Dear brothers and sisters-in-arts,

I beg you all support to initiative of Austrian activists from "Attack the Opera ball!" Alliance.
Their web site is  http://www.geocities.com/opernballdemo

Here's the official message from them:

"Stop imperialist warmongers!
Smash Capitalism!

Which side are you on...

When on January the seventeenth it`s the twelve years since the major
imperialist attack on Iraq (the so called second gulf war), maybe the next
attack has already been launched.

When on february the twentyseventh it`s time for the annual parade of the
rich and their political representatives, and when they are presenting their
stolen wealth to those who have produced it, live via TV,- it`s then that we
will make very clear which side we are on.

The maintenance of the system of exploitation here cannot be seperated from,
and the depends on the military enforcement of its hegemony against all the
struggles of resistance worldwide, and up to the last corner of this earth.
Just think about: Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, the Phillipines, Colombia
or Yugoslavia,...

We have nothing in common with this "order" of the ruling class. a symbol of
this "order", which means, in general, the subordination of the interests of
the biggest part of the people under the interest for profits of few,- is the Viennese Opera ball.

Like every year in February, on the Opera ball, the rich are dissipating some parts of their loot on a big party.
Even if the court-jesters of the radio and TV networks will portray this exhibition of wealth, privileges and ignorance as a "cultural event", we recognize the true character of this festivity if we take a short look on the guest list. Capitalists, politicians and warmongers come together to debate, underneath all this waltzing festivity, their future business, wars and raids.

Through the planned war on the Iraqui people, the mobilization against the "party of the rich" gains even more importance. When bombs are dropped and the ones who are responsible and who profit, spend, in one night, as much as an Austrian worker has got to live on for 2-3 years, or as much as an Iraqui doesn`t earn in decades,- it`s then, that we don`t want this provocation to take place without disturbing their
"peace"!

Together with the "damned of this world", the exploited and opressed, we want to take the streets against the politics of war and the ruling class.

No calm hinterland for exploiters and strategists of war!
Stop the embargo and the aggression against Iraq!
In deep solidarity with the fights for liberation worldwide!

Alliance 'Attack the Opera ball!' "