Provo Park ( since renamed Civic Center Park) was the Main Square in front of City Hall in Berkeley, California where I grew up. Until moving to Amsterdam, I had no idea who they were, or what they stood for.
Information about them appears to have been censored, from the Central Public Library in Amsterdam... my theory is that it is because they smoke-bombed Queen Beatrix' wedding procession in Dam Square in 1966. ( and the Central Library was dedicated by Queen Beatrix' son..) There is a small display on the Provo Movement in the Amsterdam Historical Museum... a half block away from the Lievertje statue, the Provo's mascot where the Happenings were held.
There is an anarchist bookstore in Amsterdam, a few doors up from Rembrandt's House that carries one of the only books in English about the Provos that I have ever found.., I think on Jodenbreestraat. Right near Waterlooplein. I think the name of the store is 'Fort Tschakoo' or something very similar.
Here is a scan of the original Provo Manifesto for the White Bicycle Plan, however in Dutch language. Concluding with the cryptic phrase.. ' A bicycle is something, but almost nothing!' ( Fiets is iets, maar bijna niets!) I will always wonder exactly they meant by that...
Met vriendelijke groet,
Wendy Monroe
On 07 Sep 2009, at 19:46, Simon Z wrote:
If I was in msterdam, I would try to look up local info on the
Provos. They were an Amsterdam based activist/anarchist group in the 1960's that did some pretty amazing, non-violent, anti-authoritarian work, including the initiation of one of the original free bike programs - the
White Bicycles - which were the main influence for folks here in Austin to create the Yellow Bike Project in 1997.
The Provos have disbanded but as far as I know their history is fairly well documented in Amsterdam.
International Institute of Social History Cheers, Simon
http://www.austinyellowbike.org Anthony Siracusa wrote:
Hello all--
I'm in Amsterdam as part of a year long journey across five continents to study bicycle cultures, and I'm wondering if anyone on the list knows about community bicycle programs in the Netherlands--particularly in Amsterdam. Any tips or leads are greatly appreciated!
I found "Smerig" yesterday--a very well organized and 25 year old co-op operating in formerly squatted but now legal space.
Any other suggestions are welcome!
Best,
--
Anthony Siracusa
www.anthonysiracusa.blogspot.com
+31 64 75 06 507
Thomas J. Watson Fellow, 2009-2010
People Using Pedal Power: Global Bicycling Communities
www.watsonfellowship.org
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