Weekend-long event to promote values of anarchism
Rafales anarchist camp invites Montreal residents to participate in anti-colonial activities
A three-day anarchist learning camp is set to take place at the Comité social Centre-Sud in Montreal from March 28 to March 30.
The weekend-long event—titled Rafales—will host various guest speakers, authors, workshops and panels in the spirit of anarchism, struggles against domination, collective autonomy, and revolutionary and anti-authoritarian issues.
“There is a lack of theory and knowledge about movements and anarchist struggles,” Rafales volunteer Tom Desroches said when asked why the camp was created.
According to Desroches, this will be Rafales’s first year in operation. It started as an idea around one year ago in association with L’Organisation révolutionnaire anarchiste (ORA) in Montreal. He added that, while ORA is in part responsible for the inspiration behind Rafales, the camp itself will be organized and run by a group of autonomous volunteers.
Throughout the weekend, workshops and talks will explore topics such as the history of anarchist struggles, archiving the anarchist movement, the abolition of the state and police, mutual aid and transformative justice, and more.
Desroches explained that the camp is open to all and has no entry fee.
“We want people from all backgrounds and from all over the place—and not specifically anarchist people—to come,” he said.
Desroches added that the event will also be entirely bilingual, with activities being translated to either English or French depending on the speaker involved.
According to Desroches, Rafales is being funded entirely independently, and clothing merchandise will be sold throughout the weekend in support of the anarchist cause.
Given the current socio-political climate of the world right now, Desroches said that Rafales will seek to mobilize people and create a sense of hope.
“We all see what’s going on in the world. We want to change it, and we want to give people hope about things that could be done to change the world,” Desroches said. “The main goal is to sow the seeds of resistance in the wind.”
The three-day camp will conclude with a free dinner to close off the weekend on Sunday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 11, published March 18, 2025.
