ACT UP LONDON ‘Think In’ – Saturday July 2nd 2016
ACT UP London is a diverse group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the HIV pandemic. We are part of the global ACT UP network.
The ‘ACT UP LONDON Think-In’ is a gathering to strengthen our community and effectively strategy our campaigns, consciousness-raising, internal organising and communications for the rest of 2016. It is open to anyone who has been involved in any aspect of ACT UP LONDON and to people new to the community and committed to action.
We will be gathering from 10.30am – 6pm on Saturday July 2nd in Central London (venue tbc). People new to ACT UP LONDON please arrtive for 9.30am for an update. Wheelchair accessible and free. Please email actuplondonfighttilltheend@gmail.com to attend and with any support you need. It will be followed by Saturday night fun!
About ACT UP LONDON – http://www.actuplondon.wordpress.com
In 2014, activist group ACT UP UK re-formed to help put HIV/AIDS back on the political agenda. Cuts to services, rising transmission levels, and the common mistaken belief that HIV was resolved in the 1980s have led some to name this current phase of the epidemic the ‘HIV Second Silence’. ACT UP London believes that in the context of vicious cuts to public health, and the co-option of both LGBTQ and migrant bodies into discourses of racism, we are at a critical moment for raising awareness and mobilising people around HIV/AIDS issues. ACT UP London collaborates with other groups including STOPAIDS, Positively UK and a loose coalition of activist groups.
ACT UP London creatively campaigns and takes direct action to help end the HIV / AIDS pandemic – here are some examples of our actions.
- Occupied the front of the Home Office in dance-a-thon, protesting against a policy that would make doctors enforce border regulations. Dressed as doctors stripping off to become police, we demonstrated against two new clauses in the Immigration Bill, that is set to introduce charges for migrants accessing the NHS.
- Dumped half a ton of fresh and steaming crap on the doorstep of UKIP’s London office, protesting anti-migrant statements on HIV by leader Nigel Farage and other members of the party.
- Created ‘HIV Blind Date’ a theatre dating– show for people living with HIV / HEP to share the realities of life, love and struggle. ‘HIV Blind Date’ has since been asked to perform in queer venues, hospital wards and most recently, as part of the ‘International AIDS Conference’ in South Africa – see the Ladybeard article here.
- Took our clothes off to storm Gilead’s HQ to protest against the naked greed of the pharmaceutical industry and their lack of provisions for vital HIV medication, including PREP, as part of the global day of action ‘Pharma Greed Kills’ – http://www.pharmagreedkills.com
ACT UP London 