Colorado anarchist Ariel Attack (SW's 2009 nomination for most fabulous anarchist pseudonym and/or self-determined identity) was arrested in August for allegedly smashing up windows at the Denver HQ of the Democratic Party on the year anniversary of the ill-fated black bloc at the DNC mobilization. Even after being slandered and misidentified in the media, Ariel has held strong in the face of repression, and with a little help from friends, Attack is beating the rap. After pleading down felony charges down to misdemeanor criminal mischief and taking out a loan to pay over five grand in restitution, Ariel will be staying in the streets of Denver on unsupervised probation for just under a year. If you can give Ariel some love and help pay off some of the restitution debt, please contact friendsofariel@riseup.net. They'll even hook you up with a Hammer Time shirt!
Another lesson of this story is that when Ariel was caught, there was an accomplice involved who was never identified. Attack should be commended for not turning on this individual even while under intense prosecution and we think this should set a new standard for radicals who are apprehended. Although Denver ABC and the Friends of Ariel support group are planning on releasing a narrative of events to detail the case, we would speculate that achieving this is as easy as keeping your mouth shut when being interrogated by the pigs and working with people you trust. Ariel also had the benefit of having a bad-ass community of support for back up, allowing for a lot more bravery when making legal decisions.
Mad, MAD respect and support to Ariel "It's Hammer Time" Attack. Remember, NOBODY TALKS, EVERYBODY WALKS:
If you can tell me how this either a) gets the anarchist message out or b) subverts or makes obsolete the capitalist and political systems I'd love to know. I see it as completely unproductive towards the anarchist cause and even detrimental as this only enforces anarchism as mindless chaos and destruction.
Glad it all worked out for her, but come on. I know insurrection is difficult but this kind of reactionary vengeance does absolutely nothing to move us forward to our goals; rather the opposite actually.
First and foremost, this "reactionary vengeance" you speak of could have been an act of revenge, a commemoration if you will, of the illegal and violent detention of more than a hundred peaceful protesters at the Democratic National Convention exactly a year to the date of the action. In that respect, the State and its apparatuses struck first to maintain the status quo and to quell dissent and rightly deserve the ramifications of what happens when diplomacy and politics fail. Broken windows should be the least of their problems, frankly.
Secondly, the Democratic party is notorious in alienating and marginalizing the queer/trans community. Individuals acting autonomously should have the right of self-determination and if you're siding with insurrection here, what of a diversity of tactics? We are anonymous here, therefore giving us both the luxury of hiding identity and personal backgrounds so it is difficult to judge, but Ariel is out in the open. What may be oppressive to one person might not have such an effect on the rest of us, and who is anyone to mark targets or say which oppressive institution is right or wrong to vandalize and dismantle?
Third, remember the media shit storm over this? Democrats were crying foul at the right, hoping it was some tea party thug and the Republicans thought it was the Democrats playing dirty and trying to frame them. It turns out to be a trans anarchist disgusted with both parties and ready, willing and able to fight them. The spectacle alone allowed literally millions of people to read that there was some kind of resistance out there, that people were getting fed up with the system and taking it upon themselves to organize and attack. How many people in middle America were made aware that not all queer or trans people support Obama?
The double edged sword is that it was just some broken windows, and from both of our perspectives, it's important to remember that. Solidarity to Ariel, who does plenty more than just break windows.
Such senseless actions on her part.
ReplyDeleteIf you can tell me how this either a) gets the anarchist message out or b) subverts or makes obsolete the capitalist and political systems I'd love to know. I see it as completely unproductive towards the anarchist cause and even detrimental as this only enforces anarchism as mindless chaos and destruction.
Glad it all worked out for her, but come on. I know insurrection is difficult but this kind of reactionary vengeance does absolutely nothing to move us forward to our goals; rather the opposite actually.
I'll take a crack at it.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, this "reactionary vengeance" you speak of could have been an act of revenge, a commemoration if you will, of the illegal and violent detention of more than a hundred peaceful protesters at the Democratic National Convention exactly a year to the date of the action. In that respect, the State and its apparatuses struck first to maintain the status quo and to quell dissent and rightly deserve the ramifications of what happens when diplomacy and politics fail. Broken windows should be the least of their problems, frankly.
Secondly, the Democratic party is notorious in alienating and marginalizing the queer/trans community. Individuals acting autonomously should have the right of self-determination and if you're siding with insurrection here, what of a diversity of tactics? We are anonymous here, therefore giving us both the luxury of hiding identity and personal backgrounds so it is difficult to judge, but Ariel is out in the open. What may be oppressive to one person might not have such an effect on the rest of us, and who is anyone to mark targets or say which oppressive institution is right or wrong to vandalize and dismantle?
Third, remember the media shit storm over this? Democrats were crying foul at the right, hoping it was some tea party thug and the Republicans thought it was the Democrats playing dirty and trying to frame them. It turns out to be a trans anarchist disgusted with both parties and ready, willing and able to fight them. The spectacle alone allowed literally millions of people to read that there was some kind of resistance out there, that people were getting fed up with the system and taking it upon themselves to organize and attack. How many people in middle America were made aware that not all queer or trans people support Obama?
The double edged sword is that it was just some broken windows, and from both of our perspectives, it's important to remember that. Solidarity to Ariel, who does plenty more than just break windows.