Alt-Observer Weekly Summary For 15 June 2018 – Forward Observer

Alt-Observer Weekly Summary For 15 June 2018

The Alt-Observer Weekly Summary highlights activities from revolutionary communist, radical anarchist, fascist and other ‘alternative’ political groups that fulfill our intelligence requirements for both the Alt-Left and Alt-Right groups. This report is available for Alt-Observer subscribers.


Priority Intelligence Requirements

  • PIR1: What indicators describe the Alt-Left movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, and capabilities?
  • PIR2: What indicators describe the Alt-Right movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, and capabilities?
  • PIR3: What are the new indicators of future politically related violence?
  • PIR4: What is the current threat index score for the Alt-Left movement?
  • Culture War Roll-Up

PIR1: What indicators describe the Alt-Left movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, initiatives, and infighting?

National

Mexico: A Mexico-based anarchist collective called the Informal Insurrectionist Anarcha-Feminist Coven (IIAFC) published a communique on Anarchist News this week. The communique was published in response to “Libertarian Bolsheviks” who have criticized them for “departing from nonviolence” and who have accused them of being “witches, whores, feminazis, traileras, buchonas and flip flops.” (Analyst Comment: “Buchonas” is Spanish for an attractive woman who is the love interest of a gangster. “Traileras” are female truck drivers, but that’s most likely not what it means in this context.) In the communique the IIAFC announced that they are continuing to “spread the epidemic of anarchist and insurrectionist rage” and that their “participation in the anarchic war” will not be prevented by the Bolsheviks. The following is a notable quote from the communique which provides insight into who the IIAFC are and what they believe as a organization:

“We are anarchists and we believe that there is only one way to confront power and authority, and that is the anarchic insurrection, that is why we conceive anarchic organization in an informal way through collective affinities and permanent conflict against the patriarchal civilization as a whole. That is why we reject the misogynist authoritarianism of the these Bolshevik libertarians, and why we do it publicly. To fight against sexism and misogyny is to fight against gender, and to fight to destroy gender is to also fight to destroy the whole patriarchal civilization.

We do not represent all the insurrectionist anarchist comrades, we only represent a collective of affinity based in the central region of Mexico. We recognize the struggle of all the other anarcha-feminist insurrectionist compañeras, from those who individually confront the patriarchal civilization, to the compañeras who do it in anonymous collectives and those who have decided to group themselves under new acronyms and claim their actions.” (Source: https://anarchistnews.org/content/mexico-communique-informal-insurrectionist-anarcha-feminist-coven)

Article: Mint Press News recently published an article that asks whether or not Antifa is the answer to an effective anti-fascist movement. The article is essentially a book review and critique of “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook” by Mark Bray, which the article’s authors describe as “an informed and revealing, yet one-sided, account of efforts against fascism.” This one-sided approach according to the authors is due to the omission of a “strategy to counter fascism by any means except using force,” which results in a limitation on “the potential for participation of many sympathetic people.” The article also criticizes Antifa’s use of violence to silence the speech of those they disagree with because this tactic legitimizes the usage of this same tactic against them by their political opponents. The authors conclude the article by answering the question of whether or not Antifascist is an effective anti-fascist movement saying that
“Ultimately, suppressing free speech and using violence are not good ways to build the sort of free society Bray desires, because they fail to foster the attitudes and skills necessary for such a society to develop and flourish.” (Source: https://www.mintpressnews.com/antifa-answer-effective-anti-fascist-movement/241607/)

CPUSA: Communist Party USA (CPUSA) published an article on their website that details a “communist approach to election work in 2018.” In the article CPUSA provides tips on how to approach communist election work and claims that their urgency to accelerate their movement increases as the Trump administration “speeds up its repressive measures.” The following is a summary of CPUSA’s tips on how to approach communist election work:

  1. Where to concentrate?
  • Clubs: the neighborhood or election district where the club is located
  • Districts: election districts that can be flipped; election districts where working-class champions who are incumbents are under attack; election districts with a progressive primary candidate.

2.  What are the goals?

  • Build a voter base to change the political balance of forces.
  • Strengthen relationships with unions, left/progressive electoral forms like Our Revolution (OR) and Working Famlies Party (WFP), etc.
  • Raise the level of class consciousness, unity and solidarity.
  • Enlarge the CPUSA diverse working-class membership and readership of People’s World.
  • Identify among our members potential candidates for local office.

3. What methods should be used?

  • Voter registration
  • Participation with allies
  • Hold our own events
  • Use of our literature and People’s World

(Source: http://www.cpusa.org/article/a-communist-approach-to-election-work-in-2018/)

East Coast

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: It’s Going Down aired a podcast this week with two members of a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based group called the Radical Education Department (RED). In the podcast  a new text published by the group called “Insurrectionary Councilism” was discussed. According to It’s Going Down the text “proposes the creation of spaces that bring together various groups for the purpose of becoming better organized.” During the podcast two members of RED also discussed the unity of the left, the horizontal structures of the “Occupy” movement, and the organization needs of It’s Going Down. In a publication by It’s Going Down that summarizes the podcast they listed what they believed to be important tensions and questions that were brought up during their discussion with RED:

  • What forms do we need to take to be organized?
  • How do we organize across our various groups?
  • How do we relate, if at all, to Left groups like DSA?
  • Are new organizational structures needed, like Federations, and what exactly would they do that current forms do not?

(Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/crews-networks-and-federations-a-conversation/)

Boston, Massachusetts: SocialistWorker.org published an article on their website this week announcing that racists will not go unopposed in Boston, Massachusetts. The article details anti-fascist action against a 2nd Amendment rally organized by the “far-right” group Resist Marxism, which took place in Boston on 02 June. According to the website a coalition of around 200 antifascist demonstrators from groups such as the Democratic Socialists of America, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), and the International Socialist Organization overwhelmed the rally by outnumbering the right-wing activists 5-1. Despite their alleged victory, the authors of the article claim: “It will take more than one successful demonstration to defeat the far right. We need a movement ready and able to out-mobilize them on the streets whenever they attempt to rally.” (Source: https://socialistworker.org/2018/06/12/the-racists-wont-go-unopposed-in-boston)

Midwest

Omaha, Nebraska: An anonymous contributor published a report on It’s Going Down that summarizes anarchist solidarity actions that took place on 11 June in Omaha, Nebraska. For their “day of solidarity” with anarchist prisoners, activists “wheat pasted around town” and dropped banners on overpasses during rush hour that read “Support Marius Mason & Prisoners” and “For a world w/o prisons.” (Analyst Comment: “Wheat pasting” is a method used by activists to stick posters and flyers to walls and other objects using a liquid adhesive made up of wheat flour or starch and water.) In addition to their banner drops and wheat pasting, activists handed out stamps and envelopes to people at a folk-punk concert so that people who are interested can write and send letters to anarchist prisoners. (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/omaha-nb-june-11th-action-report/)

Southeast

Louisiana: The Water is Life Camp who are protesting a pipeline in Louisiana posted an urgent call for help on It’s Going Down. In the post the group begs for help saying “I believe we will win, but we will not win without more skilled hands and feet on the ground. We are running with an amazing, courageous, exhausted, and too small crew for the strategy that is needed in these next few precious weeks. Please help us. We can provide limited travel support funding if that is needed.” According to the group they are in desperate need due to their peaceful protest permit being deemed illegal by the courts. (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/louisiana-urgent-call-for-help-from-water-is-life-camp/)

West Coast

Eugene, Oregon: Antifa International announced on Facebook that UK antifascists are going on a west coast speaking tour where they will “unpack the history of anti-fascist organizing in the UK, from street brawls with the National Front in the 80’s to smashing the neo-Nazi terror outfit National Action in the 2010’s. This talk will cover what was done, why it was done, and what can be learned from the successes and failures of the past.” According to Antifa International the three UK antifascists who are embarking on the west coast speaking tour will be speaking in Eugene, Oregon on Monday, 18 June at the Wesley Center. (Source: https://www.facebook.com/antifaintl/posts/225518918045591) (SC: We’ve observed attempts by European antifascists to export their often more violent tactics to the United States. In addition, several U.S.-based antifacist and revolutionary groups have held meetings with European counterparts where tactics have been a topic of interest/education.)

Portland, Oregon: Rose City Antifa (RSA) published a call to action on It’s Going Down this week asking for antifascists to defend Portland from Joey Gibson and his “Alt-Right goons and Proud Boys he organizes with.” RSA claims that Gibson and his “crew of violent bigots” are organizing another rally in Portland, which will attract “Alt-Right bullies, Nazis, homophobes, and unsavory characters to gather in hopes of brutalizing vulnerable people.” In their call to action RSA also states that Gibson is claiming that large numbers of right-wing activists are traveling out of state to the rally, but that “the city of Portland will continue to stand up to him and any Trumpsters he ships in…. we are united in our opposition to the rise of fascism in this country and we sure as hell will not let it take our streets.” (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/defend-pdx-patriot-prayer-violence-must-end/)

Southwest

Austin, Texas: International Socialist Organization — Austin (ISOA) is attempting to raise money to help students and local Austin residents travel to the Socialism2018 conference that will be held in Chicago, Illinois from 05-08 July. According to the fundraisers bio on GoFundMe, “The conference brings together hundreds of socialists and radical activists from around the country to take part in discussions about Marxism, working-class history, and the debates and strategies for organizing today.” As of 15 June ISOA has raised $180 of their $500 goal. (Source: https://www.gofundme.com/socialism2018-travel-fundaustin)

Austin, Texas: The Austin Socialist Collective (ASC) shared an article on Facebook this week by ABCNews titled “Senators Move to Prevent Trump From Removing US Troops in South Korea.” In the post ASC heavily criticized the Democratic Party calling them “imperialists” and accusing them of starting conflicts worldwide: “The Democrats have become the A-Team of imperialism, the most loyal servants of Wall Street and NATO bloodshed. If there was once an argument that ‘at least they’re better than Trump’, that argument is now dead as they constantly work to engineer conflicts with Russia, China, Libya, Syria and DPRK. Trump and the Democrats are BOTH worse and neither deserves your support.” (Source: https://www.facebook.com/austinsocialistcollective/posts/2125522324143037)


PIR2: What indicators describe the Alt-Right movement’s strength, capabilities, sentiment, initiatives, and infighting?

Tennessee: Former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke and League of the South president Dr. Michael Hill will be speaking this weekend in Dickson, Tennessee at a conference held by the American Freedom Party and the Council of Conservative CitizensFox 17 is reporting that local Antifa groups are planning to protest the conference. A local social justice activist stated in an interview that she thinks the conference is an “abomination” and that “We know who these groups are. We know who they represent and I don’t care if they wear suits and ties.” (Source: http://fox17.com/news/local/white-nationalist-groups-to-hold-conference-in-middle-tennessee-antifa-to-protest)

Massachusetts: A man was arrested this week for threatening to bomb and shoot up an all-black Harvard University graduation ceremony. The threats were made leading up to the May 2017 graduation ceremony, which was held separately at the request of the black students. According to The Root, 24 year old Nicholas Zuckerman wanted to end the students’ “pro-black agenda,” and posted on Instagram saying “If the blacks only ceremony happens, then I encourage violence and death at it.” In addition to his encouragement of violence, Zuckerman specifically stated how he would attack the ceremony, saying that he would use “two automatics with extendo clips. Just so no n***** gets away.” The Root also reported that if he is convicted he could potentially face up to five years in prison. (Source: https://www.theroot.com/man-arrested-for-threatening-to-bomb-black-harvard-gr-1826737031)

Identity Evropa: In addition to putting up propaganda flyers in Clinton, Michigan, Somerville, New Jersey, Norman, Oklahoma, Franklin, Tennessee, and Green River, Wyoming this week, Identity Evropa activists engaged in environmental cleanups, homeless outreach and other related activities in 23 cities across 19 states. The following is a full breakdown of IE’s activity this week by state and city:

Arizona: Tempe Town

California: Campbell, Chico, and Orange County

Colorado: Colorado Springs and Denver*

Florida: Orlando

Georgia: Atlanta

Illinois: Clinton County

Indiana: Indianapolis*

Kentucky: Louisville

Louisiana: New Orleans

Michigan: Clinton

Minnesota: Novi

New Jersey: Fort Lee and Somerville

New York: Yonkers

North Carolina: Kings Mountain

Ohio: Columbus*

Oklahoma: Norman

Pennsylvania: Media

Tennessee: Franklin

Texas: Austin*

Virginia: Richmond*

Washington: Seattle

Washington D.C.*

Wyoming: Green River and Rock Springs

(Source: https://twitter.com/IdentityEvropa)


PIR3: What are the new indicators of future politically related violence?

16 JUNE: Anti-Capitalist Queer Bloc Pride Parade – Portland, Oregon (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/june-16th-anti-capitalist-queer-bloc-in-portland-or-pride-parade/)

18 JUNE: Letter Writing to Incarcerated Sex Workers — Austin, Texas (Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/611601782549568/)

18 JUNE: Antifascism in the UK West Coast Speaking Tour – Eugene, Oregon (Source: https://www.facebook.com/antifaintl/posts/225518918045591)

19 JUNE: Juneteenth Mobilization Against Prison Slavery (https://itsgoingdown.org/call-for-a-juneteenth2018-mobilization-against-prison-slavery/)

19 JUNE: (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/juneteenth-capture-the-flag/)

20 JUNE: Anarchist Black Cross Volunteer Night — Austin, Texas (Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/231439370954899/)

22-24 JUNE: Second Annual “Another Caroling Anarchist Bookfair” — Asheville, North Carolina (Source: https://anarchistnews.org/content/annoucing-second-annual-another-caroling-anarchist-bookfair-june-22-24-2018-asheville-nc)

25 JUNE: IWW Solidarity Actions With J20 Defendants (Source: https://www.iww.org/content/solidarity-actions-j20-defendants)

25 JUNE: Worldwide Day of Action in Solidarity with J20 Defendants (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/a-call-for-a-worldwide-day-of-action-in-solidarity-with-j20-defendants/)

04 JULY: Day of Action in Memory of Dan and Spit, Las Vegas, Nevada (Source: https://twitter.com/afainatl/status/989568441597202437)

05-08 July: Socialism Conference 2018 — Chicago, Illinois (Source: https://socialismconference.org)

21 AUG – 09 SEPT: National Prison Strike (Source: http://libcom.org/news/south-carolina-freedom-fighters-call-national-prisoners-strike-aug-21-sept-9-2018-10062018)

22-23 SEPT: 13th Annual Victoria Anarchist Bookfair (Source: https://anarchistnews.org/content/13th-annual-victoria-anarchist-bookfair-call-participaiton)


PIR4: What is the current threat index score for the Alt-Left movement?

Indicators of Revolutionary Activity

Strong Indications: 7

Weak Indications: 6

No/Negligible Indications: 7

We remain 13 at total indicators, and there’s been no change in the last week.


Culture War Roll-Up

UK: Over a thousand protestors took to the streets to protest the imprisonment of street journalist Tommy Robinson, who is the founder of the English Defense League (EDL).  ccording to Breitbart Tommy Robinson was arrested on 25 May for reporting on an ongoing trial outside of Leeds Crown Court, which was “subject to reporting restrictions.” The trial was for a Muslim rape gang that has allegedly raped dozens of women and children. During the massive and violent protests, #FreeTommy activists threw bottles, metal barriers and traffic cones at police, which led five arrests and at least five police officers being injured. (Source: https://thinkprogress.org/tommy-robinson-rally-attack-police-f9d8fac55b79/)


 



Mike Shelby is a former Intelligence NCO and contractor. He's now the CEO of Forward Observer.

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