Prelude
Several market anarchists answered the call to meet in the Twin Cities to help out and distinguish radical libertarianism as a movement. The following account is intentionally vague and anonymous to avoid assisting in any effort to prosecute dissenters. Numbers are from fuzzy memories and not from notes.
Weekend
By the time I got to St. Paul around 10AM on Sunday, other market anarchists had already been making noticeable contributions helping organizers and activists. Plans were then made for the next couple of days and literature was taken care of (much of which can be downloaded from the market anarchist zine distro and zine library). Market anarchists later made some flags and a black banner that said “FREE THE MARKETS / FREE THE PEOPLE.” It was a busy day.
Monday
The market anarchists wanted to show a presence as a distinct affinity group in the rear of the Anticapitalist Bloc during the permitted march. Those confused about why free-market anarchists would be a part of the Anticapitalist Bloc should remember that capitalism, despite Randian mythology, has never historically been about a free market, but has rested on some form of government control for the benefit of established and connected interests. As the RNC Welcoming Committee says, “Capitalism is a distortion of the market to provide privileges to one class at everyone elses’ expense.” Mutual aid and radical unions are free market activities, while Blackwater and Wal Mart are not. Calling the system a “mixed economy” does not negate the historic context of what capitalism means. Thus, radical free-marketeers belonged in the Anticapitalist Bloc.
Several people who had hoped to march with the market anarchists had other event-related responsibilities, but an impact was made. The banner and flags were displayed on the capitol lawn near the red and black crowd. Several people asked what the group was about and seemed genuinely interested in learning about it. Unfortunately the group had no literature on hand. A couple of market anarchists who were originally planning to march in the main Anticapitalist Bloc saw the display and joined the market anarchist affinity group.
As expected the marchers travelled down streets bordered by armored state thugs and wound up with a thick metal structure separating them from the streets in front of the Xcel Center. Several marchers yelled things like “Help, I’m trapped in a cage” or “Sir! Sir! My freedom is being violated! Help!” at the cops on the other side of the steel.
There were a couple of know-it-all anticapitalists in the crowd who were hostile to the market anarchists, but genuine interest and friendliness was shown by many marchers. Lively chants were sounded, including “No borders! No state! No president 2008!” and “Show me what a police state looks like! This is what a police state looks like!”
The market anarchist affinity group was not tight enough to participate in major actions after the march (most people in it had known each other personally for less than 24 hours). Behind-the-scenes communication and support roles were made difficult by the roadblocks and unfamiliarity with the area, as well as general confusion about what to do.
Tuesday
The market anarchist priority on Tuesday was outreach to the Ron Paul crowd, who were gathering at the Target Center in Minneapolis to see Paul and others speak. Many of his fans and followers are motivated by frustration with the war and the system so it was hoped that they could be steered towards market anarchism and radicalism. Literature from the Market Anarchist Zine Distro was brought for the purpose.
As a couple of market anarchists handed literature to people going into the Target Center and hanging out in front, responses were generally positive. The image of a conservative-appearing gentleman gladly accepting literature with a prominent circled-A on the cover from a black-clad anarchist is certainly an interesting one. Other market-oriented anarchists were encountered in the Paul crowd as well. One was very enthusiastic about the flyers and helped pass them out. He even shouted to Bob Barr if he would “like to read some Rothbard” then handed MA 1 (.pdf) to one of Barr’s handlers. Almost no uniformed police officers were seen. After giving out all the literature on hand, the market anarchists returned to their lair.
It was decided that radicalizing the Paul crowd by passing out more literature during the evening intermission would be the best use of the limited resources on hand. This necessitated skipping the Poor Peoples’ March, which was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
The Poor Peoples’ March was later attacked by masked criminals using chemical weapons, concussion grenades, and other instruments of violence because they did not clear an intersection quickly enough. The march was peaceful until people were antagonistically ordered out of the streets then attacked by thugs who use politics to justify violence against innocent people. It has been said that police scanners picked up officers saying at the time of the attack they were “going in for the kill” because they were “sick of this shit” but I haven’t been able to confirm these reports.
When the market anarchists returned to Minneapolis, cops were on every street. The Target Center was surrounded by dozens of officers. It was decided not to “anarchist up” the appearance of the crew from before and the black flag was left in the car. This time a flyer was brought addressing anti-authoritarians attempting to change things through electoral channels. Responses from the crowd were again largely positive. A couple of people with Republican delegate badges didn’t look happy to see the Circle-A but didn’t do much about it. Some people asked about anarchist activities in St. Paul they had heard of on the news. The market anarchists tried to explain the perspectives of those involved in property destruction as well as make it clear that there were many times more peaceful actions going on.
Wednesday
By Wednesday morning the market anarchist cluster had largely dissolved and members remaining in the Twin Cities joined other efforts.
Activities on Wednesday were largely focused on supporting those who had been arrested earlier in the week, some of whom had been imprisoned without being charged by a court since Monday afternoon. It was revealed that adequate medical care was not being provided and that many people were being mistreated in jail. A phone pressure campaign was announced.
A large group of people gathered outside the jail to show support and solidarity, while legal teams and advocates worked to help those held inside. Meanwhile activists campaigned at nearby colleges to bring students to the gathering outside.
It was believed that a group of lawyers were going to march from the capitol to the jail to protest the abuses and criminal behavior the sheriff’s department was engaging in. When activists gathered on the capitol lawn to march with them it was revealed that the lawyers were actually marching to the Xcel Center to protest Guantanamo and unlawful detentions. It was decided to march to the jail anyway with around 35-60 people.
The crowd marched down the sidewalk, and in the right lane of the road when no sidewalk was available. Most of the time the marchers chanted “We won’t falter we won’t fail! Let our comrades out of jail!”
Police cruisers drove by marchers the entire route. About 10 horse-mounted officers began following the crowd. Squads of police and possibly National Guard members in riot gear accumulated as the march neared the jail. As marchers moved along the opposite side of the street from the jail, about a dozen riot cops formed at a parking lot entrance, lowered their face shields, and positioned themselves less than 10 feet from the marchers. When the crowd arrived at the jail it dispersed and cheered, while more riot squads appeared and moved closer to the gathering around the sidewalk. One of the marchers walked to a riot squad and explained that a peaceful march had just been concluded and marchers were staying to show support for the prisoners. The police did not move closer but at least 50 officers remained in view, including horse-mounted officers and riot squads directly across the street. A large number of cops left about an hour later. There were obviously more police around, and officers made a point of driving by in vans with the side door open to display their armored bodies inside (police were using many unmarked vehicles, possibly rentals, during the week).
Night fell and temperatures dropped as the crowd remained outside. People continued to enter the jail to inquire about their friends and were told to wait. Bail for some who had been arrested on Monday was not posted until after dark on Wednesday. It became known that not only had people been released from back gates of the jail in the small hours with their property still held by St. Paul Police (they were told they could pick up their cell phones, ID’s and whatever else was confiscated on September 8), but some detainees had actually been driven to far corners of the city and dropped off in parking lots without any notice given to others. Probably around midnight or 1 AM people began to be released individually or in groups of up to ten from the front gate.
Thursday
On Thursday my crew prepared to return to the East Coast. Rumors were flying around, the worst I encountered being that St. Paul issued a five o’clock curfew and were telling businesses to send people home early. The fact that such a rumor could take hold says a lot about the political situation today.
A rally called No Peace for the Warmakers began Thursday evening on the capitol lawn. While a band played, police quickly entered the crowd and attempted to make an arrest. They were surrounded by an angry crowd chanting “Let them go!” The band joined the chant. Police vehicles sped toward the capitol as mounted officers crossed the capitol lawn to jeers. A squad of riot cops pushed through the crowd to relieve the surrounded officers. As a helicopter hovered overhead, the angry crowd and the police stared each other down while the person targeted for arrest was taken into custody. Protesters chanted “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” After a few tense minutes the police withdrew and the atmosphere calmed a little.
The band finished playing and a march organizer gave a speech. She concluded by saying something to the effect of “We don’t have a permit but we’ve seen that the police don’t respect permits anyway. We’re marching to the Xcel Center!” The crowd flooded the streets. A long chant of “Cops here – troops there – U.S. out of everywhere!” arose. It might astonish those who take establishment news seriously to hear that many smashable objects were left unharmed by the crowd that included self-proclaimed anarchists. Surprisingly enough a glass bottle left on the ground was not reported as “materials to make Molotov cocktails.”
The crowd was stopped at a bridge over Interstate 94 by a large force of police. Two heavy dump trucks with snowplows were seen on hill behind them. Protesters remained on the bridge chanting and yelling. Someone with a megaphone pointed out that the police were dressed in riot gear and asked “Does this look like a riot?”
Several minutes after word was given of an order to disperse, people rushed toward another bridge over the highway. A couple more dump trucks with snowplows were passed. At the other bridge the police stopped the crowd and fortified their position. At some point a marcher with a megaphone began a chant of “Who is the terrorist? Mccain is the terrorist!” which was quickly co-opted by some anarchists chanting “The state is the terrorist.” A stand-off took place for well over an hour, though only one side of the stand-off was carrying weapons. Eventually the crowd was pushed back and some people were surrounded. After a while cops removed their gas masks and a loud chant of “You’re sexy, you’re cute, now take off your riot suit!” began.
We must pause to ask why the peaceful march was stopped at the bridges by such a heavily-armed contingent. What exactly were those celebrating criminal ventures in the Xcel Center afraid of? If you need more than 50 million dollars and 3,500 armed guards to protect you from the people your party aspires to rule, you must be doing something wrong – like believing that people ought to be ruled.
At some point after dark, a message was received that people were wanted at another bridge. However, the group on this bridge was quickly surrounded by police. Three minivans full of cops peeled out and went up the street. Explosions from distance the distance were heard. Gas canisters and concussion grenades were exploding in a crowd in a Sears parking lot as vans full of cops arrived from all sides.
Home
Last week, protestors in America were assigned cages to speak from, attacked in the streets, and abused in prison. It is true that in other countries and at other times protesters would be attacked more violently. Our self-proclaimed leaders want to make us obey much more than they want to hurt us. If we showed obedience to thugs this violent they would only become more violent towards us, as politicians seek as much power as they can get away with. Anything good about the political situation today is due to the radicals of the past. Anything good about the political situation in the future will be due to the radicals of today.
Some are still suffering. Eight activists, now known as the RNC 8, are facing 7 1/2 year sentences for “Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism.” Anyone who cares about liberty in America ought to help these political prisoners however they can.
The 2008 RNC was a historic event, which radical libertarians ought to involve themselves in if they want to be part of the future. Establishment libertarianism is a corpse sliding right to further irrelevance. It offers nothing but cost-effective ways to push people around. Abandon it and stand with the revolutionaries!
