WORLD WORLDWIDE CZECH News Journal Update - (en) Czech, oafed: A critical look back at May Day - Report from the anarchist May Day in Prague through the eyes of an OAF member. (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 Anarchists on Strelák. This used to be a phrase that appeared in the media

whenever Labor Day was celebrated. In recent years, however, even this
traditional anarchist event has begun to decline. After a larger public event
with the motto End bad work in 2017, the movement abandoned marches and chose the
path of informal meetings. The nail in the coffin of this trend was put by the
coronavirus pandemic, which also made it impossible to hold larger events
legally. But this year we returned to the streets again. What did such a comeback
look like? ---- Even before eleven in the morning, anarchists and anarchists with
black and red flags began to gather on Strelecký ostrov, while several figures
and groups that belong more to the political panopticon gradually appeared on the
spot. The Stalinist KSCM couldn't even hold its usual geronto-festival on Letná,
and in the number of a few dozen people, it read a few speeches and went away
quietly. All this to the derision of both anarchists and a group of activists
with EU and NATO flags. That this party is in total disintegration was also
visible due to the fact that their chairwoman was also absent from the event. In
even smaller numbers, the CSSD also appeared at Strelák, followed by the even
more marginal Left, and the whole thing was topped off by Jirí Paroubek, who is
trying to get into power through another new political party. The anarchists did
not miss the opportunity and asked the supporters of the political parties
present what their relationship is to the holiday, which is originally anarchist.
It was found that even politicians who have been publicly involved for decades do
not know the basic historical facts, and many have apparently heard about the
Haymarket Massacre for the first time.

During the speeches, there was a sharp criticism of the anti-social policy of the
current government, and there were also anti-war appeals. On the plus side, the
anti-war criticism was on all sides of the conflict, so the speakers did not
needlessly inflame the conflict between strict anti-militarists and supporters of
the Ukrainian military. Nevertheless, the AF speaker did not forgive the
criticism of those who remained faithful to anarchism, calling them dogmatists
and idealists. Let us hope that the reformism of some comrades will not gradually
lead to the founding of political parties or merging with the Bolshevik left.
Even the handing out of flyers and dreaming of a classless society can be
understood from a certain angle as "inability to face reality."

The speeches were followed by a free social gathering complemented by music and
vegan food prepared by the FNB group. Around one o'clock in the afternoon, the
crowd had already grown to more than 200 people and the front of the
demonstration began to gradually form. The slogans on the banners were rather
light-hearted, it can be noted that the legendary slogan "anarchists want such
well-being for everyone" from the mouth of a police "expert" on extremism is
still popular in the vocabulary of the current movement and is used in various
variations during public promotion.

When dance music blared from the sound system, it was like being transported back
to the 1990s. The route of the march led towards the island of Shtvanice, but
surprisingly through Újezd. During the passage through Mostecká Street, the van
that was driving in the lead broke down, and the march stopped for a while. Or
the blockade of Prague within the limits of the law. The route was long and
arduous, the chanting of anti-capitalist slogans was rather occasional. However,
the demonstrators eventually successfully moved to the Bike jesus club, where
refreshments were already prepared. A concert by excellent bands and informal
entertainment was already waiting there.

If we look at the event from a distance, the positives clearly prevail. The
anarchist movement must return to the streets from where it arose. If anarchists
are seen in the streets, the movement is more likely to grow than if they limit
their May Day activities to harmless chattering picnics that lack the urgency and
authentic anger of wage workers.

https://oafed.noblogs.org/post/2023/05/05/kriticke-ohlednuti-za-prvnim-majem/
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