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Voluntary Slave | 02.05.2005 17:44 | Social Struggles | London

After a short walk from Bethnal Green to Hackney (escorted by a couple of Special Branch chaps in their tasty blue flouro jackets), a group of precarious arrived to find a 24-hour Tescos being protected by the state's heavies.

Police protect shoppers
Police protect shoppers

Pink and black
Pink and black

More black, but the pink keeps on going
More black, but the pink keeps on going

The precarious on the streets
The precarious on the streets

The flexmob
The flexmob

The state's monopoly of violence - ready and waiting
The state's monopoly of violence - ready and waiting

The state's monopoly of violence - in action
The state's monopoly of violence - in action

The state rules through its control over our bodies
The state rules through its control over our bodies

Capitalism - exploiting people 24 hours a day
Capitalism - exploiting people 24 hours a day

Cop vans - brought to you by Tesco
Cop vans - brought to you by Tesco


A text message brought us to Bethnal Green. After a bit of a wait, during which a cop van turned up, we boarded a bus for Hackney. After a bit more of a wait, with the police hanging around in front of the bus, it became apparent we weren't going to be moving any time soon, so the precarious multitude reclaimed our own labour power and started a stroll to Hackney. Unfortunately, by the time we made it to the target, a massive police presence had cordoned off a samba band, obviously terrified that people might be having fun in the supermarket, rather than grimly spending like they ought to.

Voluntary Slave