Zine Mela – Workshop 3: Citizen Coconut: A Collaborative Zine Workshop Envisioning the Coconutistan Nation
Join artist and writer Hamja Ahsan for a creative workshop exploring the Coconut Trial and the solidarity actions surrounding it. In September 2024, Marieha Hussain was acquitted of a racially aggravated public order offence relating to a placard depicting then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman as coconuts at a pro-Palestine demonstration.
Part of the Zine Mela Exhibition, this hands-on workshop invites participants to experiment with ideas, create together and contribute to the vibrant world of independent zine culture.
WHEN: Saturday, 5 December, 2pm – 5pm
WHERE: IHRC Bookshop (202 Preston Road, Wembley, HA9 8PA)
About the event:
Join artist and writer Hamja Ahsan for a creative workshop exploring the Coconut Trial and the solidarity actions surrounding it. In September 2024, Marieha Hussain was acquitted of a racially aggravated public order offence relating to a placard depicting then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman as coconuts at a pro-Palestine demonstration.
The case raised wider questions about race, political expression, the policing of dissent and the boundaries of free speech.
Drawing inspiration from Hamja Ahsan’s book Shy Radicals and its fictional nation of Aspergistan, participants will collectively imagine Coconutistan: a fictional country shaped by the trial, political satire and acts of solidarity.
What would its national anthem sound like? Who would serve in its army? What would its constitution protect? Who would be granted asylum, and how would its borders operate?
Through collaborative storytelling, satire and imaginative world-building, the workshop invites participants to create a nation of their own — and explore the political realities reflected in its imagined institutions.
No previous writing experience is needed; just a willingness to imagine what a nation born from protest and solidarity might look like.
Getting there:
- By Tube: the nearest station is Preston Road Underground Station on the Metropolitan line, approximately a 2–3 minute walk from the bookshop.
- By Bus: several bus stops are within a short walk of the venue, including stops on Preston Road and Carlton Avenue East. Check live routes and connections using TfL Journey Planner.
- By car and parking: the nearest public option is Preston Road Car Park (sat-nav postcode HA3 0QQ). It has 164 spaces, including disabled bays. Charges and restrictions apply, so check the Brent Council parking information before travelling. The surrounding residential roads also offer free parking if it is not a Wembley event day.Â
Tip: Check TfL service updates before setting off, and allow extra time if travelling by car during a Wembley event.
