-------- Original Message -------- Subject: [ACC] A22 Collective Communique: Actions A20-22 Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 00:58:40 -0700 From: "druidsufi" <druidsufi at mac.com>
(Please Distribute)
A20-22: Communique for Anti-Capitalists and Others Attending the anti-Racist and War Protests in Washington, DC April 20th-22nd. by A22 Collective Contact A22 Liason at druidarab at yahoo.com or telephone: 202-390-6949 website: http://www.mashriq.org/a22
BACKGROUND
Amid the reports of mass graves and massive human rights violations in the latest attempt of the IDF to re-occupy Palestinian areas we note that the underlying problem is not ethnic or religious strife, nor Israel's right to defense, rather it is the inherent racism of the elites in American Society and Israelis society that are comprised of the Capitalist class. We are all familiar with the victims of this system. Palestine is just the latest example of it. We see the same thing in Columbia as well.
ACTION GUIDELINES
We have called on people to engage in direct action to oppose this racist killing across the globe, and specifically in Palestine. We will continue to support a diversity of tactics. There are limits of what we will support and engage in as the A22 Collective. We do not support the harming of life. We also ask that we do not put those unprepared to engage in our level of direct action at risk through any actions of our own, no actions are to take place in the permitted protest pit zone, referred to as the Green Zone, at the Washington Hilton. We trust all will act with due care and show solidarity with others no matter what our personal beliefs about actions within these broad guidelines.[ Note: some Palestinian refugees living in America have voiced concerns of imagery of burning U.S. flags at this place and time. Please consider how your actions may negatively affect those without the same legal rights as you. There are always other state flags to burn :-)] We are asking people to dress in black as an expression of defiance and mourning and to use all black banners with white lettering and if you need to mask up use a khafiyah (arab headress).
Some black coffins would also be good. We are asking individuals not to engage in militant tactics during the A20 march upon request of other organizing groups, this is more of a concern than a block of such tactics.
CALENDAR
Over the period of April 20th-22nd we will be participating in several actions, marches and fun. Here is a brief schedule.
Saturday, April 20th, Gather at the Washington Hilton (Connecticut and T St. NW), 10:30am and march with the ACC in solidarity with Palestinian and allied groups (see http://www.sustaincampaign.org). This is a permitted March. There are going to be march facilitators from the CISPP. 4:00pm Anti-Capitalist Spokes Council, see A22 Collective during march, look for leaflet announcing location or call the liason phone number. That night a social and entertainment event is planned with a screening of the film "Paint-it-Black" at the IMC at 9:00pm (about anarchists at the DNC in LA).
Sunday, April 21st: Anarchist Soccer, Sylvan Theatre Area on the Mall near the Columbia Mobilization, opportunity to meet and talk and show solidarity with the Columbia Mobilization (please respect the Columbia Mobilizations Action Guidelines, they are not the same as our's but we want to show solidarity with other activists we work with from time to time). 12:00pm (noon). This is also an oppurtunity for folks to get to know each other and talk about organizing as anti-Capitalist and working with other groups.
Monday, April 22nd: Converge on Washington Hilton at 5:30pm. Engage in autonomous actions or unified actions. May the force be with you.
April 20th-22nd: various autonomous actions against capitalism, it's wars, and for true people's democracy. Post reports about completed actions to DC IMC (http://dc.indymedia.org) mention you are an anti-capitalist direct action affinity group.
SCENARIO
There will be three types of actions people can participate in at the Hilton on Aprill 22nd. The only public action we are revealing at this time is a cross between a Green type of action and a Yellow action this action will involve symbolic low-risk of arrest civil disobedience or direct action, there will be other direct actions beside the call to Mass Action. (See Mass Action below)
Types of Actions:
Green: permitted protest pit near Hilton
Yellow: non-violent civil disobedience, more than symbolic civil disobedience, near or around
the Hilton.
Red: confrontational tactics, more than symbolic or yellow types of civil disobedience.
Yellow and Red actions should not occur near or around the Green zone (South of T St on the West Side of Connecticut Ave). Red actions should not interfere or jeapordize yellow actions. All to be worked out at the spokes council. We are not planning any Red types of actions we encourage Red types of Affinity Groups to attend the Spokes Council to work out what Yellow types of Action are planning to avoid any unecessary conflicts. We will have several scenarios for discussion at the Spokes Council, we will also be taking new scenario proposals and getting updates as information on police tactics become more available.
PLANNED MASS ACTION ON A22:
We are only prepared to publicly discuss the following Mass Action which is aimed at being inclusive as possible. It is not all that is being planned in terms of Direct Action but is the one action that can include the most types of people. It should not be viewed as pre-empting any other actions.
We are calling for a mass symbolic civil disobedience by inviting all people to sit down in the streets and raise their hands in a peace sign to say enough to all the war and human rights violations in a soft blockade of the Hilton and Sharon. At 6:30pm everyone should sit down and maintain their positions. If the police move in we anticipate that they will warn people first, there is no guarantee though. If you do not want to get arrested get up and move to the green zone, the permitted protest pit. Otherwise link up with someone and remain seated. We would like to blockade all streets in the area via symbolic civil disobedience. Again, if you do not want to get arrested upon police warning get up immediately and proceed to the permitted protest area. (see map for areas to focus on, http://www.mashriq.org/a22/massive.jpg). We encourage everyone to form a group of friends (affinity group) and before hand plan on what part of the area you will sit down in.
The sitting down will also be applicable for if at anytime things begin to get out of control. There will be an audio S-O-S signal when you hear that signal please drop to the ground sitting raising your hands in the air with a peace sign. This will allow the police to differentiate you from any trouble that may be in your area.
see map: http://www.mashriq.org/a22/massive.jpg
SECURITY
We want to remind you that the Mall where the march will pass on A20 and the Capitol where the rally will take place is now under surveillance by the advanced face recognition system deployed by the MPDC. Basically, they can be filming you from a mile away. We are trying our best to make things work without the necessity of over-centralization, hence the emphasis on autonomous actions and a public mass action. If you need Legal call the Legal Collective at (202) 462-7475.
http://media.iww.org http://www.mashriq.org
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