Anna Campbell: Difference between revisions

Anna Campbell
Anna Campbell
	Campbell in YPJ uniform Campbell in YPJ uniform
Other name(s)	Hêlîn Qereçox
Born	1991; Lewes, East Sussex, England
Died	15 March 2018 (aged 26–27); Afrin District, Syria
Allegiance	Rojava
Service/branch	Women's Protection Units (YPJ)

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Anna Montgomery Campbell (1991 – 15 March 2018), also known as Hêlîn Qereçox, was a British feminist, anarchist and prison abolition activist who fought with the Women's Protection Units (YPJ) in the Rojava conflict of the Syrian civil war.^[1]^[2]

Ancestry and early life

Campbell was born in Lewes, East Sussex, England, the daughter of progressive rock musician Dirk Campbell.^[3]^[4] Her mother was Katherine Emma "Adrienne Katie", born Bridges, her father's second wife.^[5]

Campbell had military forebears, with ancestors serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Artillery. Her grandfather served in The Royal Tank Regiment in World War II.

She was educated at the independent St Mary's Hall, Brighton, then went to study at University of Sheffield before moving to Bristol, where she worked as a plumber and at a small left-wing book and coffee shop named Hydra.^{[citation needed]}^[6] Campbell was involved with many political movements, including the 2010 United Kingdom student protests, the Hunt Saboteurs Association, Anarchist Black Cross and other anarchist and abolitionist organisations and projects, including international ones such as ZAD de Notre-Dame-des-Landes.^[1]^[7]

Involvement in the Rojava conflict

During the Rojava conflict, Campbell fought with the YPJ in the Deir ez-Zor campaign, an attack on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant stronghold of Deir ez-Zor. She was also involved in the YPJ's activities in support of women's rights in Kurdistan. According to The New York Times, she was moved by the defence of "an autonomous, mostly Kurdish region in northern Syria, known as Rojava, whose leaders advocate a secular, democratic and egalitarian politics, with equal rights for women".^[8]

Death

Campbell was killed by a Turkish Armed Forces missile strike during the Turkish military operation in the Afrin Canton, Operation Olive Branch.^[2]^[9] The YPJ announced:^[10]^[11]^[12]

Our British comrade Hêlîn Qereçox (Anna Campbell) has become the symbol of all women after resisting against fascism in Afrin to create a free world. We promise to fulfill Şehîd (martyr) Hêlîn’s struggle and honour her memory in our fight for freedom.

She is the first British woman to die fighting for the YPJ.^[13]

Following the announcement of Campbell's death, her father started a campaign to recover her body, which could not be located by aid organisations until a ceasefire was in place in the area.^[14] Dirk Campbell accused the British government of 'a total lack of proactivity' in helping to recover her body,^[15] which is yet to be recovered from the battlefield as of 2019.^[16]

In response to Campbell's death there were various protests around the world,^{[citation needed]} protesters from the Bristol Kurdish Solidarity Network (BKSN) and friends of Campbell blocked the offices of BAE Systems in Bristol, the city Anna lived in previously. Activists accuse the company of supplying weapons to Turkey which have been used against civilians in Rojava.^[17] Another protest in Bristol was held a year after Anna's death. It was reported to have blocked a large roundabout and caused traffic problems in the local area.^[18] Graffiti has also sprung up in the city showing solidarity, particularly in the Easton, Bristol and Saint Pauls where many of the anarchist projects she was part of are based.^[19]

As well as the local protests support has been shown from many other individuals and projects across the world.^{[like whom?]}^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b "Rest in Power Anna". Empty Cages Collective (prisonabolition.org). Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
^ ^a ^b Blake, Matt (2018-03-19). "British woman killed fighting Turkish forces in Afrin". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-04-28. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
^ Martin, Laura (25 June 2019). "Anna Campbell: What happened to the woman from East Sussex who went to fight Isis in Syria". i. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
^ Blake, Matt (2018-04-01). "Anna Campbell's father: 'I don't think I had any right to stop her fighting in Syria'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-04-05. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2020-11-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Vardy, Emma (2018-03-19). "Briton killed fighting with Kurdish unit". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
^ SweeneySaturday, Steve; October 26; 2019 (2019-10-25). "Bring Anna Home". Morning Star. Archived from the original on 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2021-03-04. {{cite web}}: |last3= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Pérez-Peña, Richard (2018-03-19). "Drawn to a Cause, British Woman Dies Fighting Alongside Kurds in Syria". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
^ Norton, Alexander (2018-03-20). "I fought with the YPG and I'm upset by the patronising reaction to Anna Campbell's death". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2019-04-06. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
^ "British woman killed while fighting in Syria was 'fearless and noble'". Shropshire Star. 2018-03-19. Archived from the original on 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
^ "Memorial for YPJ martyr Anna Campbell in London". ANF News. 2019-09-01. Archived from the original on 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
^ Sweeney, Steve (2019-10-25). "Bring Anna Home". Morning Star. Archived from the original on 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
^ Blake, Matt (2018-03-23). "'Thousands could die': female British fighter urges support for Syria's Kurds". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
^ Warburton, Dan (2018-03-24). "Dad of a Brit killed fighting ISIS launches desperate bid to bring home her body". mirror. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
^ Evans, Martin (2018-03-21). "Father of British woman killed in Syria demands more help to repatriate her body". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
^ King, Susan (24 October 2019). "Grieving Lewes father of Anna Campbell takes legal action to bring her body home". Sussex Express. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
^ Cork, Tristan (2018-03-23). "'Anna is with us' – Protest blockades BAE office over death of activist". bristolpost. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
^ Grimshaw, Emma; Chipperfield, Daniel (2019-03-16). "LIVE: Large police presence as protests block busy Bristol roundabout". BristolLive. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
^ Smith, Joseph (2018-03-24). "Graffiti, signs and messages of love for Anna Campbell spring up across Bristol". BristolLive. Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2021-03-04.

External links

"Letter to Helin". Internationalist Commune of Rojava. 20 March 2018.

[abc-1] "Rest in Power Anna". Empty Cages Collective (prisonabolition.org). Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2018.

[guardian-2] Blake, Matt (2018-03-19). "British woman killed fighting Turkish forces in Afrin". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-04-28. Retrieved 2018-03-30.

[3] Martin, Laura (25 June 2019). "Anna Campbell: What happened to the woman from East Sussex who went to fight Isis in Syria". i. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.

[4] Blake, Matt (2018-04-01). "Anna Campbell's father: 'I don't think I had any right to stop her fighting in Syria'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-04-05. Retrieved 2018-04-02.

[5] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2020-11-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[6] Vardy, Emma (2018-03-19). "Briton killed fighting with Kurdish unit". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2018-03-27.

[7] SweeneySaturday, Steve; October 26; 2019 (2019-10-25). "Bring Anna Home". Morning Star. Archived from the original on 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2021-03-04. {{cite web}}: |last3= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[8] Pérez-Peña, Richard (2018-03-19). "Drawn to a Cause, British Woman Dies Fighting Alongside Kurds in Syria". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-28.

[9] Norton, Alexander (2018-03-20). "I fought with the YPG and I'm upset by the patronising reaction to Anna Campbell's death". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2019-04-06. Retrieved 2018-03-30.

[10] "British woman killed while fighting in Syria was 'fearless and noble'". Shropshire Star. 2018-03-19. Archived from the original on 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-07-14.

[11] "Memorial for YPJ martyr Anna Campbell in London". ANF News. 2019-09-01. Archived from the original on 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-07-14.

[12] Sweeney, Steve (2019-10-25). "Bring Anna Home". Morning Star. Archived from the original on 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-07-14.

[13] Blake, Matt (2018-03-23). "'Thousands could die': female British fighter urges support for Syria's Kurds". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.

[14] Warburton, Dan (2018-03-24). "Dad of a Brit killed fighting ISIS launches desperate bid to bring home her body". mirror. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.

[15] Evans, Martin (2018-03-21). "Father of British woman killed in Syria demands more help to repatriate her body". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.

[16] King, Susan (24 October 2019). "Grieving Lewes father of Anna Campbell takes legal action to bring her body home". Sussex Express. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.

[17] Cork, Tristan (2018-03-23). "'Anna is with us' – Protest blockades BAE office over death of activist". bristolpost. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2018-03-27.

[18] Grimshaw, Emma; Chipperfield, Daniel (2019-03-16). "LIVE: Large police presence as protests block busy Bristol roundabout". BristolLive. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2021-03-04.

[19] Smith, Joseph (2018-03-24). "Graffiti, signs and messages of love for Anna Campbell spring up across Bristol". BristolLive. Archived from the original on 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2021-03-04.

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@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 Following the announcement of Campbell's death, her father started a campaign to recover her body, which could not be located by aid organisations until a ceasefire was in place in the area.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/father-brit-woman-killed-syria-12245513|title=Dad of a Brit killed fighting ISIS launches desperate bid to bring home her body|last=Warburton|first=Dan|date=2018-03-24|work=mirror|access-date=2018-03-27|archive-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329172648/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/father-brit-woman-killed-syria-12245513|url-status=live}}</ref> Dirk Campbell accused the British government of 'a total lack of proactivity' in helping to recover her body,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/21/father-british-woman-killed-syria-demands-help-repatriate-body/|title=Father of British woman killed in Syria demands more help to repatriate her body|last=Evans|first=Martin|date=2018-03-21|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2018-03-27|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235|archive-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329172631/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/21/father-british-woman-killed-syria-demands-help-repatriate-body/|url-status=live}}</ref> which is yet to be recovered from the battlefield as of 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Susan |title=Grieving Lewes father of Anna Campbell takes legal action to bring her body home |url=https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/grieving-lewes-father-of-anna-campbell-takes-legal-action-to-bring-her-body-home-1-9118531 |website=Sussex Express |accessdate=21 December 2019 |date=24 October 2019 |archive-date=21 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221172622/https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/grieving-lewes-father-of-anna-campbell-takes-legal-action-to-bring-her-body-home-1-9118531 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-In response to Campbell's there were various protests around the world,{{Citation needed|date=March 2021|reason=I only have: https://network23.org/bristolantifascists/2019/03/24/anna-lives-on-remembering-is-fighting/ currently
+In response to Campbell's death there were various protests around the world,{{Citation needed|date=March 2021|reason=I only have: https://network23.org/bristolantifascists/2019/03/24/anna-lives-on-remembering-is-fighting/ currently
-which people here would not consider a good enough source.}} protesters from the Bristol Kurdish Solidarity Network (BKSN) and friends of Campbell blocked the offices of [[BAE Systems]] in Bristol, the city Anna lived. Activists accuse the company of supplying weapons to Turkey which have been used against civilians in Rojava.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/protestors-blockade-bae-systems-office-1376693|title='Anna is with us' – Protest blockades BAE office over death of activist|last=Cork|first=Tristan|date=2018-03-23|work=bristolpost|access-date=2018-03-27|archive-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329172731/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/protestors-blockade-bae-systems-office-1376693|url-status=live}}</ref> Another protest in Bristol was held a year after Annas death, it was reported to have blocked a large roundabout and caused traffic problems in the local area.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Grimshaw|first=Emma|last2=Chipperfield|first2=Daniel|date=2019-03-16|title=LIVE: Large police presence as protests block busy Bristol roundabout|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/live-large-police-presence-protests-2653693|access-date=2021-03-04|website=BristolLive|language=en|archive-date=2020-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129071224/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/live-large-police-presence-protests-2653693|url-status=live}}</ref> Graffiti has also sprung up in the city showing soliarity, particularly in the [[Easton, Bristol]] and Saint Pauls where many of the anarchist projects she was part of are based.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Joseph|date=2018-03-24|title=Graffiti, signs and messages of love for Anna Campbell spring up across Bristol|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/graffiti-signs-messages-love-anna-1379952|access-date=2021-03-04|website=BristolLive|language=en|archive-date=2021-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118165810/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/graffiti-signs-messages-love-anna-1379952|url-status=live}}</ref>
+which people here would not consider a good enough source.}} protesters from the Bristol Kurdish Solidarity Network (BKSN) and friends of Campbell blocked the offices of [[BAE Systems]] in Bristol, the city Anna lived in previously. Activists accuse the company of supplying weapons to Turkey which have been used against civilians in Rojava.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/protestors-blockade-bae-systems-office-1376693|title='Anna is with us' – Protest blockades BAE office over death of activist|last=Cork|first=Tristan|date=2018-03-23|work=bristolpost|access-date=2018-03-27|archive-date=2019-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329172731/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/protestors-blockade-bae-systems-office-1376693|url-status=live}}</ref> Another protest in Bristol was held a year after Anna's death. It was reported to have blocked a large roundabout and caused traffic problems in the local area.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Grimshaw|first=Emma|last2=Chipperfield|first2=Daniel|date=2019-03-16|title=LIVE: Large police presence as protests block busy Bristol roundabout|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/live-large-police-presence-protests-2653693|access-date=2021-03-04|website=BristolLive|language=en|archive-date=2020-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129071224/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/live-large-police-presence-protests-2653693|url-status=live}}</ref> Graffiti has also sprung up in the city showing solidarity, particularly in the [[Easton, Bristol]] and Saint Pauls where many of the anarchist projects she was part of are based.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Joseph|date=2018-03-24|title=Graffiti, signs and messages of love for Anna Campbell spring up across Bristol|url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/graffiti-signs-messages-love-anna-1379952|access-date=2021-03-04|website=BristolLive|language=en|archive-date=2021-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118165810/https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/graffiti-signs-messages-love-anna-1379952|url-status=live}}</ref>
 As well as the local protests support has been shown from many other individuals and projects across the world.{{Like whom?|date=March 2021}}{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}