from anews:
We express solidarity with the Cleveland 5 without a doubt. We stand in the spirit of revolt against the ruling order that seeks to dominate us. The enemy here is clear—the State, the FBI, their informants and their snitches, and, given the holiday, those who control and profit from our daily misery. When a group of anarchists is accused of plotting an attack on the veins of capital, there is no question whose side we are on. When the FBI launches yet another entrapment scheme against their enemy de jour (anarchists, Muslims, Environmental activists, the occupation movement), we stand in solidarity with the accused.
May the Cleveland 5 know they are not alone.
Our solidarity comes also with reflection. As with each new moment of conflict, there are lessons to be learned. Knowing the heavy repression of the State, we must be cautious and draw lines as to how we engage in our revolt and disruption. Tactically speaking, it benefits our struggle and our sanity to decide to never make ourselves so vulnerable: to never speak openly about risky actions, to never plan anything with someone we don’t know closely and to be conscious of security culture without being socially cold to potential comrades. And we continue to question whether guns, bombs and other spectacular tactics aren’t better left to the FBI and their constant entrapment schemes.
Make no mistake, we are not the least afraid of the ruins of a commuter bridge and the disrupted flow of capital, and we feel so much affinity for all those who desire to see our enemy’s infrastructure burn. But we have also learned lessons and have felt the success of tactics that can be easily reproduced by anyone who shares our hatred of society.
A hundred years ago, when dynamite was found at work or close to home, and so many had experienced the horrors of war firsthand, bombings were more common and readily produced. Nowadays, not many of us know where to get C4 or how to use it. When we consider the path of spectacular struggle, we should question ourselves and the possible outcomes. When others insist upon our involvement, we should know to disengage and advise our friends to do the same, long before they offer to supply the C4.
But did these comrades in Cleveland even want to take these actions? Did they even take them? We don’t know, and we don’t care. We support them either way. Our support will not be deterred by the accusations of the State. We reject the liberalism that supports Mumia as long as he’s innocent. Innocence and guilt mean nothing to us. Fuck the FBI no matter what and solidarity with those who chose to act on the world.
We can also reflect on the importance of reaching out to those who have newly discovered this struggle. Lessons need to be shared; arrogance and elitism need to be overcome. We need to bury all our excuses for not engaging. This is not to say that every new anarchist needs to be be a part of the crew—new groups of friends playing with anarchy should be encouraged to act autonomously. But we must reach out and share the lessons our scars have taught us—teach security culture workshops, dialogue, build trust in the streets.
Our struggle is urgent, but it is also protracted. We are too few to proceed without caution or to romanticize martyrdom. Our job is to attack and stay free, and to support each other fiercely when that plan fails.
We are deeply inspired by the hatred of capitalism and the love of freedom that lives in the hearts of the accused. We feel ya, and we intend to show it.
The attacks must continue, the support must continue.
In Solidarity with the Cleveland 5.
