police pressure

[Craig Brozefsky <craig@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The police pressure on the antiwar movement around the world has been
growing, especially here in the US as the Bush regime attempts to
claim victory and "freedom" in Iraq.  We have seen mass arrests in
many cities, increases in bonds at the State level, overwhelming riot
cop presence at peaceful demonstrations, police taking an active
political role in seperating antiwar protesters from the janitor rally
(originally billed as union/antiwar until Sweeney decided to show up),
and outright threatening immigrant and poor community organizations
that endorse antiwar events in their neighborhoods.  This just
describes what I have seen in Chicago.

I have never seen this before, being born in 1975 and living in a
backwater for much of my life.  I can't say I didn't expect it, or
that it is shocking to find democracy just a veil for the state
violence that will be unleashed when class conflict begins.  Reading
thru the Chicago 7 trial transcripts this afternoon was eerie, even
tho someone who I think, same name at least, was mentioned in the
transcripts and now a "Daley ally" said in a Reader (local free paper)
article that comparisons to 68 are outrageous.

The pressure is having a definite effect on the antiwar movement here.
The political splits which had been largely inactive on the organizing
level in the months leading up to the war are starting to widen as the
more "respectable" elements distance themselves from the left and
students.  This has lead to decisions to not do outreach to students
for upcoming events, and attemps to negotiate the parameters for
"protest" with the police.

The police pressure, along with attempts to sanitize the movement so
that political candidates can make appearances may effectively split
the movement.  I fear that the soft opposition will disolve with an
occupation.  Apparently, one of the reasons there is a split in the
movement is over the Palestinian issue, as well as a need to call for
Osama Bin Laden being brought to justice.  I don't see an Iraqi
occupation triggering a different response from this sector.  I also
don't have first hand experience of the events leading to the split.

It is educational to see how quickly violence draws class lines.
Still, there are ways of dealing with these issues and much work to be
done.


--
Sincerely, Craig Brozefsky <craig@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
No war! No racist scapegoating! No attacks on civil liberties!
Chicago Coalition Against War & Racism: www.chicagoantiwar.org
Free Scheme/Lisp Software:  http://www.red-bean.com/~craig