Today's Topics:
1. Holand, vrije bond: VBA Reading Group Black Panthers (nl)
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. Coronaviru: No layoffs - Published By Bangladesh
AnarchoSyndicalist Federation - BASF (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. AND, Elephant in The Room - Interview with Yossi Bartal on
being a leftist from Israel in Berlin (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. solfed.org.uk: New Social Distancing Measures and How to
Stay Safe at Work (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
5. US, black rose fed: Life and Times at the Seattle Capitol
Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ/CHOP) (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
6. anarkismo.net: We condemn the Turkish state attack and
invasion of the Iraqi Kurdistan by Kurdish-speaking Libertarians
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
7. Britain, anarchist communist ACG: Russian anarchists
sentenced by Putin regime (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
8. avtonom: Victory won't be quick: thoughts on chains of
solidarity [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
Dear readers, comrades! ---- The Vrije Bond Amsterdam reading groups are continuing in July! This month we read texts from the Black Panther
movement. We already wanted to read these, but current events have made them even more relevant! ---- The Black Panthers managed to build a
powerfull political movement that directly served their community and worked on alternatives for the police, while actually protecting their
community. They also thought beyond country and ethnic lines and cooperated with oppressed and antikapitalist groups around them. ---- We
look forward to discuss these texts with you all. ---- We're sticking with two reading groups per month, but this month one will be live
again. The first reading group, already on July 2nd will take place online. The second reading group on July 16th will be live, but with due
precautions.
We will read text from these two sources:
Seize the Time
The Black Panthers Speak, edited by Philip S Foner:
This book is available on various shops and online locations. Email us if you want us to help you with accessing it.
The Meetings:
Thursday July 2 at 18:30
Online reading group on the Black Panthers, a selection of writings on violence and organising.
We begin the discussion at 19:00, the floor opens up around 18:30, expect the discussion to last until around 21:00, with open floor for
chatting afterwards.
Please email in advance if you want to join this online discussion, we'll email you with the link to the online conference space just before
we begin.
We discuss the following sections of text:
From "The Black Panther Speak" 25 pages
All of chapter 1, 4 pages.
From chapter 2 the following, 8 pages in total
On Violence,
Correcting mistaken ideas,
Power to the people,
Pigs - panthers.
From chapter 3 the following, 5 pages in total
In defense of self defense,
The correct handling of a revolution.
From chapter 4, only The Ten-Point Platform and Program of the Black Panther Party. 4 pages
From chapter 6, only If you want peace you gotta fight for it. 2 pages
From Seize the Time, the pages 199-225. That is the chapter Pigs, problems, politics and panthers, except for the final part called ‘Party
Programs - Serving the people'
Thursday July 16th, at 18:00 the live reading group.
If the weather is good, we'll be sitting outside in the vicinity of the Pieter Nieuwland. With bad weather we will organise a safe indoor
reading group.
Please email us in advance, then we will let you know where we meet up. As usual, we discussion begins at 19:00, with food and reception
from 18:00 uur.
We discuss the following sections of text:
From "The Black Panther Speak" 29 pages (7 of which were already read for July the 2nd).
All of chapter 1, 4 pages.
From chapter 2: The Black panther, mirror of the people 6 pages.
From chapter 4 only The Ten-Point Platform and Program of the Black Panther Party (4 pages)
All of chapter 9 Community Activities, 16 pages.
From Seize the Time only the part ‘Party Programs - Serving the people', p 226 - 231
See you at the reading group!
- Vrije Bond Amsterdam
Vrije Bond Secretariaat
https://www.vrijebond.org/vba-leesgroep-black-panther-beweging/
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Message: 2
Bangladesh's garment industry is under threat from the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) all over the world. Garment owners and workers are
in dire straits as the corona disrupts industrial production and exports. Garments are in trouble in many ways. Our garment industry is
largely dependent on European and American markets. But due to Corona, their import demand has decreased. ---- So exports have also
decreased by many percent. So far, about 3 billion worth of export orders have been canceled. With such a statement, referring to the
retrenchment of garment workers, BGMI mentioned the retrenchment of workers at a press conference on Thursday, June 4. 2020.
Consumer demand in the world is declining due to the effects of coronavirus. The work of the country's garment factories has also decreased
by 55 percent. In such a situation, layoffs will start from this month. At the press conference, BGMEA President Rubana Haque said that
garments are running on 55 per cent capacitors. So I see no way out except layoffs. However, this situation may change. Then the laid-off
workers will get priority in their work. The president of BGMEA said that it is not impossible that we will not be told what will happen in
July. The number of factories included in BGMEA was 2,264 but at present there are 1,926 factories in operation. That means several garments
are off in Corona.
Due to the corona, exports of goods worth3.15 billion have been canceled during this period.Of this, 26percent has returned. As consumer
demand in the world declines, demand will fall by 65 percent in the future. So the country's factories will be closed by 50 percent. As a
result of the Corona, the United States withdrew 55 percent of its investment from China. It has also reduced by two percent from Bangladesh.
In the second quarter of this year due to the Corona epidemic, 19 crore (1 crore equivalent 10 millions)people around the world are going to
lose their full-time jobs in the next three months. As a result, 12.5 crore people are going to lose their jobs in Asia and the Pacific. At
present, four out of five jobs in the world's full or part-time workforce are being affected in one way or another by the effects of Covid-19.
How much damage can be caused by this outbreak of corona in Bangladesh? According to a statement from the Policy Research Institute, 73 per
cent of ready-made garments exported from Bangladesh go to Europe and the remaining 15 per cent to the United States. It can be said that
most are going to those two markets. Business is closed there, people are indoors. Orders worth3.2 billion have been canceled since the
coronavirus began to take effect. They say, to hold orders. That's a big push.
Exports in March this year were 30 percent lower than in March last year. In April, there is a possibility of losing 70 percent of exports
compared to last year. And 45 lakh jobs are involved with it. Apart from this, exports of other products have come down to zero. That is
going to be a big push in remittances. There was a huge landslide. There are basically three main markets in Bangladesh. North America and
Europe, the Middle East, another East Asia. The condition of the first two markets is very bad. Meanwhile, the fall in oil prices in the
Middle East has led to layoffs. As a result, a large number of Bangladeshi workers in these countries are at risk of losing their jobs.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has said in a forecast that the growth rate in Bangladesh may come down to 2 to 3 percent this year. Companies
that do research on Bangladeshi workers say the coronavirus has already begun to affect the labor market. Bangladesh's garment workers'
trade union says more than 100 factories have been laid off. Not only the workers, but also many senior officials have been asked by the
factory authorities to voluntarily go on leave for at least six months. Even if they have a job at this time, they will not get a salary.
The unannounced lockdown that started in Bangladesh on March 26 due to coronavirus situation has resulted in long-term unemployment of
workers in informal sectors such as hotels, restaurants and construction sector. Many are not getting salary allowance. When such an
institution is closed due to financial reasons, its workers do not get any financial benefit from it. According to a report by the Asian
Development Bank, construction workers can lose the most jobs. Even then, workers involved in the retail business will lose their jobs.
However, if you think sector-wise, the hotel-restaurant and service sector workers may lose more jobs.
This poisonous cobalt of corona has landed the owners of various service or small and medium enterprises, including the working people. At
the same time all the workers working in these organizations have fallen in the face of hookah. Although production is not traded, all types
of exports are also closed. There is no dividend for not trading normally. Losses are being counted day after day. Unpaid workers have to be
laid off. The biggest form of reality is our garments industry.
In this time of crisis in the country, if workers are laid off from the garment industry, it will create instability in the garment
industry, workers and the country. When the workers are laid off this month, there will be dissatisfaction among the workers; they will
become rebellious for their jobs and livelihood. Even in this horrible condition of Corona, they will come down to the highway. At the same
time, according to the history of the past, the movement can turn violent into meetings and processions, locking up factories and even
vandalizing them. So think of the workers. If the workers suddenly lose their jobs, there will be famine in the country, and then they will
be helpless and will engage in various kinds of corrupt activities. The impact on our society and the country as a whole and the
consequences can be quite terrible. If they suddenly deviate from work, it will be difficult for them to find work elsewhere at this time of
the epidemic.
Therefore, the wage rate should be reduced a little without cutting the workers or dismissing them. There isa Bengali saying that "A kana
Mama is better than none" in English "something is better than nothing". And let them come to the conclusion that if the situation is
normal, they will be given their fair share again. The incentive of Tk 3,000 crore announced by the government should be implemented
properly. If necessary, apply for government advice and government intervention. Yet workers are not laid off. Find alternative ways now. it
is NOW!
Statement of Bangladesh Anarco-Syndicist Federation - BASF calling for stopping layoffs in the economic crisis due to Corona:
The BASF secretary said in a statement that workers in various factories in Corona were living in inhumane conditions. Workers are being
laid off in the factories without seeing them from a humanitarian point of view. This is extremely inhumane treatment of workers. According
to a statistic, 16,589 workers have been laid off in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chittagong till June 8. In reality this number is much
higher. Another survey found that 38 million people have lost their jobs so far as a result of the corona.
He said the factories were firing workers in violation of the law without heeding any rules and regulations. They are not being paid their
fair dues. On the one hand, there is a shortage of employment and on the other hand, due to mass retrenchment, the workers are losing their
income and becoming penniless. They are being forced to live a half-starved life.
He further said that the government has announced an incentive package to rebuild the economy affected by the coronavirus. If this package
was implemented properly, the workers would not have been laid off. It is the responsibility of the government to see that the incentive
package is being implemented properly. We think that the government needs to be more stringent in order to properly implement the announced
incentive package in the interest of keeping the wheel of the economy running by stopping corruption, nepotism and embezzlement.
At the end of the day, he said, "I urge the concerned authorities to take a scientific approach to the reconstruction of the country's
economy in the Corona situation and to stop looking at workers from a humanitarian point of view and stop layoffs."
https://bangladeshasf.com/coronaviru-no-layoffs/
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Message: 3
In this episode of Elephant in The Room we talk with Yossi Bartal about politics in Israel and Germany and how those are interconnected. We
dive into details about how german left exclude anarchists and leftists from Israel who live in Berlin. We also talk about obsession of
german left with BDS topic and how attacks on the small pro-palenstinian groups comes both from mainstream politics and anti-authoritarian
groups. ---- Yossi Bartal is an activist and journalist who is living in Berlin since 2004. He contributed to many leftists magazines. One
of his essays was included in collection "Anarchist against the wall". He is also a member of "Jewish Voices for the Pece in the Middle East".
Music: Daniel Kahn -- Poliana Frank
https://and.notraces.net/2020/06/22/elephant-in-the-room-interview-with-yossi-bartal-on-being-a-leftist-from-israel-in-berlin/
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Message: 4
The government has announced that social distancing can be reduced from two to one metre but only if measures are in place to mitigate the
risk. Examples of measures that can be used to mitigate the risk include, consider if the activity needs to continue, working back to back
or side to side, screens being fitted to protect workers, only working together at less than two metres apart for short periods and reducing
the number of people each person has contact with. ---- If your employer is making you work within two metres of another person, with no
mitigating measures in place, they are breaking the government guidelines. ---- The government has produced guidelines on what measures
employers should be taking to protect workers for the following sectors
Close contact services
Construction and other outdoor work
Factories, plants and warehouses
Labs and research facilities
Offices and contact centres
Other people's homes
Restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services
Shops and branches
Vehicle, including couriers and other mobile workers
The visitor economy
Hotels and other guest accommodation
Heritage locations
You find all the details here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19
If you feel unsafe in your workplace you should check that your employer is complying with the government guidelines for your industry. Talk
to your co-workers and contact your union branch if you are a member of a union. You should try to identify all the areas where you feel
your employer is not complying with the government guidelines. Talk to your co-workers and get their opinion. Draw up a list of where you
feel your employer is not complying with government guidelines.
You should then make a complaint to your employer. The best way to do this is to write a letter setting out where you feel that your
employer is not following government guidelines. Then get all your co-workers to sign the letter and give the letter to your employer.
Remember to keep a copy of your letter.
If your complaint is ignored, talk to your co-workers and discuss what action you should take. One option would be to again write to your
employer, inform them that if they do not comply with the government guidelines, you propose to refuse to work in any area of the workplace
that you feel is not safe or carry out activities that are not safe. If you feel that the whole of the workplace is unsafe, you should
inform your employer that you propose to refuse to enter the building if nothing is done.
If your employer still refuses to comply with government guidelines you should again talk to your co-workers and discuss taking action. If
you decide to take action, plan how best to do it collectively. If you are planning to refuse to work on a particular task or work in a
particular area of the building all get together to inform your employer. If you are refusing to enter the building all meet up in an area
close to the building, say the car park, and inform your employer that you are refusing to enter the building.
WHEN TALKING TO WORKERS OR TAKING ACTION YOU SHOULD ENSURE THAT YOU ARE MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCING AT ALL TIMES.
If you need help or support contact us here at the Solidarity Federation
http://www.solfed.org.uk/manchester/new-social-distancing-measures-and-how-to-stay-safe-at-work
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Message: 5
We republish this interview by Shane Burley with two participants which helps document one facet of the current unprecedented uprising
around anti-Black racism taking place. While events at the Seattle Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, which has since been renamed Capitol Hill
Organized Protest or CHOP (explanation), remain ever changing the taking of physical space is inspiring, though not without limits. As
interviewee and Black Rose/Rosa Seattle member Frank Ascaso adds, the CHAZ/CHOP space has grabbed 95% of the media coverage on Seattle yet
it only represents a fraction of the mass politicization and movement energy in the city with daily marches of 50,000 or the successful
campaign to remove the police union form the local labor council.
By Shane Burley, ROAR Magazine
Over the past few weeks we have witnessed one of the largest uprisings in recent US history. The police killing of George Floyd in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, brought millions of people in the US and around the world out into the streets in aggressive demonstrations. In
cities across the country, police precincts were set on fire, corporate stores looted, and as the police turned their sights on the
protests, the numbers only grew.
In Seattle, Washington, confrontations with protesters in a gentrified part of the city known as Capitol Hill led to law enforcement's
retreat from their office. Organizers and community members advanced on the area and transformed this eight-block segment of the
neighborhood into a collective space, which they soon called the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ).
The CHAZ has become the focus of right-wing rage, from the media to the president, as they intimate that this is a terrorist operation
controlled by brutal anarchist cells. Photos, videos, testimonies from the inside the CHAZ paint a very different picture, communicating
something closer to other occupations (Occupy movement?) where people moved from simple protests to experimenting in living differently.
Hundreds of people are putting in the labor to keep things like a medical clinic, a café, concerts and speakers, a community garden, and
other resources into a stable infrastructure of mutual aid. They have done so with the support of local organizations and even businesses.
Now the CHAZ is hitting a point where they are building for the future, discussing differences in direction and priorities, and how they are
going to navigate the negotiation between immediate reforms and more revolutionary aims.
I spoke with two organizers of the CHAZ about what drew them there, how it has been working, and where they hope to go with the project.
Both are using pseudonyms, one going by Officer CHAZ (OCHAZ) and the other going by Frank Ascaso (FA), who also organizes with the Black
Rose / Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation. These organizers were interviewed separately from one another and were combined here into one
conversation.
We're in one of the largest rebellions in the last fifty years. How did you get involved in the demonstrations and the autonomous project
that became the CHAZ?
OCHAZ: It's been a long road to the breaking point. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's deaths really pushed us over the edge this time. I
knew I could no longer live with myself if I remained silent and complacent. I became infused with a burning desire to take action, so I
rushed to the front lines of the protest marches in Seattle at the earliest opportunity. It was the least I could do, but quite literally a
step in the right direction. Everybody's got a unique story to tell about their journey to Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), but for me,
it was the ecstasy of finally taking a firm stand against systemic oppression. That feeling became such an intense high, that I never wanted
to come down. I am addicted to justice, and it's one drug that I will never give up.
FA: Networks of activists and organizers here in Seattle had been having discussions as Minneapolis and other cities had ignited in protests
and riots. There's a long history of anti-police organizing here with movements to block the expansion of a youth detention center and a
so-called "police bunker," an expansion to a police facility in the northern part of the city. So in those networks people started talking
about what we could do here in solidarity with Minneapolis. So people started planning protests for that weekend. And a whole bunch of
various groups, from anarchists to church and pacifist groups to the anti-police coalitions, started planning their own thing. The first
weekend of protest there were a half dozen different calls to action, and that's when the riots started here as well. So that's when I
showed up, in those early days.
How does the CHAZ coordinate with the rest of the city's protest movement?
FA: I would say they are a piece of it, but I would not call it the center[of the movement]. This moment around Black lives is incredible
and every group is taking pretty dramatic action. And I would say that is continuing. There are non-profit groups leading marches, there are
church groups leading marches, there's the anti-prison and abolition groups leading marches, and a lot of those are happening outside the
space. They were happening before and they were using their own infrastructure and resources to make them happen, and that is still happening.
For example, there was recently a march of 60,000 people between two of the largest parks in Seattle, which, from what I could tell, had
little connection to the CHAZ. There was also a children's march, which seemed to have little connection to the CHAZ. That said, there are
things being planned in the autonomous space. So, for example, last night (June 14) I participated in a protest that marched out of the
autonomous zone, a Black Lives Matter march, to challenge the police and occupy streets elsewhere. People are planning things from the
autonomous space too, but this moment is so dramatic and diverse that lots of things are happening outside of it too.
What was the process by which the zone was first opened up and established? What were the protests like before its formation?
OCHAZ: As with any social movement, it's difficult to pinpoint an exact origin. The events leading up to the formation of CHAZ have been so
surreal and chaotic at times that I'm not sure whether I'll ever fully understand what happened to get us here. But I want it to be clear
that the "Regime"[CHAZ-lingo for the Seattle Police Department]struck first. They've been killing us for decades. For as long as we can
remember, the people of Capitol Hill have begged the City Council to clean up their mess, but they never listen. They're too busy sucking
Jeff Bezos's dick to even glance at us. Our so-called political "leaders" will never miss a wink of sleep over the dead bodies of
marginalized folks piling up in the streets, so now we're going to give them something to really lose sleep over.
But even when we protested "the right way," by peacefully marching, did they listen then? No. They sent their Seattle Police Department
(SPD) goon squad after us, treated us like we were criminals-worse than criminals, because at least criminals get a trial. We were more like
animals to them. During the march, I watched as dozens of my comrades were brutalized by riot police, simply for demanding reform and racial
equity. We tried safe civil disobedience, but the "good ol' boys" at the SPD never let us down when it comes to the level of violence we've
come to expect from them.
FA: There had been a week and a half of steady confrontations in that space. Every day from maybe six or seven o'clock in the evening to
midnight or one in the morning, pretty regular confrontations. People were pretty exhausted, actually, by the time the police withdrew from
that space. Definitely, lots of people showed up that night, but a lot of folks went home early. So when the declaration of the autonomous
zone came out after midnight, a lot of people were not there for the evening - I wasn't there either.
How did the crowd take the space?
OCHAZ: There wasn't any particular tactic or method, we just... took it. It was ours anyway, as far as we were concerned. Putting up those
barriers just felt like the most natural thing we could ever do to protect ourselves. When shit hit the fan at the protest, we switched to
auto-pilot, no thought required, just the pure energy of the crowd directing our concentrated motion. We moved as a unit, as if we all
shared the same body and mind in the heat of that moment.
The last thing I remember was facing off against the cops down on Pine Street. Recalling the black bloc tactic, we used our bodies to create
a wall, but I never expected one of them to run around and sucker-punch my good pal, Dikembe, who was standing off to the side. "Big D"
wasn't even part of our bloc, just an innocent bystander, and that was the last straw for me. I snapped. I knew the bloc needed me, but D
was in trouble. I couldn't desert him even if it meant putting my own safety at risk. I basically blacked out in rage at that point, and
when I came to, I was waking up in CHAZ.
All I know is that our group had rushed the line and eventually took the East Precinct. The cops got pushed back, and our barriers went up.
My boy Dikembe was injured pretty bad, but that didn't stop him from spraying the first of many tags at the border crossing in bright bold
letters for the whole world to see: "CHAZ." To the cops, that tag was a threat to back off. To us, it meant freedom.
FA: That whole day was so weird. There had been clashes with the police every night. The mayor promised not to use tear gas, but the very
next night the police used tear gas anyway. The day after that, someone got shot, and the following day the police withdrew. They made this
dramatic announcement in the afternoon with the police chief saying they were going to withdraw from the East Precinct.
I think there was a lot of anxiety and confusion about what to do. There was some kind of speculation that the police were withdrawing as a
set-up to have people attack the precinct and break windows or burn it down so the police would have an excuse to say how bad the protesters
were. This was a rumor. That evening when people got to the space, they got right up to the building and there was hesitation about doing
anything. People weren't sure, "what should we do? Do we attack it? Do we just keep the protest in the space?" And those conversations were
going on throughout that day and into the night.
Then there were rumors that Proud Boys were in the area, also totally unconfirmed and probably untrue. So then people were thinking about
maybe defending the space. What if other fascists come to attack the space? And my understanding is that out of those conversations came to
declare an autonomous zone.
What is the idea behind the CHAZ? What is an "autonomous zone?"
FA: Autonomous zones have a long history, likely going back to the Paris Commune in which the French government refused to defend the city
against a Prussian siege, a foreign siege. The people of Paris just kind of took over the mechanisms of the city and thought "we can run
this better in our own interests. It turns out we don't need you protecting us, we can take care of ourselves perfectly fine." And they sort
of restructured the city on a radically new democratic principle, a much more directly democratic form of organization.
And since then there have been a whole series of similar popular democratic actions to reclaim space and infrastructure. To run it in the
interests of people instead of the police, business or military. So I see this as part of that tradition and a part of that lineage. And one
of the things that is most beautiful about this space is that it is such a clear message in this moment when police can literally not stop
killing people in the streets.
This past weekend there was just another Black person killed by the police in Atlanta. The autonomous zone is saying "Hey, it turns out we
actually don't need you. We can run our neighborhoods safely without policing. We can run them in much more humane interests without
policing." That political message is pretty clear and pretty strong out of this particular occupation.
OCHAZ: CHAZ is living proof that a world without police is possible. When we say, "Defund the police," we mean exactly what that sounds
like. Cops only create more problems than they try to solve. Especially for undocumented immigrants, BIPOC, WOC, trans, queer and other
marginalized communities who simply do not have the privilege of being protected when they call the police for help (or when the police are
called on them by some tone-deaf "Karen," you know the type).
For us marginalized folks, any minor interaction with the police can be a death sentence. CHAZ is the antidote to all that. Our emphasis on
restoration over retribution is a major part of the guiding ethos and driving force behind CHAZ. "Autonomous" to us means autonomy from the
SPD's boot on our collective neck. We don't need the police, because we look out for each other instead. Call it what you want: a
collective, a cooperative, a commune. Above of all, CHAZ is a family.
What is day-to-day life like there right now? Is it just a protest space, or are you rebuilding everyday community structures?
FA: It's pretty interesting because the first day after the autonomous zone was declared there was almost no infrastructure in place yet. I
think the call surprised a lot of people. In the next couple of days, hundreds of people came to start and set those up. Now the space feels
like a sort of city within the city. It's got a medical station. It's got a pretty sophisticated and abundant food distribution. It has
community check-ins around disputes and disturbances. It's got a discussion space; a café space called "the decolonial café." A community
garden, informational tents, and informational sessions with free literature, nightly film screenings and a band stand with nightly
performances from different bands.
So there is a ton of activity going on there, and the space itself feels very vibrant and exciting. It does feel like a festival of
resistance. And people can plug into movement spaces and have organizing conversations and plan the next action. Or they can think about how
to design the garden and the purpose of a community garden, things like that. To me it's pretty incredible.
In the first few days there was no structure, by the end of the first week people initiated a general assembly model in the middle of the
afternoon. The first one was more like a "speak-out," people talking about their experiences and processing a lot of stuff. A lot of trauma
from the police violence of the previous weeks. Black voices were highlighted in their day-to-day struggles with the police. After that the
general assembly turned into a "working group" model with report-backs, breaking away to work on things like logistics and then coming back
to the space.
I don't know if they have been able to make any collective decisions and I don't know if they really have a process for that, whether it is
voting, majority voting, or consensus. But it is definitely a space for the whole zone to talk to each other.
OCHAZ: Well it's certainly nothing like the way it's portrayed on right-wing propaganda channels like Fox News. We don't have guarded
"checkpoints," or any of that rubbish. Our borders are open to anyone who stands in solidarity with Black lives, and anyone who seeks safety
and refuge from police harassment. Some people drive into CHAZ from out of state to lend a helping hand, while others live and work
completely within the boundary. Everyone who comes here with an open mind sees a flourishing environment filled with boundless love.
It feels like walking through a lucid dream 24 hours a day. We use the park to host recreational activities, such as free movie nights,
stand-up comedy shows and dance parties. We have local farmers growing crops, artists painting murals to raise social awareness and
wholesome activities for kids and families. There are friendly faces everywhere, like our resident 63-year-old street musician, "Papa
Jacoby," who teaches authentic West African djembe music with a focus on cultural sensitivity.
Everybody is having a lot of fun in CHAZ, but we also can't forget why we are here and who we are fighting for. That's why we make sure to
hold regular classes on the history of racism, strategies for decolonization and the destructive legacy of whiteness. We're working hard to
unlearn systems of racism, and create a place in CHAZ where for once in the history of America, white folks take a back seat to make room
for the unheard voices of Black, Brown, and Indigenous Peoples.
Everywhere you look in CHAZ, you will find a vibrant, thriving community where every citizen understands that Black Lives Matter, and they
mean it with all their hearts. I've never seen something so beautiful that it actually makes me cry, but that pretty much sums up CHAZ for you.
How are mutual aid projects supporting the Zone to continue?
OCHAZ: Robust mutual aid programs are key to CHAZ's success, as well as harm reduction methodologies wherever possible. The people organize
themselves around community needs. Our "No-cop co-op" doesn't accept any cash - anything a citizen of CHAZ needs is provided free of charge
from the co-op, because we believe in people over profits. Our kitchen distributes food to the homeless night and day, and we're not just
talking cans of cold beans here. In CHAZ, anyone who is hungry can receive a full, nutritious and locally-sourced hot meal, and we'll even
top it off with a scoop of ice cream and some of those little Keebler mint cookies for dessert.
The "No-cop co-op" in the CHAZ. Photo by Derek Simeone / Flickr
Around the corner, we have a free childcare center to take some of the stress off working women of color, along with a "no questions asked"
medical care facility to anyone in need. Undocumented immigrants in particular, who live outside the CHAZ, are often afraid to see a doctor
because revealing their personal information could bring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to their doorstep. CHAZ ensures that our
immigrant comrades have nothing to fear when they go in for a check-up, by providing a viable alternative to Big Pharma and other western
imperialist medical institutions.
Another pride and joy of the Autonomous Zone is our cooperative agricultural program. All citizens are welcome to grow and share crops in
our garden area, but of course we have designated the most fertile plot of land to Indigenous peoples, so they can take ownership over what
is rightfully theirs without intrusion. To those who would have never believed the people of America could break away from capitalism and
say goodbye to the oligarchy: think again - the CHAZ works, and we're expanding it with even more socially-minded programs every day.
FA: So the mutual aid group in Seattle that formed just as the pandemic hit has been very involved organizing the autonomous zone space.
Setting up the food and some of the other distribution resources they used for Covid they have been able to use in this space. So that's
been really great. Then I just think the idea of mutual aid and supporting each other in the space is also a big part of this. So the "No
cop co-op," where people are just providing whatever they have and distributing it freely to people who need it. And the kind of food
donations that are coming in are all part of that notion.
Some people are putting in tremendous amounts of work, way more than I am. The medical team is incredible. They have been battling the
police for weeks and treating people who have been injured by the police very, very seriously. Their ability to get medical supplies and
distribute them to people in need is really incredible.
What do you think about the portrayal in right-wing media? Is it really different from your own experience?
FA: The CHAZ really does feel like a festive and joyous space. There have been lots of efforts to discredit the space from the Seattle
Police Department or right-wing media, even just mainstream media.
Are the police or right-wing vigilantes trying to get into the zone?
FA: The police have re-entered the space. The precinct was left completely upended. It was open, unlocked and completely accessible. In the
first couple of days, no one went in. There was still that hesitancy about getting into the East Precinct. People were still unsure of what
to do. And after the first couple of days the police came in and locked it and fenced it off.
From what I know, that is the only time the police have come into that space and other than that other city services are responding to the
area. The mayor has directed the Fire Department, the Department of Transportation and the Parks Department to be the ones who come to that
area. So I haven't seen any police there since they came in the one time.
OCHAZ: The fascists are always on our ass, predictable as usual. Unfortunately, it's just something we have to expect and figure out how to
deal with the best we can. The cops have left us alone for the most part, running scared ever since we exiled them from the Zone. But there
is definitely a looming cloud of right-wing assholes threatening to swoop in and destroy what we've created here. What those assholes don't
realize, is that we are watching them like a hawk. We'll never just lie down and take it, or let them hurt even a single hair on our
people's bodies. Sure, we've received threats from cops, "patriots," biker gangs, you name it. But CHAZ has a message to all you bootlickers
out there: we've got your number. Fuck around and find out.
How are you thinking about the CHAZ in the long term? Are you thinking of this extending into weeks and months?
OCHAZ: I'm trying my best to not get blinded by optimism. We still have a long way to go to achieve racial equity. There's a lot of work to
do to expand our reach, secure our infrastructure, and build up the kind of community that works for everybody, not just whites and
white-passing POC. Those among us who come from a place of privilege are still struggling to avoid centering themselves, because dismantling
the effects of racism and colorism isn't just a one-time gig - it's a full time job.
That's why we are putting up daily reminders, so that the very roads we walk on will declare loud and clear what we all stand for. Little by
little, we're covering every building in sight with tributes to George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown and others. We are
de-gentrifying the city, renaming streets that were previously named after colonizers and diligently taking down any and all lingering
remnants of our country's racist past, so we can move on to a better future. We are setting our sights high, toward full
self-sustainability, so that we no longer rely on donations from the outside to keep us going. The next thing on my list is to get a
greenhouse going, to cultivate crops that will provide a wider range of vegan options for the kitchen.
FA: That's a great question. When I was there yesterday, it seemed entrenched to me. People have uprooted part of the park and planted
community gardens there. There's a tent city, protesters kind of reminiscent of Occupy. All the mutual aid projects I was mentioning, the
medics and the food distribution and things like that, are really well set up. The infrastructure they have is impressive. So it looks like
it has staying power, to me.
What will come of that, I am unsure. There are several groups that have issued demands, some of which are aligned and some of which are a
little different. We don't know yet what they will be able to leverage from the city and what the end goal is, and I think a lot of those
conversations are still emerging in the general assembly sessions that are happening and conversations in the space. But at this point it
has staying power and I don't imagine it going away anywhere anytime soon.
How have you worked with Indigenous tribes in the area?
OCHAZ: Every decision made in CHAZ comes to fruition with the full acknowledgement and understanding that this land belongs to Indigenous
peoples first, full stop. Tribal needs remain a top priority in CHAZ to ensure that they get the representation they deserve, which had
previously been stripped away from them by the old regime. We always take special care and consideration to work beneath local tribal
leaders for approval. One of the first things we did when we established CHAZ was consult with a Duwamish Chief and his spiritual advisor.
We wouldn't dream of doing anything without their blessing.
Why are you personally so passionate about it?
FA: One, is just being concerned for Black lives, which is part of where it came from and where it started. I think where it has to end is
the recognition of Black humanity, Black integrity and Black dignity. Also, at the moment we can try to rethink and radically reimagine what
our cities can look like. This is one of those moments. Our budgets, at a local level, so favor militarism and violence. And that's true at
a national level too. This points to the idea that when we organize ourselves to meet human needs what emerges is beautiful constructions of
art, new forms of music, new forms of literature, new political ideas, new infrastructures to provide medical care and food for each other.
Those are the priorities that we should be emphasizing, and the autonomous zone states that really clearly.
OCHAZ: Simply put, Capitol Hill is my home. Our people are sick to death of being pushed around by the regime on a daily basis. I can't sit
back and watch my people be tormented by the "thin blue line" anymore. We have our own "line" up on Cap Hill: the rainbow line. And our line
isn't thin - it's thick as fuck, and you better not cross it.
Shane Burley is a writer and filmmaker based in Portland, Oregon. He is the author of Fascism Today: What It Is and How to End It (AK Press,
2017). His work has appeared in places such as Jacobin, Commune, The Baffler, Viewpoint Magazine, Upping the Anti among others.
https://blackrosefed.org/interview-capitol-hill-autonomous-zone-chaz-chop/
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Message: 6
The support and solidarity with innocent people can be done in different ways. It can be through launching complaints, expressing anger and
frustration, protests, and demonstrations. The best kind of support and solidarity is boycotting all the goods that are made in Turkey and
by Turkish companies wherever they are. Boycotting its media, universities, language colleges and stopping holiday bookings to Turkey. While
Turkey has got so many interests in Iraqi Kurdistan the boycott is very effective. Turkey has hundreds of companies plus colleges, shops,
factories there, and it is the main country for Kurdish holiday makers. In short Iraqi Kurdistan is one of the main market for the Turkish
capitalists and the others. Boycotting Turkey and the Turkish goods can also put pressure on the Kurdistan Reginal Government, KRG, Iraq and
the foreign companies to meet people's demand.
We condemn the Turkish state attack and invasion of the Iraqi Kurdistan
At the time when the Covid-19 is spread around the world and is a huge threat to people's lives, a few days ago (16/6) the Turkish state
launched an aggressive attack on Iraqi Kurdistan and invaded many villages and small towns. In its intensive attack, both from the sky and
on the land, it so far killed many innocent people, livestock, and destroyed anything they had: their houses their villages and lands. Their
justification for this massive attack is defending their borders and fighting against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK.
We are not only against the military assault by the Turkish state, but in fact we are against any use of wars to solve disputes, agreements,
settlements, or any other matters. We only support using weapons in self-defence, as defending people's rights, their lands, and their nature.
As a matter of principle we, Kurdish-speaking Libertarians, are against all the assassins and we are against all the decisions that are
imposed on people through the force or wars, against putting them under pressure and disturbing, destroying their peace and freedom. We
demand a peaceful life, justice and equality for all people in the world.
Unfortunately, the civilian people in Kurdistan, helpless at resisting violent forces, like the Turkish state and the political militias.
And neither the Kurdish militias who belong to Kurdistan Reginal Government, KRG, nor the Iraqi government do not want to resist the Turkish
forces. They do not want to disturb and unbalance the interests of tyrannies in the region. They are sharing the mutual economic, political,
and cultural interests, as they are all part of the same capitalist system. But we, as Libertarians, cannot be silent in the face of this
terrible atrocities.
We can and we should raise our voice and do whatever possible, whether it is in defending the life of a black person in the US or supporting
the movement of Black Lives Matter (BLM). We can also be and should be against any military confrontation between the US and Iran, between
both Korean countries and India and China or any other wars between the countries. In view of this and of our principle that we are against
all kinds of suppression of freedom and repression of poor people and working class. We are in favour and demanding the protection of the
principles of peaceful society, togetherness, live in harmony and in total humanity. We are against invading the rights of individuals and
societies and against the abuse of power in violating and crossing the borders illegally. This, in our view, is the red line: neither any
state nor their militia should be allowed to invade people's peaceful and normal life.
What is happening now in front of the eyes of the "International Community" is a genocide, it is a terrible atrocity. The Turkish state is
an immensely powerful state and have a powerful and sophisticated army. It is the second powerful force in the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, NATO, it uses all their power, under the name of "Tiger's Claws" against people in Iraqi Kurdistan.
We denounce this not just because we are Kurdish- speaking people, but as Libertarians too. We believe the peace and normal life of people
do not emerge from the mouths and the sounds of weapons that cannot achieve and never will achieve normality and harmony to people's life.
That only happens through acknowledging each other, valuing each other and through cooperation.
Finally, we ask all Libertarians to raise their voices and stand up through whatever possible mean against all kinds of military
confrontations, invasions and against the militia of political parties and the states. We call our comrades, wherever they are, to stand up
against the aggressive Turkish state that overtly and indiscriminately killing everybody in the Kurdish areas especially those who live in
the villages that are on the border.
The support and solidarity with innocent people can be done in different ways. It can be through launching complaints, expressing anger and
frustration, protests, and demonstrations. The best kind of support and solidarity is boycotting all the goods that are made in Turkey and
by Turkish companies wherever they are. Boycotting its media, universities, language colleges and stopping holiday bookings to Turkey. While
Turkey has got so many interests in Iraqi Kurdistan the boycott is very effective. Turkey has hundreds of companies plus colleges, shops,
factories there, and it is the main country for Kurdish holiday makers. In short Iraqi Kurdistan is one of the main market for the Turkish
capitalists and the others. Boycotting Turkey and the Turkish goods can also put pressure on the Kurdistan Reginal Government, KRG, Iraq and
the foreign companies to meet people's demand.
While we are supporting the struggle of Kurdish people against the Turkish assault and invasion of Kurdistan, in the meantime we support and
offer our solidarity to their struggle against the KRG to achieve their demands.
Kurdish-speaking Libertarians
19th June 2020
https://www.anarkismo.net/article/31953
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Message: 7
Two anarchists involved in a group known as Set (Network) have received long prison sentences on June 22nd in St. Petersburg, Russia. ----
The regime run by secret policeman Putin which we name as the Chekocracy (1) from now on, sentenced Viktor Filinkov to 7 years and Yury
Boyarshinov to 5 ½ years prison on fabricated charges of belonging to a terrorist group. ---- Thirty people who demonstrated outside against
the show trial were arrested by police. One demonstrator who chanted "Let them go!" and "FSB (Federal Security Service, the secret police)
is the main terrorist!" was handcuffed. ---- The trial began in February. Boyarshinov pleaded guilty, saying that he did not know that Set
was a terrorist group when he joined it. Filinkov rejected the charges, saying that his initial guilty plea was given under duress.
In February seven other members of the group were sentenced in Penza to a total of 86 years. Some were tortured to gain confessions. The FSB
allege a network with cells in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Penza, and Omsk, as well as in neighbouring Belarus. The Belarusian authorities have
stated that they were unaware of such a cell in their country. Amnesty International has called the charges: "a figment of the Russian
security services' imagination... fabricated in an attempt to silence these activists."
Putin is scared of any opposition to his regime and some of his first victims are anarchists.
You can:
Donate money to the Anarchist Black Cross in Moscow via PayPal (abc-msk@riseup.net). Make sure to specify your donation is earmarked for
"Rupression."
Spread the word about the Network Case aka the Penza-Petersburg "terrorism" case. You can find more information about the case and in-depth
articles translated into English on this website (see below), rupression.com
Organize solidarity events where you live to raise money and awareness for the plight of the tortured Penza and Petersburg antifascists. Go
to the website It's Going Down to find printable posters and flyers you can download. You can also read more about the case there.
If you have the time and means to design, produce, and sell solidarity merchandise, please write to rupression@protonmail.com.
Write letters and postcards to the prisoners. Letters and postcards must be written in Russian or translated into Russian. You can find the
addresses of the prisoners #support" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here.
Share news stories across social networks beyond Russia.
Design a solidarity postcard that can be printed and used by others to send messages of support to the prisoners. Send your ideas to
rupression@protonmail.com
Write letters of support to the prisoners' loved ones via rupression@protonmail.com
Translate the articles and information at rupression.com and this website into languages other than Russian and English, and publish your
translations on social media and your own websites and blogs.
(1) The Cheka were Lenin's murderous secret police, who went through various name changes, NKVD, OGPU, KGB, etc. before ending up as today's
FSB. Putin was a leading official in the KGB.
https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2020/06/25/russian-anarchists-sentenced-by-putin-regime/
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Message: 8
What happened was what many thinking people in Belarus were waiting for. Mass dissatisfaction with the regime of Lukashenko turned into
street actions: hundreds and thousands of people in a dozen cities came to protest. Will these speeches lead to changes and what to do to
make this happen? ---- Context ---- The election institution, which is in a deep crisis, got a new meaning this year thanks to the
appearance of three figures: Babariko, Tsepkalo and Tikhanovsky. The first two, close to the Belarusian elite and thinking in a legalistic
paradigm, managed to win over the previously non-politicized part of society. Many believed that peaceful changes are possible in Belarus,
not going beyond the legal framework. More than 6% of the population signed for them, despite the pressure on their studies and work.
Tikhanovsky initially came up with a more protest stance. Apparently, his supporters are ready for street protests no less than the small
electorate of the "classical" opposition. And there are a lot of them, which can be seen not only in the hundreds of thousands of signatures
collected by his wife, but also in the huge audience of the blog.
Of course, these figures only mobilized people, and the roots of discontent are much deeper: from the spread of the Internet, free from
censorship, to economic stagnation and "coronacrisis".
From voting to protest
The arrest of Babariko was a turning point. Lukashenko did not take risks: in spite of all the experience of falsifications and
administrative resources, he was afraid of a large percentage in the elections of his main opponent.
After the arrest, part of the supporters of Babariko may lose hope, they will be disappointed and return to apoliticality. Someone will
continue to act in a legitimate field, implement the idea with a referendum on the constitution and, if Lukashenko permits, run an election
campaign.
But the third part will be outraged and begin to understand: there will be no changes along the legal path. This group of dissatisfied
people will connect with the audience of Tikhanovsky and the rest of the opposition-minded opposition, ready to act on the street.
It looks like this is already happening. So, Tsepkalo himself came to the "chain of solidarity" and expressed support, and many protesters
with the symbols of "Country for Life" and the BChB said that the impetus for the exit was the arrest of Babariko. In turn, the team of
Babariko expresses support for the protest, but so far does not call for participation in it, but initiates legal initiatives.
From protest to resistance
Although participants in the "chains of solidarity" violate the laws established by Lukashenko, rhetoric of peaceful expression of opinions
"guaranteed by the constitution" continues to prevail in this environment. This is the main weakness of the protest.
The protest is completely toothless: for a hundred detentions, we know only a few attempts to help the victims of lawlessness. It is really
painful to understand that the courage of Belarusians is now enough only to shout "ganba" and shoot on the phone. We must pay tribute to the
tricks of the security forces. They are afraid to provoke violence by protesters and refrain from particular cruelty.
The problem of installation for peaceful protest and the rejection of resistance to lawlessness is that it simply is not suitable for the
current situation. Lukashenko implements a scenario of force suppression; he himself pushes dissatisfied people out of the legal field. If
power has gone beyond the "limits", why should we stay in them? This is neither effective nor fair. If we enter into a military
confrontation with the state, we have to learn how to defend ourselves according to the rules of this field.
What will happen if people start to become coupled and not let their people be detained, and each vintilovo will require a large number of
cops and last for half an hour? Indeed, decentralization is on the side of the protesters - the security forces simply do not have enough
resources to disperse such outbreaks throughout the city.
The problem of protest is not only tactical, but also strategic. We have no plan except to "express an opinion", which the authorities do
not care about. Many are betting on August 9+, but what will happen on these numbers? Most likely, the Maidan is not possible in Belarus,
the authorities have been preparing for it for a very long time, nothing prevents Lukashenko from screwing up several thousand people,
including all leaders and blocking Minsk. But how then will a street protest lead to the overthrow of the regime? Our task is to develop
this strategy.
In addition, the protest is not massive enough. Yet not many people understand the dangers of dictatorship and the importance of action. Our
task is to tell them about this. Indeed, in order to overthrow the regime, it is not hundreds, but hundreds of thousands who are ready to
take to the streets.
So we need to do even more work, solve many issues and learn a lot. The "chains of solidarity" alone will not lead to the overthrow of the
regime, but they can become an important point in a series of events that will lead to changes. There are more enemies of the state, and
this is an incentive to act.
What to do?
Of course, there are no recipes, but events have shown several directions in which you can work.
By the way, anarchists now have no opportunity to influence what is happening either ideologically or organizationally. Nevertheless, we can
participate in grassroots initiatives and self-organized protests, contributing to the overthrow of the dictatorship and attracting new
supporters.
Discuss, disseminate and implement new tactics of protest. You can get together with a friend or have a chat where you can discuss how to
resist detention or get together in many places in the city.
Lukashenko will not leave himself. But what form can a rebellion take? Could it be massive entry in the central squares? Or spontaneous
performances throughout the city? Or barricades with Molotov cocktails? Discuss this with your friends and share possible scenarios.
Spread criticism of the regime, tell how the end of a dictatorship can improve people's lives. Do it everywhere: talk with family,
distribute leaflets in your entrance, or repost. Unfortunately, we are not 97%, but active at least, so this is an important area of work.
Explore and disseminate activist safety materials. How to behave on a street rally, in the CIP, how to talk with the cops. Help human rights
defenders. After all, reducing the harm from repression is an important part of the struggle. Here is a great guide .
Petr Fomashov for pramen.io
https://avtonom.org/news/pobeda-ne-budet-bystroy-mysli-o-cepyah-solidarnosti
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