After the Tear-Gas Clears: A Discussion on the Revolutionary Horizon Post-Rebellion

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On this episode of the It’s Going Down podcast, we speak with Shemon and Arturo, two authors who have contributed numerous pieces analyzing the George Floyd rebellion for both It’s Going Down and Ill Will. We look back at the rebellion which began in late May of 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd and discuss what lessons the revolt leaves us with now, especially following the rebellion in Brooklyn Central after the police murder of Daunte Wright.

Throughout our discussion, we address the difference in the action taken by the proletariat as a whole and the rhetoric of the managing classes which attempted to drain the revolt of its subversive and revolutionary content, while pushing it back into politics as usual. This took the form of everything from the spreading of conspiracy theories, to downplaying the ability of the proletariat to organize and carry out its own forms of organization and resistance. Also included within our discussion, is dialog around how the pandemic informed the revolt, the role of looting, and the response from the State.

We end by asking how can rebels adapt to a changing environment as more people leave the streets and the State clamps down with new repressive laws and National Guard troops. Moreover, what does it mean to “consolidate the gains” made during the revolt while pushing back on the new enclosures and repressive measures of the ruling class?

More Info: Ill Will, The Revolutionary Meaning of the George Floyd Uprising, Fragments 215 (IG)

photo: Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona via Unsplash