Anarchists! Give yourselves up!!

Sakura | 05.08.2011 19:43 | Repression | Birmingham | South Coast

What should you do if you discover an anarchist living next door?– the answer, according to an official counter-terrorism notice circulated in London last week, is that you must report them to police immediately.

"What should you do if you discover an anarchist living next door?– the answer, according to an official counter-terrorism notice circulated in London last week, is that you must report them to police immediately.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/31/westminster-police-anarchist-whistleblower-advice

Despite playing loud punk music until the early hours of the morning, some of us are worried that our neighbours may not have realised that we're anarchists...SO, I'm knitting some hand grenades and a balaclava and will be putting on my best Emma Goldman T-shirt and hoola-hooping down to our local Police station this Saturday to hand myself in."

These are the words of Leicestershire anarchist Emma Chung, who will, at 1pm Saturday 6 August, alongside a group of fellow anarchists, be handing herself in to Leicestershire Police for the "terrorist" crime of supporting anarchy.

I invite fellow anarchists across the UK to join her (at a time of your convenience) in giving yourself up to your local police station. Please feel free to contact your local paper if you feel they may be interested.

Peace!

Sakura

Comments

Hide the following 19 comments

you are not anarchists

05.08.2011 20:48

anarchists are like that guy in greece who blew his own hands off trying to blow up a bank.
Cells of fire guys

watch mad max 2, there are a lot of anarchists in that.

basket weaving and playing a strange musical instrument is not make you anarchists

anarchists are dangerous people who run around with bombs trying to blow thing (and themselves) up

anon

Bad idea

05.08.2011 21:22

Don't do this. Why would anarchists wish to voluntarily give the state any info on themselves? Clearly, you do not take anarchism seriously if you think a stunt like this would be a bit of a laugh.

Anon, your ignorance of anarchism is even more ridiculous than this ill thought out action.

King Pleb

lol, nice idea

05.08.2011 21:34

Don't listen to trolls like anon or anarcho-negativists like King Pleb.

anon2

Not anarcho-negative...

05.08.2011 22:13

...just an anarchist. This action is far more to do with some kind of wadical liberalism rather than anarchism because I can't for the life of me imagine any anarchist participating in such wooly activity that relies on the police kindly not using any volunteered information against these activists.

KIng Pleb

From Leicester AF

05.08.2011 22:52

The Anarchist Federation in Leicester is not involved in this possibly well meaning but poorly thought out action. Leicester AF strongly advises anyone who considers themselves an anarchist NOT to give the police any information about themselves or to 'hand themselves in' to the authorities, however much an amusing or 'newsworthy' stunt it may appear to be on the surface. As the police are, first and foremost, the frontline protectors of the ruling class, the state and the capitalist system, then nothing positive can come of trying to engage with them for publicity purposes. Alternatively, if any Leicestershire anarchists are interested in building anarchist resistance in the local area, then don't hesitate to get in touch with the AF via the webpage.

Leicester AF
Homepage: http://www.afed.org.uk/leicester/

Not only is this dumb, its also out of date

05.08.2011 23:56

Can i just point out that as well as this being really stupid (as others have already pointed out) its also a bit of a missed joke as the police have since retracted their statement (though are undoubtably still engaging in this kind of political policing) See:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/01/grass-war-met-police-anarchists for the info on how the cops have already officially reversed the call for info. All you would be doing by this is unnecessarily exposing yourself to local police attention. And if that doesn't scream dumb, i don't know what does.

Anti stuntist

LOL

06.08.2011 08:46

Anarchists are just lifestyle poseurs ... as if anarchy actually ever achieved anything other than wannabes who don't wash, argue at every turn and believe themselves to be uber-subversive and politically smart.

Tossers. Go on turn yourselves in - it'll be a pleasure to have you off the streets anyway to make room for some proper political dialogue.

Norvello

Troll Watch

06.08.2011 09:57

Troll - definition: Norvello

Double whammy

06.08.2011 10:01

Although Norvello is just an ignorant trolling bellend, this kind of action actually plays up to the sort of shite he or she is talking about and feeds the stereotype of anarchists being a bunch of lifestylist poseurs. Not only is this silly action a gift for the police, it's also a gift for anyone else who wants to slag off anarchists.

King Pleb

@ Sakura

06.08.2011 18:19

What happened at the cop shop then? Cheers.

I think this is a great idea

06.08.2011 20:05

If anyone is a poseur it is all the ultra-paranoid people who like to think they are such hardcore anarchists that they are actually too scared to do anything.

Let's face it, if you are breaking the law enough to be worried about the police knowing you are an anarchist, they probably know about you already, knowing the amount of Stasi-style snooping they do into people's lives.

Anarchism is a philosophy that will be applicable to everyone, not a super-secret underground club for the militant elite, so I'm glad that people are willing to stand up publicly and "admit" to holding anarchist views. Anarchists may be fine with people breaking laws but that doesn't mean they have to break the law themselves.

Police trolls and anarcho-negativists may be poles apart, but they have the same effect of trying to put a dampener on anything anyone does.

Yours for anarchy, bashing the rich, and destroying all institutions of power.

anon2

Not being a troll

06.08.2011 21:51

I think there is a difference between being scared to do anything and doing something really stupid for the sake of it, and it is something certain activists often fail to differentiate between. In the area i live anarchists are involved in organising in their work places, taking part in occupations, setting up social centres, getting involved in their communities/local anti cuts networks etc - its a lot more work to do that than to engage in what is basically a stunt for the benefit of the media. All of us 'admit' to being anarchists but walking into a police station and basically saying 'here is my name and address, next time you decide to do some pre arrests for a big demo i will be in between 3 and 6 every day' is a bit silly, obviously the police spy on people they deem dangerous, but bringing attention to yourself for them is a terrible idea. I think that this action was well meaning, but ultimately it is based in the fact that people seem to think that the police aren't a threat to the security of radicals and activists (as well as everyone not in the ruling class) which is at best naive and at worst potentially dangerous to the future security of activists who did this. Oh, and criticism which is intended to be constructive (which most if the non troll comments on this piece obviously are) is hardly putting a dampener on things, our ideas and tactics are never going to get any better if we just gloss over the differences in our approaches.

Anti stuntist

Uber cool and hard core?

06.08.2011 23:19

Wise up Anon2. No one's talking about all anarchists being uber cool and hard core class warriors. Clearly, we're a mixed bag, we have different focuses and that's fair enough. But in this instance, we're talking about mental stuff that is not only damaging to those involved (and possibly others they are associated with) but also damages the wider movement by making us look like clueless liberal twats.

Anti-stuntist's comments are spot on. There's much work to be done, whether on the industrial or community front, positive struggle within the class or by just building the movement. Unfortunately, this action does none of those things and merely plays into the hands of our enemies.

King Pleb

check london indymedia for an excellent response

07.08.2011 01:41

about three or four articles down on the london indymedia newswire there is a post in a somewhat similar vein to this one. someone has responded making some very good and serious points about it all. i am too lazy to cut and paste them here, and didnt write them myself but i suggest if you are interested you check them out. its the first and only (so far) addition to/comment on that post.

my name

I am Spartacus!

07.08.2011 10:44

Many anarchists might be involved in setting up social centres, working in community projects, etc. and maybe they never go on demonstrations at all. And through their community activism they may be a public face already. So it matters nothing to them that the police know who they are.

The so-called "stunts" like these are an excellent way for them to raise the profile of anarchism, show the police up for the authoritarian idiots they are, and show regular people that anarchists aren't all scary black-clad, drug-taking youngsters smashing and blowing things up - that in fact it is a way of life applicable to everyone.

It's a classic tactic - think of the I am Spartacus moment.

I've nothing against wearing black, taking drugs, being young or blowing things up - they are all fine things in many circumstances and I've been/done many of them myself, but don't dismiss the education side of promoting anarchism.

I can't believe people waste so much time criticizing excellent things like this that other people are doing, instead of attacking the rich and powerful. And now I'm wasting my time arguing with you to redress the balance! If you are genuine anarchists and not police or establishment trolls, can't you save this moaning minnie negativity for private discussions at the pub instead of airing it in public?

anon2

constructive criticism

07.08.2011 10:57

Anti stuntist: "Oh, and criticism which is intended to be constructive (which most if the non troll comments on this piece obviously are) is hardly putting a dampener on things, our ideas and tactics are never going to get any better if we just gloss over the differences in our approaches."

How the hell is the criticism in the comments here constructive? It's all totally negative, basically saying this is a shit idea and the person is an idiot for doing it. Constructive criticism means saying yeah interesting idea and go for it if you want to, and why not try this as well, or do it this slightly different way.

I don't see any better suggestions in the comments for how to use the cops' stupid statement for promoting anarchism or how to stop them harassing political views in this way. Let's face it, if the cops want to snoop on anarchists they will do, so this tactic is just turning it against them, saying: if you want people to look at what anarchists are doing, fine, we'll be more than happy to educate them about anarchism!

And if Emma Chung is a good anarchist she will be saying fuck you negativists and your moaning, I think this is a good idea and I'm doing it whatever, I'm not enforcing any hierarchy on anyone, so what's the problem.

Anarchism is a beautiful political philosophy; obviously no-one likes to be bossed around by other people, so it's great that people are shouting about it from the rooftops.

anon2

no one will do it, its just a load of hot air like everything else

07.08.2011 12:05

>How the hell is the criticism in the comments here constructive? It's all totally negative, basically saying this is a shit idea and the person is an idiot for doing it. Constructive criticism means saying yeah interesting idea and go for it if you want to, and why not try this as well, or do it this slightly different way.

who cares? constructive criticism is just that. if people can't handle it then thats their fault
its a free country - people have the right to say what they want without your kind telling what they can and can't say

has anyway actually done this hand themselves in?
bet no-one has. everyone just going on how big their dicks in their hand without the balls to see it through

anon3

If you're

07.08.2011 14:48

taken in by a posting like this, then you'll be taken in by anything.

Yawn

@anon3

08.08.2011 15:54

anon3: "who cares? constructive criticism is just that. if people can't handle it then thats their fault "

You're making less sense that the previous posts which makes me wonder if the trolls have jumped on this.

I'm not talking about caring or not, just the basic fucking definition of "constructive". It's a factual point: the criticism here was NOT constructive.

Yes you can say what you want, but I think whining and moaning about every little thing anyone else does is exactly the sort of thing a police/establishment troll would do (even if you aren't actually one of these). Sorry but I just get pissed off with negativity. Speech may be free, but it does have implications.

anon2