Badass Anarchists Save Lives
August 29, 2020 6:29 AM Subscribe
The Street artist Banksy has funded a refugee rescue boat operating in Mediterranean that has already rescued 89 people.
The Pink former french fast customs vessel is named after the extraordinary anarchist and communard Louise Michel (previously) and is Captained by the equally radical and dedicated Pia Klemp. “Banksy won’t pretend that he knows better than us how to run a ship, and we won’t pretend to be artists.” An ex Sea Shepard captain Pia Klemp is no stranger to migrant rescue and the consequences and last year she turned down a Paris Medal calling the city hypocritical.
MV Louise Michel - Mission Statement: To uphold maritime law and rescue anyone in peril without prejudice. We onboard the Louise Michel believe we are all individuals, nationality should not make a difference to what rights one has and how we treat each other. We answer the SOS call of all those in distress, not just to save their souls - but our own.
has a twitter page @MVLouiseMichel.
Banksy has previously done several art works in Palestine and was recently given a surprise thank you.
He has donated money for refugees several times previously.
The Pink former french fast customs vessel is named after the extraordinary anarchist and communard Louise Michel (previously) and is Captained by the equally radical and dedicated Pia Klemp. “Banksy won’t pretend that he knows better than us how to run a ship, and we won’t pretend to be artists.” An ex Sea Shepard captain Pia Klemp is no stranger to migrant rescue and the consequences and last year she turned down a Paris Medal calling the city hypocritical.
MV Louise Michel - Mission Statement: To uphold maritime law and rescue anyone in peril without prejudice. We onboard the Louise Michel believe we are all individuals, nationality should not make a difference to what rights one has and how we treat each other. We answer the SOS call of all those in distress, not just to save their souls - but our own.
has a twitter page @MVLouiseMichel.
Banksy has previously done several art works in Palestine and was recently given a surprise thank you.
He has donated money for refugees several times previously.
I am here for this.
posted by allthinky at 6:37 AM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by allthinky at 6:37 AM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
"Hello Pia, I’ve read about your story in the papers. You sound like a badass,” he wrote. “I am an artist from the UK and I’ve made some work about the migrant crisis, obviously I can’t keep the money. Could you use it to buy a new boat or something? Please let me know. Well done. Banksy.”
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 7:03 AM on August 29, 2020 [14 favorites]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 7:03 AM on August 29, 2020 [14 favorites]
“Banksy won’t pretend that he knows better than us how to run a ship, and we won’t pretend to be artists.”
A certain Musk could learn a thing or two.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:14 AM on August 29, 2020 [22 favorites]
A certain Musk could learn a thing or two.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:14 AM on August 29, 2020 [22 favorites]
Per that Twitter feed the Louise Michel appears to be currently overloaded and unable to navigate after taking on more than 200 refugees from at least one rubber boat, and radioing for EU rescue itself before it capsizes or founders.
posted by nicwolff at 7:35 AM on August 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by nicwolff at 7:35 AM on August 29, 2020 [5 favorites]
How could you plan to adapt for that kind of predicament? Hard to turn anyone away, even when the boat’s overloaded. Lash lifeboats alongside?
posted by lostburner at 7:58 AM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by lostburner at 7:58 AM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
More info: Banksy's migrant rescue boat overloaded, stranded at sea, rescuers say
posted by oulipian at 8:00 AM on August 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by oulipian at 8:00 AM on August 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
Thanks for the post, OP. I hope the boat and everyone on it gets rescued. I’m on my phone or I would post some links about what a shit storm the European migration issue has become. I don’t think it was ever easy but Covid and climate change have made everything much worse. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. There is no easy fix. I applaud the rescue boat and it’s kick-ass Captain. I just hope it survives.
posted by Bella Donna at 8:12 AM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 8:12 AM on August 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
Update: The Italian Coastguard took over 49 of the most vulnerable survivors! That's great - & leaves us with the majority still waiting. By now, #SeaWatch4 arrived on scene & will assist us doing what Europe falters to do, having 201 guests on board themselves for days now...
posted by progosk at 8:17 AM on August 29, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by progosk at 8:17 AM on August 29, 2020 [4 favorites]
All the while the Greek navy is pushing refugees back out of their territorial waters into Turkish territory, likely as per concerted EU agreement. Europe’s hideous side deserves relentless unmasking.
posted by progosk at 8:28 AM on August 29, 2020 [13 favorites]
posted by progosk at 8:28 AM on August 29, 2020 [13 favorites]
How could they not have seen this coming?
posted by Chickenring at 8:31 AM on August 29, 2020
posted by Chickenring at 8:31 AM on August 29, 2020
Very likely they did and part of the project is getting the world to watch states' failures to act humanely in real time. They just clarified that they were never a distress case; their crew and guests have been safe. Still, I hope everyone aboard gets to safe and welcoming shores. This is a problem that is only going to worsen in near future, and I don't have enough faith in states or people to think that most won't just embrace fascism and genocide as the only "realistic" response.
Fingers crossed that Bob and Pia can help pad that landing. I desperately want to steer away from what seems like the most likely future.
posted by Lonnrot at 10:25 AM on August 29, 2020 [6 favorites]
Fingers crossed that Bob and Pia can help pad that landing. I desperately want to steer away from what seems like the most likely future.
posted by Lonnrot at 10:25 AM on August 29, 2020 [6 favorites]
Thank you, progosk, that was the topic I wanted to link to. Things are bad and getting worse. As best I can tell, most nations are implicated. Maybe not as directly as Kris but they’re not stepping up to solve the problem. The only reason Sweden isn’t shoving refugees away from its shores is because it’s not on the frontlines. To be fair, Sweden did take a much higher per capita number of refugees for quite a while. But that time has passed; and I am worried about the future. Not talking about it just makes it easier for the racist right wingers to gain more voters while solving none of the problems. Of course, I am not sure anyone knows how to solve the problems when there is no single fix and no easy fix whatsoever.
posted by Bella Donna at 11:42 AM on August 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 11:42 AM on August 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
Mediterranean refugee statistics.
Globally less than 1 in every 5 refugees is hosted in Europe.
Asylum quarterly report lets you click around and see who is going where in Europe.
posted by adamvasco at 12:27 PM on August 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
Globally less than 1 in every 5 refugees is hosted in Europe.
Asylum quarterly report lets you click around and see who is going where in Europe.
posted by adamvasco at 12:27 PM on August 29, 2020 [2 favorites]
Looks like the rescued folks have been transferred to the SeaWatch 4, though they still need a safe place to disembark.
This is all beyond horrifying.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 1:05 PM on August 29, 2020
This is all beyond horrifying.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 1:05 PM on August 29, 2020
And yet we all know that the climate crisis will see hundreds of millions (if not more) delocate, in order to find a livable corner of the world in the coming years. What's been sending Europe into conniptions about "borders" is a risible fraction of the population shifts that we are going to have to come to terms with, and maybe manage. The blindness and savagery of current ostrichery is... just unfathomable.
posted by progosk at 2:48 PM on August 29, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by progosk at 2:48 PM on August 29, 2020 [7 favorites]
So far in 2020 more than 500 refugees are known to have died in the Mediterranean.
Today a boat burst into flames close to the Italian coast.
posted by adamvasco at 7:53 AM on August 30, 2020
Today a boat burst into flames close to the Italian coast.
posted by adamvasco at 7:53 AM on August 30, 2020
Guardian Long Read.
How rescuing drowning migrants became a crime.
posted by adamvasco at 5:15 AM on September 22, 2020 [5 favorites]
How rescuing drowning migrants became a crime.
posted by adamvasco at 5:15 AM on September 22, 2020 [5 favorites]
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posted by lalochezia at 6:37 AM on August 29, 2020