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Nov 19, 18

This Is America #42: Boston Nazis Removed, #CampFire Rages

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Cover Photo: Cactus Collective

Welcome, to This Is America, November 19th, 2018.

A lot has happened over the weekend, so we’re just going to dive right into it.

First off, you may have heard that neo-Nazis from Patriot Front attempted to crash the Boston Anarchist Bookfair and were quickly ejected. Later on in the program, we’ll have an interview with a member of the Libertarian Socialist Caucus in Boston, who speaks about how people drove out Patriot Front and what all went down. But first, here’s an official statement from the bookfair organizers:

As anarchists we seek to embody everything the fascists oppose. In the face of white supremacy we build anti-racist solidarity, not only in opposition to the fascists but also against all embodiments of settler colonialism and the carceral state. In the face of white nationalism we declare our opposition to the state and we work towards the self-emancipation of the international working class. In the face of attacks on migrants and the strengthening of borders we seek to tear down the walls that divide us and defend our friends, families, and community members from deportation. In the face of patriarchy and enforcement of hierarchical gender and sexual norms we embrace revolutionary feminism and the possibilities for freedom that emerge from queerness. In the face of capitalist crises and appeals to authority for protection we struggle for a world without bosses or politicians, knowing that we alone can save ourselves. This is the heart of anti-fascism and we will never let the threat of fascist thugs prevent us from loving and supporting one another or fighting for a world rooted in freedom and equality. Our bonds of solidarity are based in our shared struggles for freedom. Do not believe for a second that efforts to intimidate us will shake these bonds, let alone break them: it will only make them stronger.

Video from Twitter: A small group of masked Patriot Front fascists chanting "blood and soil" just tried to crash the Boston Anarchist Bookfair at BU's George Sherman Union. The fascists were blocked and turned away by a large group of antifascists.

由 North Shore Antifa 发布于 2018年11月18日周日

Saturday saw large scale antifascist demonstrations in Philadelphia and Portland, both against collections of Proud Boys, far-Right Trump supporters, militia members, white nationalists, and Alt-Right trolls.

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Thank you to Food Not Bombs for providing food and a safe space for thise pushing back against white supremacy! #NoRevolutionOnAnEmptyStomach • • • • • • • • • • • • #OccupyICE #philadelphia #philly #abolishICE #nonazis #nokkk #pushback #acab #1312 #nowhitesupremacistsinphilly

A post shared by Occupy ICE Philadelphia (@occupyicephl) on

In Philadelphia, far-Right rally goers openly declared the rally to be a failure, blaming members of the Light Foot Militia for “sabotaging” the event by telling people not to come because the event would draw white nationalists. Others complained about the threat of being potentially doxxed as a reason to stay away. In the lead up to the event, local antifascists also got one member of the Proud Boys fired and also covered the downtown in flyers with the faces of local far-Right and Alt-Right members. During the Philly demonstration, people were able to expel several Proud Boys from the antifascist side, but the largest clashes took place when police attempted to clear a path for far-Right rally goers to leave the area. Comically, far-Right rally attendees hoping to make a quick getaway through Uber rides were turned down several times by drivers, forcing a few to have to walk home.

A World Without Police offered this critical reflection on Twitter:

So, to be clear: the numbers that came out in Philly to counter protest the Fash was inspiring and powerful, and I want to thank everyone who came out. The fash didn’t win today. They lost. But the feeling amongst many of our comrades was: so did we. We didn’t win. The pigs did.

Many organizers were happy to stay in a police free speech pen, and on (at least) two different occasions directly led and encouraged separate formation marches into the pen across the street from the protest: a “socialist” organizer literally started a physical fight with a comrade who was just arguing against marching into the police pen. And while their numbers were small, they managed to have three full hours of (embarrassingly poor but nevertheless) speeches.

We know the police are intimidating, scary, overwhelming and powerful, and it’s scary to confront them. But if we want to actually shut down fascism we can’t let the police win, because the police winning IS the victory of fascism.

We need to be bold enough, and not just the small minority that is blocked up and doing antifa work everyday, but everyone, to try and break a police line–to fight the fascists both in an out of uniform.

The street far-right (in the US exclusively, for the moment, in this current manifestation) is undeniably weaker right now than a year ago. But they will grow back stronger if we don’t turn against the police fearlessly and analyze the way liberalism, police and fash are one piece.

Meanwhile in Portland, Oregon, hundreds came out to a Survivor speakout and rally organized by PopMob, which took place before Patriot Prayer’s #HimToo rally, which was called over a month ago in order to feed off far-Right support for Brett Kavanaugh. Masked antifascists also converged and held a defensive perimeter. Like in Philly, the far-Right rally was very small, and showed once again that groups like Patriot Prayer don’t organize well around “issues,” but instead only bring people out to engage in violence against ‘the Left.”

The Portland rally ended in light clashes between Patriot Prayer and antifascists, with police using flash bands to separate the groups, finally escorting Joey Gibson and friends to their cars. There were several arrests. Joey said that he would march in Vancouver, where he lives, but by later that afternoon had already cancelled the march on Facebook. Check It’s Going Down for reports from both Philadelphia and Portland.

https://twitter.com/jason_a_w/status/1063896223566852096

Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, members of the Industrial Workers of the World at the Burgerville USA chain have announced that a third store will now begin a fight to be recognized as a union. The Burgerville Workers Union wrote on Facebook:

Well, Burgerville, time’s up. You had two whole days to honor the voices of the overwhelming majority of workers at the Hawthorne who demanded recognition, and we still haven’t heard from you. Same old story: every time we give you a chance to do the right thing and talk to us voluntarily, you ignore us. Now that’s not an option for you anymore.

48 hours after our initial announcement to Burgerville corporate and the rest of Portland, it’s time that we speak again by officially filing for our union election at the Hawthorne Burgerville! This is the nextstep in our fight for low-wage workers everywhere. We didn’t stop at 92nd and Powell, we didn’t stop at Gladstone, and we guarantee you we’re not going to stop at Hawthorne either.

In the spring Hawthorne workers stood in solidarity with Gladstone workers during their election. Now it’s our turn. See you at the bargaining table, Burgerville – we’re coming for our raise.

Far-Right Nationalists rally against the migrant caravan.

Meanwhile at the US/Mexico border, School of the America’s Watch just finished holding a three day anti-borders event, and in Tijuana, Unicorn Riot reports that Sunday, far-Right nationalists led rowdy demonstrations against the migrant caravan, while others stood up to them and pushed back. One person on social media wrote:

Sunday in Tijuana: today was a long day with many events. Yes, there was a march against migrants attended by more than 100 people. But in addition to that people mobilized to create a collection space, a cleaning brigade for the tijuana community, many people received legal and medical services, and the refugees are still hoping to ask for asylum in the United States and shelter from state violence they faced in their country. The day is full of many events, we have to understand that an exodus of thousands of people is not something nice or easy, it is a complicated process of struggle that is still articulating itself and fighting for justice and dignity.

If you are looking for a way to help the caravan, please consider giving to, or organizing a supply run to connect with the autonomous Tijuana based space, Enclave Caracol, which is holding it down in the face of far-Right nationalists. Support them with a donation here.

Speaking of donations, North Valley Mutual Aid has formed as a grassroots response to the devastating fires raging in Northern California. Right now they have a fundraiser up which has already collected almost $12K, and locals are mobilizing to find out how people from outside of town can plug in and help. People wanting to volunteer or get involved are encouraged to email: [email protected]. Check the podcast for a quick interview with a local organizer on the unfolding situation and how to help.

In North Carolina, comrades have been hit with waves of doxxing by neo-Nazi trolls. Please read their statement and see how you can support them.

Comrades with Anti-Colonial Land Defense also intervened in a local parade, holding banners and chanting. Their report reads:

[We] had a great time positively crashing the Duluth Holiday parade last night, donning the messages on large banners, “No Enbridge on Stolen Land,” & “Abolish I.C.E. Support the caravans”; we wore red hats & bandanas to stand in solidarity with the MMIW struggle stating, “No More Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women”! This was particularly important here as the international port in so-called Duluth is still tragically one of the main points in the United Snakes this part of Turtle Island where women are trafficked & go missing, & we say, “No More”!

Seasons Greetings: NO LINE 3, NO KXL, & SUPPORT THE CARAVANS OF MIGRANT TRAVELERS! NO MORE RACIST RESOURCE COLONIALISM ON STOLEN LAND! NO MORE DENYING INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ACCESS TO THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS!#PositivelyCrashingTheDuluthHolidayParade

由 Anti-colonial Land Defense 发布于 2018年11月16日周五

Shout out to the hooligans in the Cactus Collective in Riverside, California who put on a Queer and Femme Skate Day with zine tables and more at their local skate park.

https://twitter.com/NoNaziRiverside/status/1063906981860110336

And now, for a roundup resistance and repression news.

Living and Fighting

Prisoners at Lieber Correctional Institution in South Carolina are demanding recognition of their human rights by the South Carolina Department of Corrections and warden Randall Williams. Prisoners are also demanding an end to the horrific conditions they are forced to exist under at Lieber, which are exascerbating already rising tensions to a tipping point and people are dying.

Prisoners assert that this death is a result of the kind of conditions that are being imposed and inflicted upon the incarcerated population there and the undue trauma, anxiety, and tensions these conditions create.

All 17 have expressed their thanks for the support and their hopes that it continues. For those of you not in the Delaware area and are incapable of attending trial, letters are always welcome. Addresses and details found here.

  • Tens of thousands of students in Quebec are going on strike. See an interview in No Borders Media to hear about the struggle from two people on the ground.
  • In Sacramento, California, posters were put up outing violent white nationalist Jeffrey Perrine, who famously called for migrants heads to be smashed against the concrete at a Portland rally.

  • Massive and extremely violent protests against government corruption continue in Haiti, as people fight police and government troops, who are responding to riots and protests with murder and brutality. Haiti Info Project has daily updates for those following the protests.

  • In Tacoma, Washington, Northwest Detention Center Resistance held a “solidarity day” rally with those inside the migrant detention facility.
  • There’s a brand new online hub for organizing around the migrant caravan at commotion.world. Please check it out and contribute to it.

  • Students at Goucher College in Maryland rallied against racist graffiti. Read a report from the student press here.
  • In Texas, riots broke out in two Facilities.
  • The Tech Workers Coalition has a new publication out about the tech industry and anti-capitalist interventions within it. Check it out here.
  • Lastly, in some awesome news, “Red,” the woman in the Hellbender Autonomous Zone who took to a tree sit to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline has been found, not guilty!

That’s gonna do it for us today, see you next time!

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In search of new forms of life. It's Going Down is a digital community center and media platform featuring news, opinion, podcasts, and reporting on autonomous social movements and revolt across so-called North America from an anarchist perspective.

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