Thread by @CaroRackete

Yesterday I wrote #AbolishFrontex and @Frontex started following me.

I think it's hard to make that hashtag trend cause my understanding is the majority of EU citizens don't know that agency even exists, less so what they do.

/1

The European border agency "protects" the EU external borders at land and sea.

Often, they protect it from people who try to get here to claim asylum. Why do people want to get here at all? Because of massive global inequality, caused by capitalism, colonialism, racism. /2

So what is the Frontex mission then?

An attempt to continue "business as usual", shutting off the globally priviledged EU from the misery we cause around the globe by extraction of resources and cheap labour. They are the guards of Fortress Europe. /3

In the future we might become a "Green Fortress Europe", an island of relatively comfortable living within a world ravaged by environmental breakdown. The budget of Frontex has already increasing massively and our borders are being militarized. /4

euobserver.com/justice/141731

There are countless reports and complaints about Frontex border forces carrying out human rights abuses at land and sea, also when they carry out deportations: /5

"Citing Frontex documents, the Network reported that national guards used nightsticks and pepper spray to subdue displaced people, and dogs to chase them through forests. The border guards in Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary were especially brutal..." /6

m.dw.com/en/eu-border-f…

Frontex also regularly provide air surveillance data to the so-called Libyan Coast Guard, so they illegally return refugees to Libya. Frontex is aware of that being against international law, you can read their communications here: /7
theguardian.com/world/2020/mar…

Protecting the priviledged way of life of EU citizens by carrying out human rights abuses and externalising the borders to 3. actors like Turkey or Libya is no way forward for global justice. The system of border policing Frontex is part of is wrong. There is no way for reform./8

I dont believe in the good vs bad people narrative. I have spoken to and at times cooperated (2016&17) with Frontex forces during rescues and on the airfield. If you are a member of Frontex, just resign. 2017 I brought someone from German police onto Sea-Watch 3. He resigned. 9/9