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Jan 22, 17

#DisruptJ20 Dallas: Oak Cliff Ingobernable

From Dallas Antifa

An autonomous demonstration had been called in occupied indigenous land, so called Dallas, TX, in solidarity with the disruption of the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20th. It would take place in a historically black and brown hood just outside of downtown called Oak Cliff. Like many similar neighborhoods, it first suffered from marginalization only to then come under attack from gentrification.  From the deportation of migrants, increased violence from the state to the attacks on women and the LGBTQ community, its population will feel the brunt of the attacks from the Trump regime.

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The morning of the 20th saw banner drops promoting the event for the fourth straight day. The individuals involved were approached by an unidentified person who, at gunpoint, photographed their identification cards as he left just before the official pigs arrived. This further reinforces the fact that we face danger not only from the State but from the autonomous far right.

Students at two local high schools had organized a walkout and masked individuals arrived at the predetermined time to celebrate the liberation of those who refuse to stay in their place. Administrators and teachers blocked the doors as a large swine presence assembled outside. While the masked individuals banged on drums, the pigs dug through the trunks of their cruisers flashing pepperball guns and other tactical gear. This shows the extreme force willing to be used on everyone, even children. Some students did manage to escape but a much smaller number than anticipated.

Various crews and individuals assembled at Lake Cliff Park, making signs, sharing food, voicing their personal feelings and preparing for the march. A Trump piñata was beheaded, quickly stomped out and it’s sugary contents shared amongst the peeps. A majority of the crowd was dressed in black and almost the entirety of it was masked.  The march headed straight towards the bougie Bishop Arts district, shutting down the road and every intersection it came to. Peeps danced in the streets to the beats laid out by the drum line with everyone yelling the chorus to “Oak Cliff that’s My Hood.” A large effigy of Trump, created by local group En Pie De Lucha Ayotiznapa, followed the march. Armed individuals took positions at the head and rear of the march. At this point the pork, who had been massed in downtown, arrived on the scene trailing the march. The yuppies came out of the posh establishments and recently renovated homes clapping and being generally supportive despite chants of “We don’t need no gentrifiers! We just wanna start some fires!” and “Yuppies out!” This modern capitalist subject really is out of touch with what it’s existence really is.

The march then crossed the border between the two worlds, marked by new construction and vacant homes, and out of the view of the clueless yuppies. The heavily armed pigs took this opportunity to rush in from behind and tackled an anti-fascist who stayed back to help comrades in wheelchairs. They proceeded to grind his head into the pavement with boot blows causing injuries that left a softball sized knot still visible more than 12 hrs later. A large force of armed swine charged from the front forcing the march to close ranks and  try to shift down a wide sidewalk as it reached the main drag, Jefferson Ave. Another anti-fascist was dragged off the sidewalk, quickly slammed to the ground and cuffed. This unprovoked violence and the positioning of the pork caused some of the march to take flight fearing a kettle. The bulk of the march then continued down the sidewalk as the pigs blocked the intersection effectively shutting down traffic on a busy Friday night. A PA had been prepositioned and a street dance party had been planned but, with diminished numbers the march wouldn’t be able to hold the street without risking mass arrest. The march doubled back on the sidewalk quickly passing the pigs’ roadblock and retaking the street.

People started coming out of the businesses with some joining the march. A small crew of Brown youth on bikes tailed the march and the tension of the previous moments seemed to pass. The marched then headed back towards the original rally point, turning onto Zang, they were met with pigs and cruisers. Immediately, the pork attempted to snatch individuals in what seemed like selective targeting. The march broke ranks, some rushing forward while some shifted quickly as a block trying to push through a small opening between cars onto the sidewalk. The last two individuals to make it through the gap were caught between the pork and the block as they tried to keep their friends from being kidnapped. The crowd quickly regrouped and a few projectiles came down on the pigs. Long guns were then raised at the crowd and the pigs managed to drag off the two anti-fascists. A community member then entered the street to voice her disapproval of the heavy handed tactics and was quickly mobbed and arrested. Not wanting to risk anymore arrests, a collective decision was made to make the rest of the trek via the sidewalk. Snatch squads and  cruisers flanked the procession as the crowd taunted the pigs with chants of “Oink Oink! Bang Bang!”. Click to view slideshow.

A pre-arranged jail support network quickly went to work setting up a crowd funded bail fund, arranging legal council and answering calls from jail. Again the anti-fascist community showed its solidarity as bail funds were raised and the people freed in less than 24 hours. The kidnapped comrades continued their fight inside the cages, informing the concerned community member of her rights,  sharing the jail support number, shit talking the jailers and trying to make some connections with peeps inside.  The amount of appreciation owed to all the peeps involved is immeasurable.

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Anti-Fascist organizing collective in North Texas.

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