On May 4, 2003 Luca Casarini, leader of the Disobbedienti, an important component of the Italian anti-capitalist movement, was pied in New York City. With this gentle breach of etiquette, Casarini received his just desserts for the mischief he has caused to the Italian movement.

A flung pie is a simple act with many layers of meaning, but at its most basic level this was an act of feminine tenderness intended to expose the gap between the rhetoric of the Disobbedienti and their actual practices. As some activists in the U.S. are aware, the ideas of the Disobbedienti are very appealing, and the global anti-capitalist movement has been inspired by many actions of the Tute Bianche and Ya Basta (their incarnations before 2001). At home however, the Disobbedienti's macho and unaccountable behavior has caused them to lose the trust and respect of many of their former supporters. Once the pied pipers of the massive "no global" movement in Italy, the Disobbedienti have failed to lead by example the multitudes they helped to inspire.

In Italy this pie needs no explanation. In the U.S., however, there is some confusion about why people do not love the Disobbedienti, so it might be best to start by mentioning three of the things for which they should NOT be criticized for (and for which they deserve a pie on the table, not in the face);
  1 -- Their theoretical approach. Disobbedienti have done a great job of retrieving gourmet theoretical tastes from the universities and bringing them back to the streets that produced them in the first place.

  2 -- The fact that they plan direct actions and campaigns. It must be said, to their credit, that the Disobbedienti get things done. The focus of their actions is good too; organizing squats and shutting down immigrant detention centers, capitalist summits and military trains are all delectable ideas.

  3 -- Their desire to make a better world. Despite family disagreements, the entire Italian movement unequivocally supports Disobbedienti if the state, fascists or corporate media try to cook up any plots against them (as shown in November 2002 after Caruso's arrest).
So why pie Casarini?

  1 -- Keep your eyes on the pies. Although their rhetoric is anti-authoritarian, Disobbedienti have a hierarchical structure, with a strict division of labor and an appetite for power. This approach has received poor reviews, even from many former compagni. Worse still, their recipe does not make for a tasty soufflé, as the non-Disobbedienti ingredients in the movement do not appreciate having their flavors glazed over. The Disobbedienti do not enter into coalitions as equals but instead seek to take over already established centri sociali (squats), showing no regard for local tastes. Once in power, Casarini proceeds to serve up huge portions of unleavened authority and overcooked testosterone, in contrast to the much healthier North American radical diet of direct democracy and consensus process. This undermines the vigor and autonomy of local organizing and has led to allergic reactions and constipation in the movement.
  2 -- Check the shelf date, not the packaging. The freshness of the Disobbedienti's theory is sadly not reflected in their direct actions, which usually conform to the stale format of the vertically organized rally that has been discarded by "no-global" activists around the world. During demos, Casarini stands on a truck telling people what to do, an approach that is unpalatable to many participants. The creativity and inclusiveness of the demo are reduced because the "leaders" will not accept suggestions from the people, even when it is clear that the cookie cutter approach is not working. This treatment of the multitude as a "mass" to be ordered around contradicts the very theory that the Disobbedienti have popularized.

  3 -- There are no Comandanta Ramonas in Italy. Tute Bianche and Ya Basta were initially inspired by Zapatismo, but something must have been lost in the translation, for unlike the Zapatistas the Disobbedienti make no space for women. Their leader is an ultra-dominant man, and they reinforce traditional gender roles not only for women (who are ignored), but also for men (from whom criticism is seen as a threat to the Disobbedienti alpha-male status). As a result, political discussion has degenerated into a head butting contest instead of a feast of ideas.

  4 -- A pie to the face is actually a de-escalation! This action was a way to parody the militarization of the movement, since the Disobbedienti have contributed to an atmosphere in which activists settle their conflicts physically and not with words. Casarini has covered over the sweet core of the movement with a thick crust of thuggish guys, who may be useful for warding off fascists and cultivating street credibility but are disastrous when dealing with disagreements with other activists (a telling example is an absurd fight that broke out during a recent meeting in Livorno, where Casarini and his acolytes were chased out of town by a local posse of even more macho leftist hooligans. Both the groups' attitudes are ridiculous, and ironically would be unacceptable in activist circles in the US, despite the fact that "violence is as American as apple pie").

The strawberry cream pie is a tart critique of the bitter contradictions that have made the Disobbedienti their own worst enemy. In Italy the movement is doing fine without their leadership (general strikes, huge rallies, flourishing alternative media), but Disobbedienti could contribute a lot if only they would eat some humble pie. It may sound saccharine, but the movement needs nurturing and love, the Disobbedienti as much as anyone else. Against the truly hegemonic forces of capitalism and war what we need is a concrete, anti-authoritarian, non-sexist movement, pie any means necessary.

Biotic Baking Brigade Ricotta Division

"materialism is female"
 http://italy.indymedia.org/uploads/lucapie.mov"