“Don’t you resent the fact the Government can dictate when and where we can gather?”
“Let’s meet at Camperdown Park so we can chat openly away from the body-saturated licensed pleasure prisons [pubs].”
“I spent the last two nights breaking into nine buildings, but we couldn’t find anything suitable.”
Three bikers had been executed in the building seven years before. There had also been a fire and there were smoke-stained walls and burnt light fittings. It felt spooky.
Then he got a saw and started sawing through the door. The cops had to restrain him. Then he said he’d bring dogs and set them on us.
“I don’t believe anyone can own land – I’m an anarchist. We’re all parasites on this planet. Noone is a land owner.”
Discussed whether some of us are “anarchism latte” and others are more hard core.
Painted a red and black banner with the words: “Community, not commodity”.
Me and V cleaned out the “biohazard” bathtub that had been used for pissing on a bloke.
“I got scabies from sharing towels. I had huge scabs and scars on my back from communal living.”
“I was OK with being the drug runner at the convention. But now people I don’t even know keep ringing me all the time for pills. What should I tell them?”
A forum to discuss racism incidents that keep occurring at gay venues, particularly by stage performers and staff who don’t serve Asians at bars.
Cotton Ward 