What does F.LOTTA consist of?
A protest, a march, an occupation: we are many and each has their definition.
The core idea is to gather the largest possible number of boats, and to pierce the southern border of the European fortress.
After the initial concentration south of Lampedusa, F.LOTTA boats will sail South together, for a first day of navigation. The boats will then take on watchkeeping positions, forming a solidarity monitoring chain and moving along coordinated patrolling patterns. F.LOTTA will then sail back together for a final concentration and commemorations.
The initiative aims to be a mass event, involving as many boats as possible.
This answers to practical and political needs: we need to be multitude to occupy a considerable portion of the sea, to magnet attention, as well as to project an articulated vision for a radically different present.
While F.LOTTA overall message is that of freedom of movement, each boat will be the flag bearer and witness of a connected, specific political campaign.
All campaigns combine together and recompose the political platform of F.LOTTA. These specific campaigns re-own radical, heretic ideas and are structured by many land groups that decide to support F.LOTTA.
F.LOTTA boats will come from different ports of Italy and Europe. The way to the convergence point will be punctuated by logistical-political coastal pit stops for the boats, allowing to pollinate F.LOTTA ideas with local realities and solidarity networks.
That’s not all
f.Lottine and land f.Lotta are further articulations of the initiative: parallel protest actions that connect the Central Med with other cities and border regions across Europe.
A f.Lottina is another maritime, river or lake occupation, while a land f.Lotta action can take many forms, such as a talk, a march, a sit-in in front of a deportation center.
Multiple, decentralized, interconnected actions, before, during and after the main event south of Lampedusa, are necessary to reach more people with f.Lotta ideas and counter the growing influence of the far right. Since Europe decided to become a fortress, it has accepted the risk of facing a collective siege.
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It is up to you now
We are a colorful and diverse group of people.
Some of us are connected to the sea: boat owners, sailors, sailing clubs or associations, groups owning a boat. Our boats need to be able to navigate in open waters for a couple of days, other than that we have no further technical requirement.
Some of us have nothing to deal with the sea, but have joined F.LOTTA to organize the logistical aspects, structure the political campaigns, explore some of the many initiatives that can be taken connected to the sea action.
Some of us are graphic designers, photographers, doctors, students, logisticians, unemployed, punks, rebels…
Some of us play with words, as you might have noticed, others took a phone and called their friends because they had a boat, or could support, or just because it was an action worth talking about.
We are horizontal, grassroots, spontaneous.
If you asked us, we don’t know how to pronounce that dot in “F.LOTTA” because it is left to each of us to decide. If you want to participate, there is space for you.
Consider this an invitation, a challenge even. We are attempting to defy fortress Europe, occupy and recontest the central Med, project a different political horizon, and our success will also be measured by how many we are. You can reach out to us through our email.