May Day In Pacific Northwest Ain’t Nothing To Fuck With

The recent flood of FBI activity at the doorsteps of Anarchist’s homes, schools, and places of employment has definitely made for a shit show in the pnw for the last few days. I empathize with anyone who had to so much as look at the smug mug of one of those aging football fans who has achieved their life’s goal as special agent ass-hat. It seems as though most if not everyone who was approached by an agent this past week responded with a swiftly slammed door. Nonetheless it is upsetting to deal with intimidation from the state.

I expect though, that when anxieties settle and folx get a chance to take a step back from the situation, that these incidents are considered strategically. More than anything else, this show of numbers seems to be a concerted effort to scare folx away from any May Day plans. It seems that the feds want to pretend that they are keeping tabs all of us and that nothing like last year’s May Day in Seattle will happen under their watch. This feigned panopticon feeds into our fear of the police and our own self-aggrandizement. It’s reasonable to be prepared for subpoenas or further harassment, but if it is the only thing we do this upcoming week then we will have lost something important.

My hope is that Anarchists in the pnw will not let ourselves be disheartened. Through the wall of silence that has been created by Anarchists subpoenaed, questioned, and investigated in this most recent Grand Jury in Seattle we are demonstrating our emerging backbone. From this same wall nearly a hundred solidarity actions have rained down against the state. We are stronger than they expected and we should take that momentum and find ways to celebrate May Day in conflict with the state. We owe it to whomever broke those courthouse doors last year. We owe it to those who sat in jail for months on end in solitary confinement. We owe it to everyone who picked up a rock, molotov or banner in solidarity with us. While the police and FBI are groping the air in vain for a way to crush us, let’s attack with all of the anger and strength amassed over the past year. Let us give May Day new meaning and memories to smile about in the weeks to come.