PE 28
| GENERAL STRIKE: MAY 1968 AGAIN? MAYBE NOT, BUT... |
ANARCHIST INFORMATION FROM FRANCE
By Eric Azibane
During
December 1995, a general strike took place in France never seen (it's what
the journalist and official authorities said...) since the pretty month
of May 68....That big student, worker, jobless, and "many others..."
movement was a great fresh air in all the minds of whom it may concern and
a real problem for the others (by the word "problem", I mean question,
reflection and real big economical deficits for the bosses, etc...) Of course,
from an anarchist point of view (not to say "anarcho-punk" point
of view...), it had nothing to do with this mystical month of May 68, that
we didn't live in anyway, because 1968 movements and riots was, at least
in France, a REAL MENTALITY revolution (instead of THE revolution...). What
happened in December 1995 has nothing to do with it... It was just (hopefully
it WAS!) a reaction against the French state and the new government... You
know the way it goes... Just in some months, nuclear test again (even if
we weren't many to mobilize against), more security laws, more exclusion,
more cops in the streets (and the army too!!), more financial help from
the state (since 3 years!) for the bosses, less money for the workers, more
and more people being fired from their work, less and less social help to
the people, more homelessness and more empty flats in the big cities, more
taxes for the ones who always have their work, more laws for bosses to exploit
their servants, more discrimination against immigrants, and more and more
capitalist bullshit... You know the way it goes. So it definitely wasn't
a revolution but a big reaction, positive one anyway, because before it
happened, many journalists, politicians, and other "intellectual speakers"
developped a theory that all sort of protest and rebellion was now over
and that time to work really hard had come to put the country back in it's
legs if we wanted to survive in the international economical new/old/ever
the same world order (see what I mean? Punks?) Yeah, I know, all this seems
to be a negative point of view (in fact it strikes and revolts can only
be good but some critics can help too, especially to inform you a little
bit more), but it's just that the officials Trade Unions just put the movement
on and called for a general strike during more than one month and decided
one day to stop it because the government let them win on some LITTLE points
and especially for the railway workers, that was already a good thing, but
what happen for now for the rest of the society? Post, Telecom, Energy,
Public service, university school, and all the French society (workers,
jobless, homeless, youth, elderly, THE people...) who are always under danger
of exploitation, privatisation, repression, regression (sound like a punk
song, no? One more proof we are right !!),etc... Well, that movement and
general strike showed that people are always able to move their ass and
their mind at any moment when it becomes necessary. And it's the important
lesson to learn from this December 95 French general strike. Even if the
official trade unions just consider thier own politics, even if the majority
of the people, and the strikers, don't ask for a radical change in the society
and their daily life, even if... etc... All that shows that everything can
happens when you TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE; especially when official poeple says
that you have to work for the future of your enterprise, of your kids, of
your country...
During this general strike, many really BIG demonstrations took place
all over the land. It meant that many fights against the police happened
as well, with many arrests, many court decisions, many bills, and many prison
condemnations. The big problem about it is that when the fighting happened,
it was always condemned by the official trade unions like provocations or
else whom had nothing to see with the strikers, but just run by some autonomes,
"brokers", or anarchists. What they forgot is that in one month
they just obtains somes littles things and never what they really asked
for (the downfall of the new French economic plan, the dismissal of the
prime minister, an end to all privitasitions, etc..) and that during this
time, in just 2 days, the miners in the northeast of France, get ALL what
they asked for because they had gone all together (1000 people) with helmets,
wood or steel sticks, to the central direction and attacked it, smashed
the cops (who were afraid, that time, to fight those "nothing to lose
workers", than the usual students, children, anarchist, and punks,
unorganised for street fighting). Yeah really, in two days the miners get
everything what they wanted just because they destroyed all in their way:
Bosses, direction building, cops... Riots are cool, but the smell of revolution
is a more efficient weapon. During that, the strike continued: The demons
were walking, the riots burned and friends we sent to jails.
The spirit goes on, so anything can happen if you just do it yourself.
And one more proof that what the anarchists or punks (or both) can say or
sing is not so wrong is that the journalist from all sort of papers, right,
left, nuetral, extreme right or officials ones, after and during this movement
talked for the first time since many years about "A SORT OF SO-CALLED
RETURN OF " the anarchist movement" (including anarcho-punk..)
like if the anarchist movement was dead since many years (not so wrong some
places) and suddenly re-appears from nowhere (yes, sure, in France all is
magic...Haha). Strange isn't it ? There's just a little answer to that:
YES; The French anarchist movement is more and more important since some
years, and in ALL its forms (that is THE important point!); classical, syndicalist,
antifacist, antisexist, punk, or all that mixed together. Because some people
always continued to put the ideas and the practices on, even without a real
network, but we learn and we build.
Well, this was just a sort of individual opinion about that Deccmber
general strike fever. Let's now wait for a more important contagion, The
virus still runs rampant!
After that big, and little bit much social and ideological, anarchist
introduction of the last adventures from the smelly cheese country, here's
some more official D.I.Y. informations from a nation of frog lovers...
AND EDUCATE!
MALOKA: that means "collective house" in a language of a continent
on the other side of the ocean we see from France...It's an (not to say
THE) anarcho-punk collective who have existed for nearly 10 years and is
based in Dijon (between Paris and Lyon, have a look on the map U.S. children,
and Paris is not in Texas...Haha). They run a D.I.Y. mailorder really active
and important for a country like France. This collective shares a place
with a group of the French Anarchist Federation and others groups like antifacist
or antimilitarist ones. This place is used for many things too. The MAKOLA
collective regularly organise some politicals meetings (antisexism, animal
liberation, prison, etc.) here, sometimes with video projections, small
gigs (punk, hardcore, folk songs,etc.). Their place is open during the week
for different activities like official meetings of the different collectives;
the bar/cafe, infoshop, vegan food, etc. Appart of the activities of the
place in itself, Makola organiszes every month 3 or4 bigger gigs with bands
from France, Europe, and the rest of the world (even tours for foreign bands,
like Defiance), but not just that, because they are important (if not the
most) part of the anarchist movement in this area (have you found your map?),
and they participate to organize demonstrations (against facist, nuclear
test, army, police repression, anti-abortion fanatics, and many others).
They are connected with many others collectives, groups, or individuals
in France, but not on just a political level, of course they are in spirit,
but in a friendly state of mind too, because the attitiude between people
who know eachother like friends are more effective to work together for
a long time and on some realistic basis, than just in some ideological positions
(in the sectarian attitude I mean). Of course, for American people, for
example, France is a really little country, and we know eachother more like
friends (not only, but maybe first), so it's really something more easy
to us to try build together something efficient now. This has teken usa
lot of time,and it will take time to continue in the future; always.
For the past two years, 96 is the third one, Makola has organized a big
anarchist festival with meetings, gigs, stalls, demos, exhibitions, and
more. The only regular anarchist festival to take place in France nowadays
(real festival, because there are others anarchist "meetings"
each year, but with not so many people as the Makola one). This year it
will take place on the 12,13 and 14th of July, so contact them for any proposition,
or information. Everyone is welcome: Just do it yourself! (Makola / 61 rue
Jeanin / 21000 Dijon. Tuesday 9PM, Thursday 6PM, Saturday 3PM. TEL: (33)
80 66 81 49.)
LE KIOSK: this is an infoshop project that has existed since January
1995, but who really started during the summer of '95. It's the first Infoshop
to take place in Paris (I mean, anarchist bookshops exist in Paris and in
France, but no infoshop) and the second one in France (after the one of
Lyon which was a squatted place and was evicted in 1994). This infoshop
is run by different collectives and individuals involved in many different
fanzines, bands, groups, DIY projects, and political activities. Those different
people aren't involved or concerned by the same problems, tendencies, or
interest but work or have worked together many times in the Paris area (anarchism,
antifacism, squats, DIY, support to many different international struggles,
etc.). This infoshop is a really small place, but people here can find here
all sorts of information about demostrations, actions, political collectives,
meetings, and gigs. The advantage of this place is the possibility to get
info from many different people and activities (because many different people
run it, and different people come in) and give the possibilities to get
info about a demo or gig decided at the last moment or unauthorized. It's
a place where people can meet themselves or meet other people too... Just
to have a look, to have a rendezvous with friends, to consult somes books,
zines, papers, or maybe have tea. The other part of the infoshop is the
distribution of many differnts means of communications and counterculture:
Books, magazines, papers, fanzines, pamphlets, records, tapes, CD's, T-shirts,
etc. All sort of material that we can read, hear, or see. Of course the
main tendencies of the infoshop are anarchist and anarcho-punk, but there
are other sort of things. This is not a ghetto, even if people care about
the stuff that is sent to be presented and distributed. And for the people
coming from other countries, if they didn't like the music, they will find
some books, zines, or papers from Europe and the US too (like Profane, even
if we get it 3 months after sometimes... Hahaha). The main problem of the
infoshop is that each open day it is runned by different collectives or
individuals... It means we can't really follow a real literature or music
distribution because everybody is already involved in many projects and
activities, so it's always a little bit the chaos (don't you love it?).
Anyway it's one more free place for Paris, that we never expected to have,
even one month before it started. So you are welcome... Wenesday to Saturday,
2-7PM (if we are not late): Passage Dumas, in the rue Voltaire (Face to
the 21ter), 75011 Paris. Fax (only): 33-1-43721577.
For people who will travel through France that summer or after, you will
find more places addresses and contacts in the Book You Own Fucking Life
of this year... See Ya!!
-The last of the French telecom striker to be back at work in the whole
country! Really! I've some proof, Haha!!
| "PUNKS" ATTACK SQUAT AND QUEER BAR |
On January the 18th, two groups living in the "Sprengel" (a
squatted factory in the northern part of Hannover which some of you may
know about because of it's (unwilling) central position of the Chaos Days)
got kicked out by the rest of the inhabitants. They belonged to a group
of people calling themselves punk, who partly live in the Sprengel and partly
in the "Nordstat" (Northern City). These people were well-known
for their homophobic / sexist slogans, for singing fascist songs, etc. They
also threatened and assaulted people of the Sprengel and the whole Nordstat.
There is also some clear evidence that some of them took part in actions
against the "Schweile San," a Queer bar, nearly ruining the project.
In the night from the 17th to 18th of January, 1996 the two above mentioned
groups came into the bar trying to get beer (at first free and then they
wanted to borrow it). They didn't get any, so they left shouting anti-Queer
slogans and threatening people. Later they returned with five more people
and attempted to break in and smashed the windows. This resulted in throwing
these guys, after some struggles leaving some people injured, out of the
Sprengel.
On Friday the 19th, the above mentioned people, plus some reinforcements
from Hamburg, assaulted the Sprengel at 2:00 PM. They smashed large parts
of the building, destroyed computers, paintings, windows, etc. The inhabitants
inside at the time managed to escape and waited with supporters in front
of the building. At around 7:00 PM the people inside the house assaulted
those outside with axes, gas guns, truncheons, stones, etc. but they were
driven back into the house. The inhabitants refused an offer by the police
to assault the house. Later, the group inside left the house and disappeared.
No one was arrested.
After these events, the house has been systematically barricaded by the
inhabitants.
What is most important for us is the these people called themselves "punks."
These are the same idiots ruining gigs by macho-dancing, etc. We, as punks
have to deal with these anti-social elements. Maybe these people will try
to attack the Sprengel again during the Chaos Days '96. We have to prevent
this. We also have to see that the Sprengel inhabitants don't generalize.
They realize that those elements shouldn't be called punks. I think we shouldn't
allow situations like this to split the political scene. We all have to
act against the sexist and homophobic attitudes and actions and should not
defend sexists just because they are calling themselves punk. Kick the bastards
out! -Mark
| ANARCHIST GROUP IN TROUBLE |
After a few troubles last year the Austrian scene has split up in
many small groups, only fighting each other, and the cops take the chance
and do the next strike to destroy the scene and the infrastructure. They
searched flats and an Anarchist Bookshop, and anarchist activists got summons.
The new year starts and the new troubles are here. In Vienna there is
an Anarchist Collective called 'Revolutionsbraeuhof (RBH), they are doing
a newspaper called Kultur Zwischendurch. They have also their own printing
place, and they do a couple of good actions. For example, at Christmas time
they collect clothes and on the 24th December they are giving the clothes
and also some food and drinks to homeless people. They had very often troubles
because of that, and also because of what they are writing.
On the Volksstimme festival, a two-day festival organized by the Communist
Party, they sold their stuff and had a banner with the words: "ANARCHY
INSTEAD OF AUSTRIA." The cops came and took the banner. A year before
this happened one of their Activists was arrested, because of nothing.
The first strike the cops did this year was on the 23rd January. The
flats of two people, activists at RBH were searched. The cops took some
political magazines and about 80 floppy disks. A few hours after the cops
searched the flats, they searched the office of RBH and their bookshop.
The police took two computers and about 350 floppy disks. Also, the office
of the Communist Students Collective was searched, because it was the old
post address of RBH. Their computer was taken also. About 15 people got
summons by the cops. All these people are activists at RBH, or where activists
of an other anarchist collective. A few years ago some anarchist collectives
made a paper about homeless people. Of each of these collectives, doing
the paper together with RBH, at least one person got a summons.
All these cop activities were against the RBH. Last year in March, May,
and November the RBH made posters and flyers which were "requesting
a criminal offence" (violence against persons, arson,...). On all search
warrants was written that the reason that the people were defendants was
because they were "building a criminal gang," making a "request
to a criminal offence," and because of "degrading the public".
The summons are all at the end of February, so we will see what happens
to the activists. -Joe
Write to: Kultur Zwischendurch, / P.O. Box 142 / 1181 Vienna / Austria
| KIERAN FREE - A VICTORY FOR ALL! |
Dear Family, Friends and Comrades!
On Sunday January 28 TH a jury unanimously found me not guilty of any
crime for defending myself against a neo-nazi at an anti-racist demonstration
back in October of 1993.
It was a huge victory for all of us. The prosecutors had thought they
could harass and intimidate the anti-racist/anti-facist Defense Committee,
and the long hours put in by Keith Ellison of the Legal Rights Center.
There is no doubt that this was a political prosecution. From the circumstances
of the charges, through the closing prosecutors arguments- it was an active,
effective militant anti-racist movement that was on trial. But while they
were able to prosecute me for being an anti-racist activist, they were unable
to convince a jury that fighting racism was a crime.
More than two years ago a small group of people came together to build
support for my defense. Members of the Anti-Facist Defense Committee devoted
a good chunk of their lives to organizing protests and phone zaps, writing
pamphlets, and opinion pieces, reaching out to allies locally, across the
country and internationally, holding fundraisers and forums, ensuring that
every day of court was packed with supporters, and just trying to keep all
of our chins up. I have a lot of love and respect for all those who were
involved in all aspects of the campaign and all those who supported it by
donating money, writing letters, and spreading the word.
During the course of the campaign, the Anti-Facist Defense Committee
also helped rejuvenate Anti-Racist Action, a youth based anti-racist, direct
organization that is a part of a national network. ARA continues to work
against police brutality and white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan
and Northern Hammer Skinheads.
The Anti-Facist Defense Committee will probably continue in some form.
As the growing anti-racist/anti-facist movement will undoubtedly face similiar
circumstances in the future. (Already in Columbus, Ohio some anti-racists
face felony charges from counter-demostrating against the KKK.)
The Legal Rights Center and it's director Keith Ellison deserve special
thanks. Keith, who always works for free, was not expecting a two-year long
battle, complete with visits to the State Court of Appeals, when he volunteered
to take my case on. But his own commitment to activism and real justice
ensured consistently excellent legal representation.
I want to also thank my mom April, my dad Jim, my sister Katrina, and
Justine (my closest comrade) for their active support over the last two
years. I love them alot and think they are way cool. Our movement doesn't
often get big victories, so it's important to celebrate them, to gather
energy and inspiration for the struggles ahead.
Solidarity,
Kieran Frazier Knutson
| CZECH ANTIFASCIST ARRESTED FOR MURDER |
By Antifascist Action Brno
On March 29, young antifascist Pavel Kroupa took a bus with his brother
from the Czech city of Prague to Mlada Boleslav. There were also five nazis
on the bus. He was first verbally attacked and told, "You will not
leave this bus alive." At the end of the line they stood outside of
the bus with a knife and brass knuckles.* A fight began and Pavel killed
one of the nazis with a knife. Later that night, the policecame to his house
and accused him of murder. He is now imprisoned and facing murder charges,
although he only fought to survive-a fight for self defense.
Every bit of support for Pavel is needed. We are making benefits to get
a good lawyer and for his release. We hope that Pavel will be released because
of a similar case in the past, when one man (famous sculpturist Pavel Opocensky)
killed a nazi skinhead in self defense, but it took years to prove that
he was attacked and killed only in self-defence. He is free now, but Pavel
Kroupa is still in prison and we want the state to release him.
Benefit support to Ivana Vránová / Bohunická 14
/ 600 00 Brno / Czech Republic / telephone 09425/339895 (ask for Borek or
Ivet) or write letters directly to Pavel Kroupa 4.3.1977 / Veznice Vazba
/ Stráz pod Ralskem 471 27 / Czech Republic
* Not exactly sure if translation is correct; original word being "boxer."
-ed.
DEMO AGAINST MANAGEMENT SUMMIT '95
By David Massie
On November 8th and 9th, top executives representing some of the world's
largest corporations gathered to speak in London at the Management Summit
'95. It's purpose is to discuss how such companies can move forward-that
they may "dominate existing markets and win in and create tomorrow's
markets." Among the speaking were Paul Preyton (president, McDonald's
UK), Mike Garrett (vice president, Nestle), and Ron Freeman (vice president,
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development).
Such was the importance of the event that demonstrations were called
by London Greenpeace, protestors leafleting the attending, alterting others
as to the exploitation and the murder wrought by such companies. The conference-it
at the Park Lane Hotel, was picketed on both days and much interest was
gained.
SOLIDARITY DEMO FOR LEONARD PELTIER IN FUENGIROLA,
SPAIN
On February the 6th, the C.N.T. Collective from Malaga helded a protest
demo in front of the US Embassy in Fuengirola in solidarity with Leonard
Peltier, a leader of the American Indian Movement (A.I.M.) who has beeen
imprisoned since 1977 for a crime he did not commit.
Only about 15 people went to this event, but we think this happened because
it was a Tuesday and very early in the morning. We began by spreading leaflets
and displayed a very large banner explaining what has happened to Leonard
and the injustice of which he has been an innocent victim. All of this took
place in front of the eyes of 6 cops (when we were only 15 people!) who
didn't allow us to read a statement we had previously written in order to
be heard by the embassy. Then, they asked us for our identity cards just
to know who we were; so we guess we'll be considered in the police station
as "dangerous anarchists" or something like that.
Finally, after some discussion, we were able to give the people from
the embassy some lists with signatures of many people asking for justice
for Leonard Peltier.
So, despite the police, we fulfilled our aims; to denouce the unjust
situation of Leonard Peltier and give the US Embassy the lists of signatures
asking for solidarity. We also achieved another goal in that an important
local newspaper commented on this event in it's pages and a small TV station
did a report as well. We hope the action will help a bit. Good luck Leonard!
For more information, contact: Daniel Ferrero / P.O. Box 506 / 29640
Fuengirola / Spain
ACTIONS AGAINST RAINFORREST DESTROYERS
By
Rick Spencer
Rainforest Action Network, joined by members of Katuah EF!, & Native
Forest Network stopped the offloading of a ship carrying mahogany in the
port of Savanna, GA on March 4. This action took place at a strategic time
and location.
Nearly one-half of al mahogany coming into the country comes through
the port of Savannah. Form this port, along with other southern ports like
Miami, Gulfport, and Charleston, the wood remains in the south where it
is used by furniture companies like Thomasville, Lane, Hickory Chair, Drexel,
Kimball and La-Z-Boy.
Ninty percent of all mahogany imports are cut illegally from indigenous
reserves and conservation areas. Loggers look to tese areas because the
species is nearly extinct and all other sources have been exhausted. Importers
admit reforestation efforts have failed.
As part of the ongoing campaign to ban mahogany imports into the US,
thirteen people boarded the Brazilian ship, Frota Belem, locked down the
cranes. and dropped a 15' x 40' banner which read, "Ban Mahogany Imports,
Save the Amazon." About twenty-five other activists joined them in
a flotilla protest surrounding the ship.
After five hours of occupying the ship, the Port Authority and Customs
officials announced that they wanted to negotiate with us and would not
arrest anyone. None of the climbers were arreested, but negotiations were
unproductive.
The actions was timed to counter Decree #1775, passed by the Brazilian
government in January reverses indigenous land rights as granted by the
1988 constitution. Even with those land rights in place, eight indigenous
tribes in Brazil have had people murdered at the hands of mahogany loggers.
countless other atrocities have been committed by miners and loggers providing
resources for the "first world." Decree #1775, combined with new
plans for huge infrastructure projects will accellerate the destruction
of the Amazon rainforest and genocide of its people.
For more information, contact: Rainforest Action Network, 450 Sansome
St. / San Francisco, CA 94111
SQUATTED LANDS IN RIO
Little news from here (RJ) : 200 hundred homeless poeple took action
to squat a government area (1,500,000m2) in Sepetiba where poeple used to
rape women, and cops and other killers used to kill/dump dead bodies. They've
been living there since December 16th. Even though many of those squatters
don't know it, they're putting anarchist principles into practice. There's
just one kitchen, where everybody's food is cooked, they all eat together,
make plans together, and everyone helps each other. But of course they're
facing problems 'cause of selfishness, disrespect, sexism, chauvinism, drugs,
lazyness that have been solved little by little and a few guys who were
'causing too many problems were kicked out of the occupation already. The
Anarchist Movement (Groupo Mutirao and other anarchists individually), has
given them a help with advice how to live in community, inspiration to keep
living like this (together) even if they do conquer that land, security,
pamphlets, talking to neighbours (who don't like the squatters) and authority
(cops and the goverment) There' are also 3 or 4 Marxists who are helping
those poeple, but we don't let them make propaganda for politicians out
of it. It's a pity that the punks from here don't give a shit about this
occupation. Excepting me and 2 more punk friends nobody else visited the
place. It seems that having fun drinking or playing with their band is more
important than helping those poeple who are fighting to have a place to
live away from capitalism. If it doesn't go well and they get kicked out
from there by the cops we're thinking about getting everyone together again
and squat another area somewhere else and keep doing this 'til they get
a place to live. - Everson, Rio, 7, February '96
FIGHTING POLICE BRUTALITY IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS
AND BEYOND
On the frigid, subarctic afternoon of December 16, 1995, anarchists, punks,
and community activists took part in a demonstration and march against police
brutality, through the Whittier neigborhood of South Minneapolis. The demonstration,
sponsored by numerous groups, including Profane Existence, the Blast! newspaper,
and Anti-Racist Action to name a few, turned up about 60 hearty indivuals
to battle police brutality and the Minnesota winter. The gathering point
for the event was the parking lot in front of Extreme Noise Records, where
Food Not Bombs provided warm nourishment while a short introductory speech
was given. The demonstration then marched through the neighborhood for the
half-dozen or so blocks to the 5th Pricinct headquaters building, where
more speeches took place.
Due to the unseasonably early onset of cold weather, there were less
then the usual amount of people outside to witness the demonstrations, although
some flyers were handed out and numerous cries of solidarity were shouted
from passing motorists, while the police followed a short distance behind
every step of the way. Due to the weather, the demonstration took place
at a quick pace with a high degree of enthusiasm. While the demonstration
alone will not stop police brutality from happening in Minneapolis, something
we don't see happening until the police as we know them are abolished, an
otherwise gloomy day was brightened and action was created in a monotonous
sea of apathy and despair. -Dan
PE 28