The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, also known as ACE, is an

infoshop Infoshops are places in which people can access anarchist or autonomist ideas. They are often stand-alone projects, or can form part of a larger radical bookshop, archive, self-managed social centre or community centre. Typically, infoshops offer ...

and

autonomous social centre Self-managed social centers, also known as autonomous social centers, are self-organized community centers in which Anti-authoritarianism, anti-authoritarians put on voluntary activities. These autonomous spaces, often in multi-purpose venues a ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Scotland. It was founded in 1997, although it follows on from previous groups.

Antecedents

ACE formed out of the

Edinburgh Unemployed Workers Centre Edinburgh Unemployed Workers Centre, also called Broughton Unemployed Workers Centre or simply "The Centre", was an organisation set up by the local Labour Party in Edinburgh, Scotland, as a means of aiding the local unemployed find work in 1981. ...

of the 1980s, which was originally a non-partisan council office, which later split from the council when it became increasingly politicised due to the struggles of the period such as resistance to the

poll tax A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments fr ...

. Glaswegian writer

James Kelman James Kelman (born 9 June 1946) is a Scottish novelist, short story writer, playwright and essayist. His novel '' A Disaffection'' was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction in 1989. Kelman won ...

gave a speech at the opening of the Edinburgh Unemployed Workers Centre which is featured in Kelman's book ''And the Judges said''. Kelman has publicly expressed support for ACE.

Setting Up

In a flyer circulated in 1996, ACE stated the following aims for the project: * Advice and solidarity against dole harassment * A meeting place for community-political groups * Radical books, 'zines, and information * A low-cost vegan cafe and drop-in centre * Local arts and crafts * Underground records, demos, t-shirts, badges * People's food co-operative * Socializing in an anti-sexist, -racist, or -homophobic environment * An epicenter of alternative/DIY kulture (Spelling and emphasis in original.)

2000s

In 2000 the following groups were using the centre: Autonomous Women of Edinburgh, Angry Youth, Edinburgh Animal Rights, Youth Solidarity Group, the Mutiny Collective and Prisoners’ Support, May Day Edinburgh, anti-terrorism bill. In 2005, the groups were as follows: Stop the War (Edinburgh), Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (Scotland), Independent Media Centre Scotland, No War but the Class War, Peace Camp, the A701 Protest Camp (the Bilston Glen antibypass campaign). The revolutionary,

class struggle Class conflict, also referred to as class struggle and class warfare, is the political tension and economic antagonism that exists in society because of socio-economic competition among the social classes or between rich and poor. The forms ...

anarchist news sheet ''Counter Information'' was based in the centre.

Recent Events

In 2014 those involved with the ACE collective produced the statement "From Yes to Action", an attempt to understand the political context after the failed

Scottish independence referendum A referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in Scotland on 18 September 2014. The referendum question was, "Should Scotland be an independent country?", which voters answered with "Yes" or "No". The "No" side wo ...

. In 2016 ACE supported

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

students who occupied Charles Stewart House demanding divestment. ACE is a founding member of

Action Against Austerity Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty also known as ECAP, is a left-wing organisation which aims to be a solidarity network for working-class people particularly the unemployed and disabled. It is independent from government and operates by direct ...

Antecedents

Setting Up

2000s

Recent Events

See also

References

Further reading