On September 9, 2024, we presented the “Fund for Freedom of Movement” at the medico house in Frankfurt—a new project by de:criminalize and medico. This fund is a solidarity-based response to the societal shift to the right, shrinking spaces for solidarity, and the increasing disenfranchisement of people on the move at Europe’s borders.
At Europe’s external borders, people are not only stopped, pushed back, arrested, or worn down in camps—they are also increasingly put on trial and imprisoned. Their crime: seeking protection, a life in peace, or a new beginning while helping one another. Their sentence: often several years in prison. The criminalization of people on the move is on the rise across Europe.
The right to freedom of movement is a fundamental pillar in defending democratic society. That evening, we heard from activists who have been criminalized for fleeing or whose loved ones are imprisoned for helping others cross borders, lawyers and solidarity supporters from Lesbos and Lampedusa as well as other places, speaking from their experiences at Europe’s external borders, as well as experts and intellectuals on the criminalization of migration, border regimes, and racism.
Recording of the event (in German): https://www.youtube.com/live/_srCue5W7Hw
