Anarchist sabotages on Bristol trainlines
FAI - May 22nd Group | 23.05.2012 11:47
The purpose of guerrilla attack is to spread the struggle into different territories and facets of life. Finance, judicial, communications, military and transport infastructure will continue to be targets of the new generation of urban low-intensity warfare - the Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI) / International Revolutionary Front.
The means for this struggle are always close at hand. On the morning of May 22nd we struck two points on the railway routes into Bristol, on the outer sides of Patchway (northern) and Parson Street (southern) stations. By lifting the concrete slabs running alongside the tracks and burning out the signalling cables found in the trench underneath, before carriges came on the line. We chose specifically chose these places so that employees of the Ministry of Defence, as well as military industry companies Raytheon/Thales/HP/QuinetiQ etc., in the business park near Filton Abbey Wood station, and the corportate hub of Bristol, near the Temple Meads station, were amongst the affected. Normal services weren't restored until the evening.
The potential spread of such blockages in general poses a significant problem for the flow of commodites and for making sure that labour exploitation arrives on time, key concerns for transnational capitalism.
Such actions are a time-honoured method of disturbing the 'social peace' myth: from similar sabotages in France; cash courier vehicles getting destroyed in Crete; the night-time smashing of train station ticket machines in Austrailia; resistance to highway developments eating even further into wild landscapes (such as Khimki forest in Russia) whilst displacing animals and people who are still refusing to assimilate into industrial civilisation (such as Bolivia's TIPNIS project in one of the most biodiverse regions in the world); to the iconic seizure and arson of the city bus in London last August. Not to mention our comrades of FAI/Fires on the Horizon, in Athens, and FAI/Individuals Conspiring for the Destruction of the Existent, in Curicó, defiant with their barricades...
Everywhere the bosses want us scurrying around their metropolis, like consignments of human flesh in alientating containers on pre-determinated routes, in a frenetic hussle for survival, there is and will continue to be every reason to forcefully intervene in the smooth flow of the daily grind.
In the United Kingdom of clockwork control and domestication, we're some of the 'unpatriotic ones' who find the 2012 Olympics, with the ensuing spectacle of wealth (when so many here struggle to feed themselves and their families), harmful developments and escalating police state, frankly offensive. But no union or movement calls our shots, and we have no inhibition to use guerrilla activity to hurt the national image and paralyze the economy however we can. Because simply, we don't want rich tourists - we want civil war.
Anarchy is unavoidable.
Riot 2012.
- Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI) - May 22nd Group (*)
(* - "Because when your heart beats, it beats freedom, love, and anarchy: Anarchy doesn't die in the mouth, it prevails in active hands." - Mauricio 'Mauri' Morales.
On the 22nd of May 2009, Chilean anarchist Mauricio Morales died on an operation to attack the school for prison guards in Santiago.
In the struggle for meaningful existence, 'freedom' and 'life' are things worth the risk of losing in order to truly win them. Mauri 'lost' the last one... but that wild instinct never dies, the bet is still on, and today Mauri we will see to it that anarchy lives!
To Billy Augustan and Reyhard 'Eat' Rumbayan, fighters of the Indonesian FAI in prison for burning a bank (and to the wanted of that case, never forgetting our comrades in clandestinity) - you may not know us, but we are your co-conspirators, and the same for any being who attacks for individual, collective and Earth liberation. Stay strong and proud.
Lastly, we dedicate these words to the five anarchists arrested in the USA in early May, who, planning to blow up a bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley national park in Cleveland, were infiltrated by a government agent who sold them fake explosives.)
The potential spread of such blockages in general poses a significant problem for the flow of commodites and for making sure that labour exploitation arrives on time, key concerns for transnational capitalism.
Such actions are a time-honoured method of disturbing the 'social peace' myth: from similar sabotages in France; cash courier vehicles getting destroyed in Crete; the night-time smashing of train station ticket machines in Austrailia; resistance to highway developments eating even further into wild landscapes (such as Khimki forest in Russia) whilst displacing animals and people who are still refusing to assimilate into industrial civilisation (such as Bolivia's TIPNIS project in one of the most biodiverse regions in the world); to the iconic seizure and arson of the city bus in London last August. Not to mention our comrades of FAI/Fires on the Horizon, in Athens, and FAI/Individuals Conspiring for the Destruction of the Existent, in Curicó, defiant with their barricades...
Everywhere the bosses want us scurrying around their metropolis, like consignments of human flesh in alientating containers on pre-determinated routes, in a frenetic hussle for survival, there is and will continue to be every reason to forcefully intervene in the smooth flow of the daily grind.
In the United Kingdom of clockwork control and domestication, we're some of the 'unpatriotic ones' who find the 2012 Olympics, with the ensuing spectacle of wealth (when so many here struggle to feed themselves and their families), harmful developments and escalating police state, frankly offensive. But no union or movement calls our shots, and we have no inhibition to use guerrilla activity to hurt the national image and paralyze the economy however we can. Because simply, we don't want rich tourists - we want civil war.
Anarchy is unavoidable.
Riot 2012.
- Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI) - May 22nd Group (*)
(* - "Because when your heart beats, it beats freedom, love, and anarchy: Anarchy doesn't die in the mouth, it prevails in active hands." - Mauricio 'Mauri' Morales.
On the 22nd of May 2009, Chilean anarchist Mauricio Morales died on an operation to attack the school for prison guards in Santiago.
In the struggle for meaningful existence, 'freedom' and 'life' are things worth the risk of losing in order to truly win them. Mauri 'lost' the last one... but that wild instinct never dies, the bet is still on, and today Mauri we will see to it that anarchy lives!
To Billy Augustan and Reyhard 'Eat' Rumbayan, fighters of the Indonesian FAI in prison for burning a bank (and to the wanted of that case, never forgetting our comrades in clandestinity) - you may not know us, but we are your co-conspirators, and the same for any being who attacks for individual, collective and Earth liberation. Stay strong and proud.
Lastly, we dedicate these words to the five anarchists arrested in the USA in early May, who, planning to blow up a bridge in the Cuyahoga Valley national park in Cleveland, were infiltrated by a government agent who sold them fake explosives.)
FAI - May 22nd Group
Comments
Hide the following 64 comments
illegal
23.05.2012 11:52
And what is it that YOU want us to do? Run around working so that your benefits are paid and you have food to put in your mouths, so that you can continue playing action-men?
person
what a load of pretentious crap
23.05.2012 12:32
'Stop the flow of exploitable labour..blah, blah,blah'.
What about those precarious workers that will now not recieve ANY pay because of your stupidity.
What about those that were travelling to visit sick relatives in hospital? How about those who may have been travelling for a rare chance to catch up with loved ones etc etc etc.
Far from being revolutionary, this action was carried out by a bunch of clueless pseudo-militant twats with no relationship to the working class and, if the numerous, rambling comminques are anything to go by, a great deal of contempt for ordinary workers/people.
All this action shows is how far some sections of the movement have slipped away from the class, or even attempting to relate to the concerns, needs, hopes and desires of the class.
I know that the Anarchist Federation were preparing a press statement condemning FAI insurectionist attacks in Italy - did it get approved? If so, it would be well worth posting up here as a counter-argument to this drivel.
Now more than ever, it is vital that radical arguments get sensibley and coherantly put forward to the wider class. All this does is drive ordinary people further away from us.
At least this comminque will probably go no further that indy/bindymedia, meaning that most people will just assume that this was the work of mindless idiots.
Just because we all call ourselves anarchists, it doesn't mean we're part of the same movement. We aren't. I have nothing but contempt for these muppets and the sooner that the sensible majority in the anarchist movement starts calling actions like this as the bullshit that they are, the sooner we'll get taken seriously by a decent number of people.
Town End Boy
evening post report
23.05.2012 12:59
reader
Well-known local grass
23.05.2012 13:07
Zaskar
Tw*ts
23.05.2012 14:23
I tollally agree with Town End Boy, plus, yes, I know railways were conceived and remain to aid capitalism and the industrial machine, it was always just a side benefit that passengers could be carried, and even more so leisure passengers. However in the current scheme of things they are a lesser evil. Roads certainly do fit in more with anarchic ideals, but the big lumps of metal and glass which move along them today most certainly do not. Not all of the whole day's-worth of inconvenieced rail passengers were going to BAE or to be cogs in another part of the machine, there many leisure passengers on atleast two separate long distance routes inconvenienced even more than they currently are by opting to take the train. If there will be one guaranteed effect of your actions, it will be that they will take the car next time. Thanks for that. I'd say pick on the larger evils first.
Aswell, rail staff and rail enthusiasts are extremely unsympathic to anarchist ideas and any form of direct action, so this won't have got any of them on side a single bit.
*I refer particularly to setting fire to cars. Yeah, I've felt like doing that, however the sheer amount of thick black smoke that occurs kinda stops me - don't reckon its too clever a thing to do really, environmentally. Much better disable, re-use and recycle them or parts of them, or perhaps remove the engine and replace with a solar powered electric one, with a top speed of 20mph? Dunno..
Me
Says it all really
23.05.2012 14:44
Probably seemed like a good idea at the time in the bubble of the social war ideology. And now probably prison for a long time. In my mind, these acts are just not worth it consequentially to any actual revolutionary movement and change be that either halting trains for a few hours or ending up in prison for such activities.
@
think
23.05.2012 14:52
If the action is targeted against social control it is an anarchist action.
anarchist
@ 'anarchist'
23.05.2012 15:19
Your comment implying that 'anarchist' and 'communist' are incompatible just shows how little political understanding many who support inurresctionist ideas have. Just to clarify, here are a couple of dictionary definitions -
Communism - 1a : a theory advocating elimination of private property b : a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed
Anarchism -
1. The theory or doctrine that all forms of government are oppressive and undesirable and should be abolished.
2. Rejection of all forms of coercive control and authority
So, the term communist (despite it's nasty Stalinist connotations) simply means a system in which goods are disributed according to need, not wealth or status.
To prefix 'communist' with 'anarchist' means that I believe that the communist model of distribution should be achieved without any form of leadership or authority and that decisions relating to the production and distribution of goods should be undertaken directley by the community/workers themselves, rather than through a government or other political body acting on their behalf.
Town End Boy
Trains have feelings too!
23.05.2012 15:20
Presumably an anarchist society might have trains that move people around. I can't see that the fault is with the movement of people (even if they are going to work) but with the wider society itself that maintains a waged labour economy. Stopping people getting to work against their will because it is 'social control' is hardly making much of a contribution to undermining work and waged labour as might be more effectively done as a collective effort such as strikes, or call in sick days and so on. It doesn't follow that I am for social control because I happen to think it's a dumb idea to halt trains despite my hatred for work and the economy.
By this logic the most stupid and pointless anti-social activities could count as anarchist (and often do in many anarchist journals lists of alleged anti-state actions).
A
bumkin FAI
23.05.2012 15:43
if you were really clued up; you would be in the estates of Bristol; working with the youth doing social work, you know the kids who made the student protests fun and rowdy, and the same kids who looted all the plasma screen tvs last summer:
find the ones on probation who are pissed off and hate the system, teach them some useful things
You would get them into organising illegal raves in provacative places, with a 12 volt sound system, in the centre of the city; and then you could sit back and watch as the cops beat the shit out of the public, and then a riot occurs;
ring rong
social control works both ways
23.05.2012 16:11
For instance, if I prevented you going anywhere on foot, wouldn't that be social control?
anon
re Tw*ts
23.05.2012 16:33
me
Hands off our Trains!
23.05.2012 16:56
People are working tirelessly to expand the trains and reduce the reliance on the car, and you are undoing that work.
train user
@Town End Boy, etc.
23.05.2012 16:57
As for bleating about the Anarchist Federation to hurry to the scene, they are already here, i'm sure, as they only seem to exist on the internet.
In their reactionary and ignorant statement on the FAI, the AFED equate property destruction and 'propaganda by deed' as "terrorist" - funny language that-, reminds me of something, ah yes, the enemy; THE STATE!
The complete dishonesty of the AFED in their reference to the 9/12/11 action of "Free Eat & Billy Cell" FAI-IRF, is barefaced inappropriate/inaccurate, but hey, it suits their politics, so never let the truth get in the way, eh?.
(Quoting from the AFED statement)
"... Previous acts claimed by Informal Anarchist Federation cells include sending a letter bomb to the Italian tax collection office, almost blinding a worker at the office and risking the lives of the postal and clerical workers who unwittingly carried the bomb. ..."
The targetted recipient of the letter bomb who was almost blinded was Chief Director Marco Cuccagna. Even a cursory bit of research will show this:
It's even on the site of the LibCunts themselves:
It is disingenuous, to say the least, to describe him as a "worker". Marco Cuccagna is the Chief-Director of an arm of the state whose function is to steal the wages of the workers.
Keep on dreaming your purist fantasy of a "workers" movement as much as you like - name injured bosses - "workers", deny the individual, go get your "sensible majority in the anarchist movement" (really? bring it!) to denounce what you want, and reinforce your gender stereotypes by calling the comrades-of-action (many of whom are women) - "Action Men", "Dicks", "Cunts", "Posh Cunts", "Twats" or whatever; but face it- you are a bunch of vanguardists yourselves, wrapped in red and black flags, mostly just privileged wannabes wanking about something that will never happen for a ghostly class of people who no longer really exist in the way you lot proclaim, and if they do are largely as uninterested in what you have to say as we are.
You lot might have missed it, but last year in August, something called a "social insurrection" happened. A massive number of working class and underclass people rose up to fight back and that uprising got FUCK ALL solidarity from you lot at the time. So, go back to your Forum and play your little sectarian games dreaming of your perfect moment when you can lead the masses to Revolution(tm).
"In fact the August insurrection showed up the majority of UK “anarchists” and “revolutionaries” as cowardly citizens who though they like to whine and complain about the “evils” of the world, are fundamentally content as passive slaves. Currently most UK “anarchists” appear happily bitter simply tagging along behind state socialists and liberals as the impotent “good conscience’’ and/or the “rowdy margin’’ who wear black and use swear words. This is pathetic. Speaking the language of politics, of creating a reasonable and programmatic anarchist project, the result is an anarchism that’s neither fish nor fowl. Failing both as political pragmatics and as anarchic rebellion, civil anarchism limps along sadly.
The idea that reasonable ideas of social transformation are what draw people to rebel is totally false, although it does draw leftists and liberals to the political philosophy “anarchism” who generally remain such though calling themselves anarchists. I have never had any non-political friends or acquaintances EVER be interested in the boring dribbling of “social anarchism‘’ but many who have been interested by anarchism as an extreme position of proud revolt. “Talking serious to the people” generally means churning out sub-leftist rhetoric that that fails as political leftism because it is unrealistic and fails as anarchic agitation because it doesn't break with the certainties of society." Anarchy in the UK - About the August revolt.
Thank fuck you leftist losers will never get any power, and thank fuck the FAI are here to make sure your sectarian and authoritarian-left schemes don't ever get any credibility.
For more sabotage and attacks! Fuck the Olympics!
Blabbering know-it-alls and trolls, Fuck OFF!
Black Flag in the Breeze
Black Flag in the Breeze
23.05.2012 17:17
Anarchist
Anarchism
23.05.2012 20:35
All that anarchists have in common is opposition to the authority of the state. They do not necessarily agree on much else. Just because this person might not be your sort of anarchist is no reason to say "not an anarchist". I saw nothing inconsistent with an anarchist position.
MDN
Quebec Init
23.05.2012 22:05
@
Anarchy
24.05.2012 00:10
If someone's committing an evil e.g. working in the arms industry, then by all means stop them getting to work, but don't bugger up everyone trying to get anywhere via Bristol by train for a whole day.
Blockades of gates used to work well for example.
And what is this obession with burning things, pumping rotten smoke into the air? IF and only IF you're gonna do this, just snip them, so minimal new raw materials needed to repair. Or nick 'em and use 'em. Better still though, make it EASIER for people to use trains with, say, mass train bunks. THEN, when cars, lorries and aeroplanes are eliminated from the picture look at rail use.
More positive and pro-active action.
Me
Just to clarify
24.05.2012 00:38
Ideally, actually, not stop them atall, but persuade them verbally by explaining why what they're doing is bad.
Me
Dangerous conversations
24.05.2012 06:14
And as a point of clarification in the USA, they weren't infilrated by a State agent, a State agent set the whole thing up, which raises different questions entirely about whose purpose does small scale 'terrorism' when divorced from popular support, serve...?
@
Ed Balls is my mother.
24.05.2012 06:25
In a revolution, you have to cut the transport system, you have to cut the supply lines. You have to single out government institutions for bombing. You have to assassinate key figures in the government. You know, all the things we helped do in Libya and are now doing in Syria.
You have to do all these things in order to kill off the government so you can replace it with your own.
What you don't do, is set fire to a train seat, post it on the internet, then wait for the incumbent politico imbeciles to bleat on about how awful it was and that the people didn't deserve it.
You definitely don't do that!!!
Rumsfield Allbright.
No revolution please, we're British.
24.05.2012 06:36
Well chosen target, good research, solid performance. Don't worry (like you would) about the numpty comments here. Under their brand of activism, nothing happens at all.
But them most aren't really activists at all, they aren't even Anarchists.
Metric Melonie.
@ black flag in the breeze
24.05.2012 09:08
The statement will be corrected I'm sure. You're accusation that AF would deliberately confuse a directer with a worker is more intently disingenuous. The point the statement makes is still valid: letter bombs are stupid, irresponsible and put workers at risk.
The rest of your rant shows your complete ignorance of anarchist-communist praxis.
As for individuals and small groups running around burning things, what does it achieve? The tactic of blowing things up and assassinating people was widely used by the anarchist movement in the 1890s, when it was known as propaganda of deed. It was abandoned because it only ever had negative effects. Such were the negative effects for the anarchist movement (mainly death, jail and isolation) and the positive effects for the state, that the state used agents to extend this tactics use. In fact most anarchist bomb plots of the early 20th Century in this country had state involvement (can't at this moment find a link to a good book on this).
The anarchists weren't the only ones to resort to these tactics. in 1930s some of the dutch/german council communists - who'd become frustrated after the defeat of the German revolution and the subsequent rise of the far right - started adopting what they called 'personal acts'. The most famous was the burning of the Reichstag. They burned down parliament and what did it achieve? Well it benefited the state and those in control of the state at the time, the Nazis - so much so that some think the Nazis themselves did it.
And then again in the 70s, in the context of another defeat, urban guerrilla groups such as the Red Army Faction starting popping up. And now we have CCF, FAI-IRF etc.
A state agent in the US planned a bombing to entrap the arrested anarchists mentioned in the post. What does that tell you?
Do we not learn from history? Must we repeat the same mistakes over and over and over? Violence which is superfluous to ends becomes and end in itself, contrary to the goal of anarchism which is to rid society of violence. I accept violence is often necessary to achieving that goal but when its use serves no tactical purpose or is counter-productive it needs condemning.
"coward citizen"
dose of common sense
24.05.2012 09:32
The goal? You mean YOUR goal surely?
It should be noted that the vast majority of people who live in this country have no interest in anarchist's goals, a revolution or anything else you have to offer. This can be proven simply by you setting up a political party called "Anarchism" and watching you get a very small amount of votes. That's the acid test of reality - bite it
So, enough of this nonsense of revolution. If you really want to improve the world there are MILLIONS of opportunities. Unfortunately, most of those will involve talent and lots of hardwork.
1) Develop a technique producing green energy that is financially viable
2) Develop some cures for cancer
3) the list goes on.......
I know you guys don't like "education", but that is part of the tools you will need to solve these problems.
Burning train signals is not going to fix things. Problem solving fixes things.
This is mostly an age thing. An angry youth complex that revolves around being spoon fed and then let into the world and not knowing how to cope. Later on, when grown up more, these people tend to stop being anarchists once they get a purpose in life.
Anarchism in young males tends to stop around time they lose their virginity.
a provider
Quite
24.05.2012 10:06
@A provider. In an anarchist communist society we could far more quickly employ technologies which would fit into a more harmonious relation between ourselves and nature and each other. It would be a society based on peoples needs, with no money or profits to divert us from that course. Currently medical research suffers from being focused on patenting drugs so pharma companies can make more money, and they often skew results in their favour, whereas in a world free of profit motive the needs of patients would be priority. The list goes on as you say.
I quite agree with you that burning train signals won't fix things. In fact, I said that even burning parliament wouldn't fix things. I think its a shame that the only version of anarchism you seem to have been exposed to is the caricature groups like the one above perpetuate.
"coward citizen"
@ Black Flag
24.05.2012 10:50
"You can't even spell "sensibly" or "coherently" correctly, so please, spare us the speeches and definitions and just jog on"
Sorry about the spelling - some of us were not lucky enough to recieve private education. It is testament to your alienation from ordinary people that you choose to attack the level/standard of my spelling as opposed to the defenitions (which you don't make any arguments against). If you want to contradict the defenition that i've given, feel free and i'll be happy to respond.
Also, the angry, agressive tone of your reply confirms the impression that I have of insurrectionists as angry, mostly-male, posturing, late-teen/early 20s who just have a chip on their shoulder about society in general, and most of the people who form society.
Several other people have already rubbished the majority of your bullshit arguments, but it is worth picking up on some of the numerous lies and deliberate distoritions you have spouted -
1. Summer riots getting 'FUCK ALL' solidarity from AF etc.
This is simply a lie. While it is impossible to estimate numbers involved, because you'd have to be a moron to publicly announce your involvement, AF/SolFed people were involved in solidarity efforts relating to court appearances/evictions rising from the riots. In addition, both groups published statements which - while not supporting acts such as burning down your neigbours house - categorically supported mass working class action to take what we need/want from corporate stores. Now, as i've said, it is impossible to estimate numbers from individual groups involved in the riots, but looking at the fact that organised anarchist groups were involved in active solidarity efforts afterwards as well as releasing statements supporting and explaining much of what happened, it is either deliberatley dishonest, or stupid to suggest there was no involvement or solidarity.
2. Think of some of the most large scale displays of civil disobedience in the anti-cuts fight - the march 26th demo breakaway and the smashing of the Tory HQ - both of those events, in addition to dozens of other actions, radical blocs etc were brought to you directley by organised anarchist groups who used their organisation to create well attended radical initiatives. One of the many differences between these radical blocs and your petty 'smash anything, any time' acts of lone-wolf terrorism is that these actions involved mass militant participation, radicalised a swath of people not previously connected to the movement, explained their aims in an understandable way that reached thousands. The actions also fitted into the context or a broader, collectivley understood struggle.
3. You slag us off for correctly using the term 'terrorism'. Just because it is a word that the state over-uses, that doesn't mean its usage is always invalid. Kneecapping someone, planting explosives or sending letter bombs, especially when there is a strong chance of injuring bystanders/workers is, by every defenition of the word, terrorism.
Not only is this tactic dangerous (both in terms of collateral damage, and the fact that so many 'insurrectionists' end up blowing off their own hands/killing themselves/getting nicked/set-up), but it misunderstands the nature of the system we oppose.
Capitalism is a social relationship, and you can't blow up a social relationship. There is not a set number of 'baddies' that need to be killed/knee capped before anarchism is possible. those people just represent a system that can only be overthrown when the majority of ordinary people reject the system in favour of a fair one. Of course, that revolutionary process will involve violence, but it will be undertaken on a mass scale with the specific goal of abolishing capitalism.
I don't see how sending the odd bomb, or publishing the occasional rambling and innacessible communique shows the tactical, agitational, organisational or educational qualities necassary to spread the focussed struggle against capitalism and the state.
Town End Boy
u aint working class
24.05.2012 11:09
working class from bristol
Hilarious!
24.05.2012 11:21
To the complainers: get some perspective - governments and corporations are killing people in their millions all over the world. I hardly think some minor travel inconvenience is worth getting worked up about.
anon
Common sense...meh!
24.05.2012 11:29
And
"and watching you get a very small amount of votes. That's the acid test of reality - bite it"
And
"Later on, when grown up more, these people tend to stop being anarchists once they get a purpose in life.
Anarchism in young males tends to stop around time they lose their virginity."
This looks like a complaint that Anarchists are not part of the political order...followed by a statement that there is no point in Anarchists being part of the political order...followed by the reason why it would be pointless for Anarchists to even consider being part of the political order.
And so you have the inevitable end result.
Not rocket science, is it?
From what I can make out, you're comments sound as though they are from the hierarchy. IMC is not to be used by mainstream political parties. Its in the guidelines.
Enforced Valium Regime.
try it and see scaredy cat
24.05.2012 14:10
1. You should spell it "your", not "you're"
2. Comments don't make a "sound". It would be more accurate to use "read" because that is what people do with the comments.
Other trivial points:
>> This looks like a complaint that Anarchists are not part of the political order...followed by a statement that there is no point in Anarchists being part of the political order...followed by the reason why it would be pointless for Anarchists to even consider being part of the political order.
Not a complaint. More of a statement of logic. (I wouldn't say it is a fact, because it is subjective). I just don't think that the 60+ million people in the UK are that interested in choosing/voting/ticking-the-box/raising-their-hands for anarchism. So i guess you have two choices: A) to bring it in via a totalitarian regime (which appears to be what most people are trying to do), or B) give people a referrendum/vote on it. Since we already have a perfectly good voting system set in place that the state cannot manipulate, my suggestion was just to set up a political party via a trustee so that people could all say we want Anarchism. The trustee wouldn't exercise any power but would write the laws as per the anarchism code or whatever documents you have.
Just an idea.......gotta be more productive stopping a train for a few hours. And, if people don't vote for it, you know where you stand and at least you had a good go of it. Then you can either leave the country to an anarchist country or blend in with the majority's choice.
>> From what I can make out, you're comments sound as though they are from the hierarchy. IMC is not to be used by mainstream political parties. Its in the guidelines.
It isn't being used by mainstream political parties - is it?
I don't see your point? Do you mean that if Anarchism did become "mainstream" then it would no longer be allowed on Indymedia? Therefore, it is in our interest to keep Anarchism as a small minority fringe thing?
common sense
why do only dicks post on indymedia nowadays?
24.05.2012 20:55
dickhead
The end of Indymedia?
24.05.2012 21:33
Indymedia is the asshole of the internet.
Bleach
Bah! Enuff
24.05.2012 21:37
A
?
24.05.2012 23:35
x
beyond the hyperbole, let's act
25.05.2012 15:10
At the same time, it's good to hear that people are fighting. It's good to hear when people rise up against this shit system we live in. Even if I think someone chooses an action unwisely (let's be honest, one of the main reasons for picking such a target is that it's easy to do and get away with), I can admire your passion and commitment. I hope you get stronger and better directed.
I think the "class struggle" anarchists on these threads make some valid points.
But with all the nasty shit from the enemy to write about, do we really need to be sending out communiques condemning other anarchists? And, AF and SF comrades, you also need to watch your own hyperbole and dogma. Mass revolutionary movement? Great, but lets try and face these discussions honestly, with a sense of realism. I doubt there are a hundred active "organised" anarchists in the UK. This is not the 1900s or 1936. There is no mass movement, and one's not suddenly going to appear from nowhere. Let's face that. Now where do we go from here, where we are today. Do we need new strategies, new tactics, new ways of acting and thinking?
Oh, and no the block on March 26 etc. was not the work of "organised anarchists". These kind of big-talking rhetorical claims from all sides don't help. It was the work of lots of people, with lots of different ideas, tendencies, affinities, working together for once.
What I'd really love to see one day is a good, constructive, comradely discussion between anarchists of all ways of thinking. Without machismo, without dogma. Without all the "you're not a real anarchist" shit. I actually believe we have things we could learn from each other. Maybe that's crazy wishful thinking. Well, I'm an anarchist, so crazy wishful thinking goes with the territory.
another anarchist
Made it into The Guardian anyhow.
25.05.2012 16:02
Should be the start of a real pre-Olympics hysteria no doubt as it fans across 1000's of lazy journalists computer screens.
a
Homepage:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/25/anarchists-claim-railway-signalling-bristol
Fresh air
25.05.2012 18:26
It's a great and open and welcome comment you make. Fresh air in this debate.
Yep. We all got a lot to learn from each others. That takes listening and not just denunciation though. Can all these sides of @ actually listen and distill what is good about each other - passion, experience, histories. tactics, theory, affinity, solidarity...
I find there is nothing worse than gatekeeping what anarchism is and what it is not esp as you point out there is no mass anarchist movement anyhow. If it was, I suspect it would be less about random acts of sabotage but more of mass movement (that contained sabotage as a method within the general will) but this is besides the point and purely speculative.
Archie
Kidz, yer grounded
26.05.2012 00:42
Trouble with this view is, the alternative is we get some real clueless dicks like these in Bristol or the fool who says 'anarchy not anarchism' or someone who claims to be an anarchist yet still asks 'how can you be an anarchist and a communist?' Now if they were just ignorantly blathering to their mates, then it wouldn't be too big a problem. Unfortunately, they also feel the need to go out and publically do idiotic things in the name of 'anarchism' or 'anarchy' which all kind of ends up discrediting anarchism as a genuine social and ploitical movement born out of the working class and its historic and ongoing struggles against capitalism and the state.
These idiots, on the other hand, act as though they've developed their personal form of 'teh anarchy' after being grounded by their mum one time too many... so unfair! Their comments used to justify their idiocy range from the most pretentious drivvel imaginable, and either read like a reject from creative writing class or they are just completely fucking clueless.
Now, I'm a welcoming kind of anarchist but sometimes you've just gotta say no. Let's keep it real, folks.
The Gatekeeper
@The Gatekeeper
26.05.2012 09:46
Without being remotely realistic, it is pointless. Might as well be discussing unicorns.
fairytales
Ideas without action are bullshit - Merrick
26.05.2012 14:03
Revolutions do not happen spontaneously, they are the product of protracted struggle against the forces of oppression and organisation to these ends. They are facilitated by an ability to control space and infrastructure during the revolutionary process.
Organisation within our communities, be they geographic, vocational, social, or otherwise orientated with the aim of building an alternative infrastructure is fundamental but so too is weakening the capitalist and state aparatus which impedes us in our aims.
This cannot be acheived in a vacum we must train [sorry for inadvertent punning] at acts of sabotage, we must be skilled at clandestine action, we must meet the incursions of the state against our liberties with defiance that amounts to more than simply waving a banner then allowing our numbers to be thinned as the police swoop in and make arrests (frequently targetting anarchists specificaly) we are not a pressure group, we do not expect to see a free society handed to us one softening of the law or regime change at a time.Our cires are shirked or misrepresented by polticians and media and we recieve the same demonisation when we demonstrate as when we take direct action.
Everyday these factories grind out weapons more people die. No one died as a result of this action but it impeeded the function of the infrastrucure of the capitalist system which profits from death. Is this not a positive thing?
P.S. I am quiet sure there are spelling mistakes here, so detractors beat ya to the punch.
Solidarity to those who fight the oppressors
Whats with all the prolier than thou bullshit?
26.05.2012 14:32
Bakunin - nobility
Maltesta - son of a prominent(ish) merchant
Are we to discount the actions of these men due to the social class of their parents? Is this Catholicism, does anarchy have some principle of original sin which has eluded me?
Skank
Who's side are you on?
26.05.2012 15:22
This cannot be acheived in a vacum we must train [sorry for inadvertent punning] at acts of sabotage, we must be skilled at clandestine action, we must meet the incursions of the state against our liberties with defiance that amounts to more than simply waving a banner then allowing our numbers to be thinned as the police swoop in and make arrests (frequently targetting anarchists specificaly) we are not a pressure group, we do not expect to see a free society handed to us one softening of the law or regime change at a time.Our cires are shirked or misrepresented by polticians and media and we recieve the same demonisation when we demonstrate as when we take direct action. "
So, basically, you are talking about taking over the country and installing your own laws onto the population?
And, what about the millions (60?) of people who live here and use that infrastructure and clearly arnt that interested in a 'revolution'?
Have you actually polled people and found out if they want this to happen?
It is a bit presumptuous of you to think you what you want is what everyone else wants too.
I think you would be surprised by the result.
we dont want your ideas pushed on us
No
26.05.2012 19:31
The revolution is a vehicle for a wider societal reorganisation and would be the final step in breaking the monopoly of power held by economic and political institutions after the ground work has been laid, i.e. syndical unions, tennants associations, housing co-operatives, business co-operatives etc etc, once these aims have been met the revolution will be inevitable.
Most people reject our methods and ideas because they do not know othem or think they know them, from the lies and misrepresetation of the media. Anarchism is marginalised because it is a threat to those who currently exercise power not because it is a threat to those who live under this regime.
solidarity to....
Correction
26.05.2012 19:35
as for the other mistakes criticise the message not the medium x
Solidarity to...
Miasma
26.05.2012 23:24
First things first, this is not a football game. That sort of thing is for primary school children.
--- So, basically, you are talking about taking over the country and installing your own laws onto the population? ---
That would be a dictatorship imposed by military means. Changing the law could only happen after annexation. Is that what you think the Anarchists want?
--- And, what about the millions (60?) of people who live here and use that infrastructure and clearly arnt that interested in a 'revolution'? ---
Who says they are not interested in revolution...you?
--- Have you actually polled people and found out if they want this to happen? ---
You mean poll people to see if its ok to set fire to a signal pit on the railway? Good idea, I wonder what the result would be?
--- It is a bit presumptuous of you to think you what you want is what everyone else wants too. ---
You just said the people are not interested in revolution. Pot, kettle, black!
--- I think you would be surprised by the result. ---
I agree.
Wedlock
Yup.
26.05.2012 23:27
Thats the ticket. Spot on.
Phyllis
wont work
26.05.2012 23:57
nipple charge
The problem with Anarchy...and other myths.
27.05.2012 07:46
As an above poster indicates, Anarchy has had its meaning carefully revised by the two-tone political order. The people don't want what the cons and labour don't want them to have. In this, the people have been trained to reject anything that isn't blue or red. This decision is not yours to make.
Almost everybody I know wouldn't bat an eyelid if tomorrow, Parliament burned to the ground with everybody dead inside. Nobody cares. But the media would know how to make it appear that the nation was in mourning and that everybody shed a tear.
The London riots were brought about by police switching the service off in the cities in order to make a political point to the coalition regarding public spending on law & order. It went wrong. Most people were aware of that at the time but not the readers of the deeply corrupt tabloid media. They only knew that 'some people got free brooms'.
Somalia has not, at any point over the last ten year period, been left alone by political fanatics. On top of this, the US has been indiscriminately bombing the population from the air and claiming that those killed died for 'world peace'.
The military is a business. It makes a profit. It provides jobs. It is not a democratic institution and so is easily used by the political order to maintain power and dominance. That is its only role.
When soldiers go on the rampage, holding down and executing young children with high calibre rifles, only our political order has the capacity to still visit them in order to tell them 'how valued their contribution is' to the nation as a whole.
Anarchy will reign not because it is or is not a political party, but because the current parties are too stupid to survive.
Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and David Cameron are not politicians, they are public relations consultants by training. They are from an industry that only has one skill...looking good on camera.
When it all goes wrong and absolute chaos reigns supreme, as it will...they will say its Anarchy.
When that chaos dies down and order is restored by the community getting together under a common spirit...we will say its Anarchy.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with these PR industry morons in a straight contest, only helps them consolidate their power.
Wedlock
Idea?
28.05.2012 16:56
The anachists want to make everyone live like they want them to.
Some say that the people are all held in chains and are forced to live as they do.
If the anarchists want to showcase their better way of life then establish a community and live without contact with the outside world for ten years minimum, So the rest of us can field test this amazing way of life that you claim is better than we have now.
What I am asking is that you proove it..
The community could be in somewhere like africa, where border disputes would test thier resilience to hostility from neighbours.
All the anarchists in the UK should go there, live as YOU want to. if you are right ( and you must be) then we will all follow you to the utter utopia that you will have forged. The real proof of concept will have been made.
There would be no argument that your success was built of thieving from the previous administration. No contamination from the outside world to upset the community.
come on, serious challenge.
You all want us to do the hard work, you want violence, riot and upriseings to carry your demands for the "working class" to seize control.
All I want you to do is proove to me and the rest of the world that it works, communism has had its chance and it has been proven to be a total joke when applied to human beings.
Put up or shut up?
anon
Anon
28.05.2012 17:45
At least try to understand what anarchism would means - i.e that capitalism has been gotten rid of and a new society has been created that follows the basic principles of anarchism. Going off to live in some allegedly free commune in the world does not escape the fact that the capitalism system remains and so capitalist social relations are still in place. Hence it would be pointless.
I don't think it would work either but at least I understand the basic premise of what is being suggested. Anarchism is a total transformation of how the society is run. You can't set up some experimental anarchist communes for folks to try like flavours of ice cream to see if they like it!
Sid Vexious
Capitalism...the great betrayal.
28.05.2012 17:54
Nope. You got that wrong.
"Some say that the people are all held in chains and are forced to live as they do."
Nope. You can't do that either. Unless you're suicidal!
"If the anarchists want to showcase their better way of life then establish a community and live without contact with the outside world for ten years minimum."
Nope, you're losing me. Anarchists dont want to do that either.
"All I want you to do is proove to me and the rest of the world that it works, communism has had its chance and it has been proven to be a total joke when applied to human beings."
Communism does work, but only when it isn't subject to continual subversion by Capitalists. What you are blindly grasping at, is Soviet Communism collapsing due to Americans needing something to compete with. In North Korea, communism works because the Americans are held at bay by the Chinese. The Americans are held in check by fear...and that fear ensures obedience and compliance. North Korea is unmolested and therefore survives as a system.
You don't strike me as the type who understands how the world actually works.
Anarchism is based on how the world actually works. In the UK, the vast majority of all human endeavour is of an Anarchist type. If you volunteer to do something for your community, that is anarchy. If you setup a community to do something, that is anarchy. From the village hall, to the community group, from the gardening club to the neighbourhood watch...it is all anarchy.
Only when you are not part of the community, when you are too feeble to stand on your own two feet, when you completely rely on a 'superior' to bark orders at you because you don't know what to do, when you do things because your mortgage is dependent on it, you are a member, no not a member, a slave of the hierarchy.
The hierarchy is dead. Capitalism is dead. Capitalists are dead.
You can try to revive it, but even if you perform a miracle of re-animation...nobody will care about your ridiculous pet zombie
Wedlock
wedlock
28.05.2012 20:15
I dont think anyone in the world has even the vaguest idea what Anarchists want.
You know what they DON'T want (everything). But what they do want is shrouded in secrecy it seems.
>> Communism does work, but only when it isn't subject to continual subversion by Capitalists. What you are blindly grasping at, is Soviet Communism collapsing due to Americans needing something to compete with. In North Korea, communism works because the Americans are held at bay by the Chinese. The Americans are held in check by fear...and that fear ensures obedience and compliance. North Korea is unmolested and therefore survives as a system.
Communism does not work. It revolved around the idea of everyone being told what to do so that everything runs smoothly but no-one is happy. Don't say that North Korea works. It has the large military-per-capita ratio of the world, one of the world's worse human rights record, an economy that people mass starve in. Yet South Korea (capitalists), are thriving and much more happy. Ergo....... Capitalism clearly works, whereas communism clearly fails.
>> You don't strike me as the type who understands how the world actually works.
Funny that, because we were thinking the same about you. The idea that someone who is at the bottom of the food chain is telling people that they don't understand how the world works would be funny if it wasn't so tragic.
>> Anarchism is based on how the world actually works. In the UK, the vast majority of all human endeavour is of an Anarchist type. If you volunteer to do something for your community, that is anarchy. If you setup a community to do something, that is anarchy. From the village hall, to the community group, from the gardening club to the neighbourhood watch...it is all anarchy.
Thats great. But who puts the food on the table and cleans out the sewers? We'd all LOVE to be doing community projects like a gardening club etc. But reality is, real work needs doing aswell otherwise the toilets won't flush. Last time i checked - no one is going to volunteer to become an expert in sewer construction and maintenance for fun... therefore they need an incentive called MONEY to do it...... otherwise no one would be interested. They would all queue up to do the basket weaving and garden club. What are you going to do: wait for someone to set up a "empty the bins at 6am" club? to fix the refuse problem. Surely it is easier just to tax everyone the necessary amount and hire someone to do it. That way, the job gets done. Rather than waiting for some idiot to volunteer to do it.
>> Only when you are not part of the community, when you are too feeble to stand on your own two feet, when you completely rely on a 'superior' to bark orders at you because you don't know what to do, when you do things because your mortgage is dependent on it, you are a member, no not a member, a slave of the hierarchy.
I am part of the community. I am not too feeble to stand on my own two feet. I don't rely on a superior to bark orders - i work WITH other people in a collaborative fashion so that we all profit. One of those people has the job of managing - he is paid more than me. But it is not a job i want. If i did - I would APPLY FOR THE JOB!!!!!! So there is plenty of free choice there all around.
>> The hierarchy is dead. Capitalism is dead. Capitalists are dead.
No it isn't. Communism is dead. Capitalism is thriving. Anarchism is a pipe dream that no-one is interested in except the people at the bottom who can't cope with this world so have to rely on a fantasy. So people rely on religion, so people play the lottery, others rely on pipe dreams. The sad bit is, life is what you make it. If you are so miserable with how things are in your life, then adapt. The world WON'T adapt to you. It is like listening to a Zebra at a watering hole complaining about how he can't get his fair share of water from the evil capitalist lions. Boo hoo. Face up to reality or die of thirst. The world won't adapt to you, you adapt to it.
>> You can try to revive it, but even if you perform a miracle of re-animation...nobody will care about your ridiculous pet zombie
Yeah whatever. Nonsense drivel.
Morris
Capital ism'
28.05.2012 22:23
You know what they DON'T want (everything). But what they do want is shrouded in secrecy it seems."
A great many people in the world know what Anarchism is about. Seattle, London, Berlin, Genoa, St Petersburg, New York, Chicago, Moscow and on and on. All Anarchists. You don't see them, because you are not interested in seeing them...but they are there.
"Don't say that North Korea works. It has the large military-per-capita ratio of the world, one of the world's worse human rights record, an economy that people mass starve in. Yet South Korea (capitalists), are thriving and much more happy. Ergo....... Capitalism clearly works, whereas communism clearly fails."
Large military per Capita...but not largest. That dubious honour goes to the worlds largest Capitalist state, America. 'One' of the worlds worst human rights abuses eh? Can you think of another state here? Mass starvation in the north but a bed of roses in the south is an American narrative...and one bathed in fiction.
Capitalism not only does not work, but has massively failed to work, across the entire world. Do you think that your cell phone makes you civilised?
"Thats great. But who puts the food on the table and cleans out the sewers? We'd all LOVE to be doing community projects like a gardening club etc. But reality is, real work needs doing aswell otherwise the toilets won't flush."
Capitalism and the market economy are two different things. Working for a living does not make you a Capitalist...it never has. The vast bulk of work is undertaken outside the sphere of Capitalism. The food on your table and the shit in the sewer are not managed by Capitalists. The money in your bank account is managed by the Capitalist.
China and north Korea are two long-standing Communist states. America does not have anything like the power it needs to overthrow either state. That longevity, along with unchallenged security, tells us all we need to know about their success and Communisms enduring stability.
Do yourself a favour and dump the Yankee flag waiving.
Wedlock.
uneven censorship?
28.05.2012 23:14
come on IMC
MB
You sound suspiciously like a communist
28.05.2012 23:37
Thats great. Funny how no one has a clue what they want. Repeat: we know what they dont want.
>> Large military per Capita...but not largest.
>> That dubious honour goes to the worlds largest Capitalist state, America
Lol! We'll thats pretty easy to prove as total bullshit. Look it up dickhead. North Korea, top of the list. I bothered to look it up before writing it. You didn't and just assumed because you are so tainted by your hatred of america, rather than by looking at facts.
>> 'One' of the worlds worst human rights abuses eh?
Again. Bother to look it up before posting your anti-american poison. Yes, we know you don't like america. But don't lie. Every human rights organisation worth their salt has their eyes on North Korea. What about all the defectors accounts of what is going on there too?
Or are we meant to scrub all that, and believe an anti-american hater who posts on indymedia?! lol
>> Can you think of another state here? Mass starvation in the north but a bed of roses in the south is an American narrative...and one bathed in fiction.
Yeah, whatever. Just because you write it doesn't make it true. Can look it up from other sources rather than listening to your bullshit that is purely based on your personal animosity of america.
>> Capitalism not only does not work, but has massively failed to work, across the entire world. Do you think that your cell phone makes you civilised?
No i dont. I think that having a average high life-expectancy compared to North Korea is a sign we are more civilised. Facts dear boy - rather than poetic/ironic bullshit that you come out with. There you go, we live longer than them, because we've got our shit more together, because we have a better system. They live for a less duration than us, because they havnt got a very good system, because their communism is flawed.
>> Capitalism and the market economy are two different things. Working for a living does not make you a Capitalist...it never has. The vast bulk of work is undertaken outside the sphere of Capitalism. The food on your table and the shit in the sewer are not managed by Capitalists. The money in your bank account is managed by the Capitalist.
Who fucking cares!?!?! (apart from you and others at the bottom of the food chain).
Yeah moan about it.... see how much good that is going to do. I bet you moan about the rain and say it is unfair that it is raining.
>> China and north Korea are two long-standing Communist states. America does not have anything like the power it needs to overthrow either state. That longevity, along with unchallenged security, tells us all we need to know about their success and Communisms enduring stability.
Oh fucking really? We dont have the power? Really?????
We COULD nuclear carpet bomb North Korea to oblivion. FACT
Even though 1 out of 5 of their males in the 17-55 age range are in the military, we still have the power. We chose not to exercise that power because we arent cunts.
>> Do yourself a favour and dump the Yankee flag waiving.
Yeah whatever. The UK is the UK. If you want to live like a good little communist, then leave the UK and move to North Korea. Because I can assure you that middle england will not let little commies like you change us into a communist country. So, you are on a losing battle.
If you really want to be a commie, move to a communist country. You are wasting your lifespan here. Its like something who likes the sun, but choses to live in a dark cold country.
You have the power. Just buy a ticket and do it if you reckon it is so great.
You are a fool for staying somewhere where you are obviously so unhappy with how things are run
We are happy with our system, otherwise we wouldn't fucking do it like this.
Deal with it.
morris
Troll has a point!
29.05.2012 06:52
So is that the reason you've been spamming the newswire with fake articles and fake comments then...in order to get this article pulled because it calls for the targeting of the railways...which you know is a very effective way of taking on the state?
Are you an off duty police officer monitoring Indymedia in the run up to the Olympics?
Are you an on duty police officer paid to disrupt Indymedia?
Even Stephen.
Capitalism is dead, the Capitalists killed it!
29.05.2012 07:09
I just see the reality of the world for what it is.
I do this, because I'm an Anarchist.
Wedlock
cop?
29.05.2012 10:47
MB
questions
30.05.2012 18:24
No.
> Are you an off duty police officer monitoring Indymedia in the run up to the Olympics?
No.
> Are you an on duty police officer paid to disrupt Indymedia?
No.
There - that was easy.
Are you in the paypurse of a foreign power to disrupt own country?
Are you a foreign agent here to undermine our economy and infrastructure?
fool
Fools fool.
01.06.2012 13:24
Are you a foreign agent here to undermine our economy and infrastructure?"
Worse.
I'm poor and clever.
Even Stephen.
fools fool
02.06.2012 17:41
Once the bullshit finally runs out, all that is left is the cold hard facts.
not poor
Poor mans rich kid.
03.06.2012 12:18
Once the bullshit finally runs out, all that is left is the cold hard facts."
Inference being that clever automatically means rich, poor automatically means dumb.
I am poor...and you are here.
The facts speak for themselves.
Even Stephen.
slightly amusing
03.06.2012 16:23
Yes, I know you are. I can tell by the big chip on your shoulder ;)
not poor (by choice)
So then, tell us something about yourself?
03.06.2012 17:16
Would that be equal to:
"Once the bullshit finally runs out, all that is left is the cold hard facts."
Or:
"If you really want to be a commie, move to a communist country. You are wasting your lifespan here. Its like something who likes the sun, but choses to live in a dark cold country."
Or:
"You have the power. Just buy a ticket and do it if you reckon it is so great."
Or:
"You are a fool for staying somewhere where you are obviously so unhappy with how things are run"
Or:
"We are happy with our system, otherwise we wouldn't fucking do it like this."
Or:
"Deal with it."
Even Stephen