action and solidarity with 4 people locked up in french jails since a few
months. They are accused of planning terrorist activity (sometimes just because
they were going to a demonstration with DIY smoke bombs) or taking part in
sabotage actions. They, amongst others, are pointed out as symbolic figures of
the « the resurging threat of anarcho-terrorists preparing for armed
struggle ». The french State is trying to build up this myth as a reaction to
ongoing revolts (migrants', workers', students', struggles against jails...).
control, the State tries to isolate part of the « movement » and create
divisions. This attempt is closely related to the issue of struggles for
autonomous spaces, since state officials, police and media have been accusing
« political squats » to be « central ressources » of this new
« terrorist threat ». We believe we have to build more visibility, better
connexions and a stronger squat movement in order to face this offensive. We
also need inspiration from what has been done in Italy, Germany, Spain or in
other countries in roughly similar contexts.
Please spread this call and letter around you, in local alternative medias,
newspapers and indymedias. Any solidarity actions are welcomed.
# International call:
Solidarity week against « anti-terrorist » repression in France from june 9th
to 16th
The translation of this call is coming late but any actions are welcome, even
after the action week.
Ivan, Bruno and Damien were arrested on January 19th 2008, on their way to a
demonstration against the detention centre of Vincennes (near Paris). They were
carrying home made smoke powder and bent nails (to slash tyres). At the police
station, they refused fingerprint identification and DNA taking. Ivan and Bruno
are jailed, Damien is under judiciary control.
Two other persons were arrested on January 23rd by a border patrol, during a
road-check near Vierzon (in the french countryside). In their car, cops found
chlorate (to make smoke powder), a map of a youth prison, and sabotage guides.
They're emprisoned under the anti-terrorist jurisdiction. The police's
incrimination is « intention to attack a youth jail » and, for one of them,
« attempt to sabotage a police car ».
At the moment, all five persons are under legal investigation for « possession
and carriage of explosive or incendiary material » and « criminal association
with terrorist goals ». Four of them are up locked in since January. The
anti-terrorist jurisdiction can keep them in jail many more months...
Since December 2007, there's been massive mutinies in detention centres and
wild strikes lead by hundreds of migrant workers. It reminds us that
exploitation and imprisonment are related.
Solidarity is not only about money and practicalities, it's also made of acts
of resistance and fights against states and capitalism. Solidarity can also be
an extension and an intensification of the social struggle.
Some support actions already took place in France (in Paris, Dijon, Grenoble,
Toulouse, Rennes, etc.): from smoke candles and smoke canisters burnt during
demonstrations to solidarity gatherings, banners, graffiti, blocades, not to
forget the disruption of a radio program, direct actions against buildings
related with deportations, etc. During this week, we want to multiply
solidarity initiatives, and let them know that we won't stop that soon...
Solidarity with the Vierzon two, with Bruno, Ivan, Damien and all the others!
Freedom for all the prisoners, with or without ID! Freedom for everybody!
Action reports, texts, pictures, or anything made for this solidarity week can
be sent to: solidarite_sans_frontieres@riseup.net & souti1culpees38@riseup.net
# A letter from Ivan and Bruno.
Hello to all the friends, to all the people who haven't accepted the situation
that we live: the occupation of the streets and towns by the police,
evictions, raids, arrests, daily difficulties, dispossession of our lives. This
situation that pushes us to give away a big part of our lives to all kind
of bosses, to those who decide of our destinies, to the power upon us. When
we side with the revolt, we do it for all these reasons. We do it to take back
power on our lives, we do it for the freedom of living.
We've been arrested on January 19th. Two of us are in jail, while the third is
under a judiciary control (he was passing by and was guilty of knowing us). We
were carrying a smoke-bomb that we had done by mixing chlorate, sugar and
flour. Burnt, this mix releases an important amount of smoke. We wanted to
use it at the end of the demonstration that was going that day towards
Vincenne's detention center for migrants. Our aim: to be visible from the
locked-in sans-papiers, knowing that the police would try to prevent us from
approaching the centre. We also had firecrackers to make noise and bent nails
(to burst tyres) that could be put along the road to prevent cars from passing.
For cops and justice, this excuse was found: we had the material to make a
nailbomb. This is what we are charged of:
- possession and carriage, in organised gang, of explosive or incendiary
material, or components of explosive or incendiary material, with the goal to
organise a destruction, or agression on people;
- criminal association with the goal to commit destruction using fire,
explosive material, or any other way which could create a danger for
people, in organised gang;
- refusal to give fingerprints or be photographed during an ID check;
- refusal to submit to the biologic taking aimed at the DNA identification of
people suspected of crime;
It's quite frightening. So much for the facts. Let's add a bit of anysis to it.
The way we're being treated is surely not related to what we had with us or to
what we wanted to do with it. The state is criminalizing revolts and tries
to kill any « non-aligned » dissidence. It is our very ideas and ways to
struggle (outside of political parties, trade unions, or any other
organisation of this kind) that are being targeted... Facing anger that it
doesn't manage to supervise or integrate, the State points out and isolates an
enemy within. The police and the secret service files are building
« profiles ». In our case, it is the « anarcho-autonomous » figure that's being
used, which authorites relate to terrorism. They need to build a threat to
create consensus within the population, to strenghten their control and
legitimate repression.
That's why we are in jail. This is the solution the State chooses, to deal with
illegalisms and so called « risky populations ». Now, the motto is
« lock in more and longer ». More and more efficient controls. Scaring
punishements are here to make us know that we should stay put on the place
given. This atmosphere guarantees for those who have or take advantage of
power, a society in which everybody is aware that we can't cross the lines
which have been drawn for us, which are surrounding us, which are compressing
us; not without paying an high price. We struggle with migrants, because we
know that it is the same police that is controling, that it is the same boss
who is exploiting, that these are the same walls imprisoning. The day we
tried to go to the demonstration, we wanted to shout « Freedom » in echo with
the prisoniers, to show that we were many to hear them revolting these last
months. We wanted to light a smoke candle, to try to get as close as we could
from the prison gates, to shout « no more detention centers », to show our
determination to live free. This struggle, in which we can see ourselves,
is a common ground to build complicities; it is a way to express our own
revolt.
We don't consider ourselves like « victims of repression ». There is no fair
repression, no fair imprisonment. There is just repression, and its fonction of
control, its role in maintaining established orders: the power of those who
possess against the dispossessed.
When everobody walks in line, it's easier to strike those who go out of it.
We hope that we are many, wishing to own our lifes fully, sharing this desire
to build and interweave solidarities which will +give birth to upcoming
revolts.
Bruno and Ivan, from the jails of Fresnes and Villepinte (close to Paris),
april 2008.
http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=98400