Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Militarist, Anti-Racist Carnival Bloc

National Rally for Palestine, Saturday 18 May 2002. Meet at 12 noon @ Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park. Tube: Marble Arch.

At the last Palestinian Solidarity demonstration in London on April 13 there was by all accounts a tiny anti-capitalist presence. This resulted from concern about anti-Semitic and/or “fundamentalist” factions within the demo and confusion about how we as autonomists relate to the Palestinians’ demand for their own state. Any accusations that we’d rather spend the time in a pub are of course a total fabrication . . .

To avoid these problems and also to ensure a strong anti-capitalist presence at the next such demo on May 18, DAAWN are calling for an Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Militarist, Anti-Racist Carnival Bloc.

We will demonstrate to our critics in the corporate media that anti-capitalists do not inhabit an ideological ghetto, cut off from the daily realities of ordinary people. To this end, we aim to link activists who oppose the capitalist system and its wars across the cultural divide. We can achieve this not merely by “inviting” people of colour to passively participate in our action, but to harness the energy and vitality of pre-existing activist networks that campaign on subjects as diverse as environmental justice to police brutality.

The so-called "race riots" last year demonstrated that many young Muslims are disillusioned with capitalism and the government and they are likely to be open to our ideas. The activist community should not internalise the corporate media propaganda about Islamic "radicals" taking over society. Islam can be a tolerant and progressive religion. The concerns of most young Muslims are potentially our concerns. Their fears are our fears. The state wants to artificially divide us. We mustn’t let them segregate our struggle into black and white dimensions. That is how they will break us. Many of us have strong opinions about the merits or otherwise of religious belief, but nonetheless we must reach out to those outside the traditional “anti-capitalist” protest community if we wish to build a movement which truly threatens state/corporate power.

It is not our desire to take over the march, merely to demonstrate autonomy within solidarity. Think crazy banners, flags and props. Think costumes, jugglers and dancers. Think music, drums and whistles. Think love, rage and creativity.

"Underneath the paving stones, a beach."

Situationist International, 1968.


Email:  direct_action_against_the_war_now@hotmail.com
Website:  http://DAAWN.cjb.net