It is still on:
An account of the actions surrounding the fifth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq

In the week leading up to the fifth anniversary of war in Iraq (and the one year anniversary of the M19 angry mob attack on the Milwaukee Army Recruitment center), the recruiters were attacked again. An individual (or individuals) clandestinely smashed in the glass door of the center and vandalized the windows. The attack came after a long weekend of “mass rallies” that have happened every year in the same place, using the same tactics and rhetoric. Clearly, nobody was satisfied with (or pacified by) such mundane and ritualized protest. Following the attack, the recruiters boarded up their windows in shame and fear. The center is at present under constant guard by police officers.

The vandal’s spray paint foreshadowed the events to follow; the words “expect resistance” adorned the windows of the recruitment center. While the law’s enforcers were busy defending the precious windows, a group of anarchists from around the Midwest (Milwaukee, Chicago, the Twin Cities, and elsewhere in Wisconsin) had a surprise in store for the city’s downtown business district. On Thursday the 20th of March, in the midst of the evening rush-hour cluster-fuck of capital, dozens of unapologetic dance-party enthusiasts took over the intersection of Water and Wisconsin. The ruckus of the jubilant street party (and the blaring horns of the furious motorists) could be heard from twenty stories up and blocks away. With bikes, mobile sound systems, drums, pink and black flags and banners reading “End War, Dance More” and “Dance, Dance, Revolution”, the anarchists and anti-authoritarians brought the dreadful flow of capital to a screeching halt. They held the intersection while the police hopelessly blared their sirens blocks away, unable to contain the chaos.

Upon growing tired of the intersections, the rowdy party turned into a spontaneous march. The march went on for blocks and further disrupted business as usual. Chain-link fences, dumpsters’, and other obstructions were dragged into the road, leaving debris in their path and keeping the cops at bay. Several suited businessmen, infuriated with the anarchic defiance of their rules, almost came to fisticuffs with the rabble-rousers. By the time the march dispersed, the police were caught unawares and wholly confused; entirely unable to remedy the mess. After dispersal, four people were arrested (two of whom were assaulted by the unprovoked and bewildered buffoons). Currently all arrestees have been freed from jail and face charges (all of which will surely be dropped).

Two conclusions need to be drawn from the past week’s events. Firstly, that the police are growing ever more incompetent in their desperate attempts to defend capitalist order. Meanwhile we grow ever better in our war against it. And secondly, that it is still on – Now more than ever.

“Forward everyone!
And with arms and hearts,
Speech and pen,
Dagger and rifle,
Irony and blasphemy,
Theft, poisoning and fire,
Let us make...war on society.”

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"Down with a world in which the guarantee that we will not die of starvation has been purchased with the guarantee that we will die of boredom."

very well put owen...the only problem i have with the word vandalism is its root translation being the ignorant destruction of treasures and art etc. so if anything, anarchists aren't ignorant destructive vandals but a collective of "reality" disruptors. well informed and armed to the teeth with the creative power of genius and the basic vandal spirit of youth...i hope that there are enough people doing good reports on actions like the recent few, because we've got to have passionate journals of solidarity. each year goes by and the anniversaries get less and less publication on anarchist action, but there is a big enough threat to public opinion that mainstream capitalist media is scared of telling the real story. the convincing power of real freedom and desire spreads fast, and we need to be vocal about our actions if the media won't. those bastards. well, thanks i guess. i enjoyed it.

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ignorant destruction of treasures and art etc

Not that there is anything wrong with destroying treasures and art, especially in the context that this art and treasure was in and valued as wealth.

The article owen wrote is going to be in the next total destroy, which will hopefully be out soon. Hopefully.

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"From a certain point onward, there is no turning back. That is the point that must be reached." Franz Kafka

agreed mario--i feel it's not such a benevolent thing if vandalism is supposed to be ignorant and meaningless, though. not meant as an argument, just a semantical difference in adjectives. the article doesn't need to change a thing.

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Mostpeople have less in common with ourselves than the squarerootofminusone.

Ifmostpeople were to be born twice they'd improbably call it dying--

I think it is a problem that we consider people who aren't cultured, those who destroy art, as ignorant and meaningless. The lack of meaning in art to many is perceived as their lack of privilege and power. They do not possess the skills and expertize to experimentally communicate. We should be working toward more experimental expression, or situations and cultures that lend themselves to this, rather than perpetuate the roles of specialists in communication (which artists often occupy). By destroying art as product as separate from life, it is another way of attacking the reification/commodification of desire and its expression.

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"From a certain point onward, there is no turning back. That is the point that must be reached." Franz Kafka

lack of privilege and power doesn't predispose persons as ignorant, and it is a shame that someone would want to use a degenerate term to describe well thought out rebellious actions as vandalism. rebellion should never be meaningless, whether it be against forms of art or wealth. there certainly needs to be a more liberatory term to describe those who--whether or not they have the means or privilege to revolt--come to enlighten themselves from their oppression. specializing communication is a terrible thing, and what is needed is a common dialogue that can be more joyful and enlightening in rebellion...like the word rebellion in the stead of vandal. using terms that have derogatory connotations will psychologically kill the joy of rebellion. graffiti is an art that is both an expression of desire and the less privileged--not exactly skilless--rebellion...i wouldn't consider that to be vandalism; the state would, though. tagging is a better word yet, it sounds like playing a game even.

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Mostpeople have less in common with ourselves than the squarerootofminusone.

Ifmostpeople were to be born twice they'd improbably call it dying--

I would argue that resistance, that is generalized and autonomous, itself is a language or method of communication that needs to be developed.

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"From a certain point onward, there is no turning back. That is the point that must be reached." Franz Kafka

Bravo!

It's a bit sensationalized, but far more accurate than the police & capitalist press' accounts.

Can't wait to see it in the new TDII !

is this one of those developing tools to create a new language for resistance both generalized and autonomous? i'd say yes: i know that independent media and tight forums like this are certainly helping...but is there anything more we might be able to do?

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Mostpeople have less in common with ourselves than the squarerootofminusone.

Ifmostpeople were to be born twice they'd improbably call it dying--

The terrain of struggle determines the results. It's hard for me to envision something developing solely (or largely) on the internet and other mediated forms of communication, but increased dialog and communication is necessary and can be positive as long as we recognize its inherent limitations.

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but is there anything more we might be able to do?

We can find more ways to resist by resisting, more ways to communicate by communicating. A recruiting center with it's boarded up and broken is a form of communication even if the words have been covered up.

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"From a certain point onward, there is no turning back. That is the point that must be reached." Franz Kafka