The WOMBLES ( White Overalls Movement Building Libertarian Effective Struggles ) were a loosely aligned anarchist and anti-capitalist group based in London . They gained prominence in the early 2000s for wearing white overalls with padding and helmets at May Day protests, mimicking the Italian group Tute Bianche .
16-649: The WOMBLES formed as a group in the early 2000s in London. The name stood for White Overalls Movement Building Libertarian Effective Struggles. Activists who had witnessed first hand the tactics of the Tute Bianche in Italy decided to use similar methods of protest in London. Tute Bianche ('White Overalls') had formed in 1994 and were known for storming barricades whilst dressed in comical padded outfits and helmets to protect themselves from police violence, as for example at
32-723: A group calling itself the WOMBLES (White Overalls Movement Building Libertarian Effective Struggles) adopted the tactics. In Spain, "Mono Blanco" was the preferred identifier. The first North American variant of the Tute Bianche, the NYC Ya Basta Collective (based in NYC) wore yellow overalls, rather than white. Ya Basta Association The Ya Basta Association is a network of Italian anti-capitalist and pro-immigrants rights organizations and groups, fueled by
48-481: A lot of good people to do something right for a change... I'm really sorry. If I can help in any way then I'd like to." Anderson was involved with the Radical Dairy and was known then as 'Massage Jacky' since she offered massage sessions. She told other activists she lived in a flat with Carlo Neri, who was also later exposed as a police spy. Tute Bianche Tute Bianche, Italian for "White Overalls",
64-644: A series of social centres in London. Firstly, they squatted the Radical Dairy on Kynaston Road in Stoke Newington . This lasted from 2001 until 2003. The aim was to build long-term relationships with local people and to avoid capitalist property relations. From this centre, participants were then involved with other projects such as the Ex-Grand Banks, RampART , the Institute for Autonomy and The Square. The Button Factory squat in southeast London
80-584: Is understood. The Tute Bianche movement reached its apex during the anti-G8 protests in Genoa , in July 2001, with a turn-out of an estimated 10,000 protesters in a single "padded block", after a collective decision to go without the white overalls. Shortly after Genoa the Ya Basta Association disbanded, with certain segments reforming into the "Disobbedienti" ("Disobedients"). This philosophy includes
96-694: The Mirror . The song Time for Heroes by the band Libertines reference the WOMBLES: Did you see the stylish kids in the riot? Shovelled up like muck Set the night on fire Wombles bleed truncheons and shields You know I cherish you my love Between 1999 and 2010, the WOMBLES were infiltrated by at least three British police officers, namely Mark Kennedy , Rod Richardson and Jaqueline Anderson. Kennedy later apologised for his actions, saying "I hate myself so much. I betrayed so many people. I owe it to
112-472: The 27th G8 summit in Genoa. The preferred tactic of the London anarchist group was to steal an estate agents 'For Sale' sign, fold it up and wear it under the trademark white overalls. The WOMBLES were involved in protests during several May Day events in the early 2000s, including the protests in 2004 in Dublin . The WOMBLES were also inspired by self-managed social centres in Italy and therefore began
128-619: The Ya Basta Association ), involving the group defense of a squatted social center (CSOA), in which demonstrators wore white overalls to evoke the " ghosts " that would haunt the ghost town police proposed to make of the social center. The padding tactic, adopted later, is also referred to as a padded bloc tactic. It was first used in September 2000 by other activists during the anti-globalization protests in Prague . "If
144-598: The Italian social center movement, formed in 1994, and known for the "authorship" of the Tute Bianche , and later disobbedienti phenomena. Formed as a result of the "eros effect" of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation uprising in Chiapas in 1994, the Ya Basta Association is sometimes confused with its corresponding tactical project, the Tute Bianche . However these two projects are distinct in that while
160-519: The Italian Autonomia movement of the 1970 and 80s. The Tute Bianche philosophy was based on a specific reading of Italian political / social history, including the idea that the traditional protest tactic of marching and "bearing witness" to power had outlived its usefulness, and a more confrontational, militant form of non-violent protest was required to not only re-invigorate the anti-globalization movement, but redefine how street resistance
176-462: The WOMBLES before the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Mayday protests in London. Individuals were identified as leaders and followed around by police and journalists at demonstrations. Even after the WOMBLES had ceased to organise large scale demonstrations, the media continued to use their name as shorthand for a notorious group of anarchists. The WOMBLES were said to be organising against the G20 in 2009 according to
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#1732801967171192-483: The occupation and creation of squatted self-managed social centers, anti-sexist activism , support for immigrant rights and refugees seeking political asylum, as well as the process of walking together in large formations during demonstrations held in the streets, by force if necessary in case of clashes with police. The Tute Bianche have had international variations of one sort or another. For instance, in Britain
208-579: The struggle aims at achieving visibility, the colour of the fight is white, and the white garment covers the whole body." Central to the Tute Bianche movement was the Italian Ya Basta Association , a network of groups throughout Italy that were inspired by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) uprising in Chiapas in 1994. Ya Basta primarily originated in the " autonomist " social centers of Milan, particularly Centro Sociale Leoncavallo . These social centers grew out of
224-407: Was a militant Italian social movement, active from 1994 to 2001. Activists were notable for covering their bodies with white padding so as to resist the blows of police , pushing through police lines, and marching together in large blocks for mutual protection during demonstrations . The name stems from an early demonstration (initiated by a loose group of Italian anti-globalization activists called
240-547: Was evicted by police and partially demolished by the owner before the 2001 May Day demonstrations. The Ex-Grand Banks at 156-158 Fortess Road, in Tufnell Park , north London was opened on 4 March 2004. It became an activist hub before being evicted in August. As well as organising in physical spaces, the WOMBLES used the internet to reach a wider audience, enabling solidarity networks. The third European Social Forum (ESF)
256-509: Was held in London in 2004. The WOMBLES organised a countersummit held at Middlesex University called 'Beyond ESF' which provided a space for European radical social movements to meet and engage, focusing primarily on the issue of precarity . The WOMBLES quickly became a personification of the anti-capitalist and anti-globalisation movements for the mainstream media of the United Kingdom. The Evening Standard decided to 'infiltrate'
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