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Next Left Notes Is A News Magazine Devoted To Direct Action
By Samuel Morales Jr
Washington, DC. January 20th, 2005 - At the 2005 Presidential Inauguration, an inspiring display of Anarchist
resistance with a direct action focus occurred with as many as 2,000 Anarchists participating. The following is a
recap of my experiences during the J20 Counter-Inaugural Protests:
The DC Anti-War Network (DAWN) had planned a rally at Malcolm X Park beginning at 9am that was to turn into a
march beginning at 11:15am. Adjusting my clock to "activist time", I showed up at the park at a little bit after
10am.
When I arrived, I saw the typical setup of a stage with various speakers, saying the usual things, damning US
imperialism, speaking of the evils of the Bush Agenda, etc. 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate David Cobb was
on stage, pumping up the Green Party, slamming John Kerry for being a sell-out, but being sure to say how much
worse George W. Bush is (an attempt to justify his "safe states" strategy no doubt).
There had been a call for a "Militant Anti-Fascist Contingent" to meet at the park, so when I arrived, I
immediately looked for the black flags of Anarchism and the red and black flags of Anarcho-Syndicalism. This was
part of the call for "Anarchist Resistance" which was endorsed by the Direct Action Tendency of the Socialist
Party USA.
While I was among my fellow Anti-Fascists/Anarchists, I felt somewhat like a member of a small community,
autonomous from the rest of the rally. Gender, and racial divisions were not felt among our contingent of people,
mostly dressed in black, most of us with our faces masked (although the fact that I was masked had as much to do
with keeping my face warm as it did with concealing my identity). We all shared a common identity, whether we
thought of ourselves as Anarchists, Anti-Fascists, or simply Anti-Authoritarians.
It was interesting to see the creative ways in which people managed to make banners and flags. One large banner
was actually written on the back of a banner which was apparently stolen from a Dominos Pizza (the other side
advertised their latest special). I received several compliments on the quality of my own red and black flag, and
some took pictures of it as it flapped in the wind.
At around 10:30-10:45am, I heard a bit of a commotion coming from about 50 feet behind me. A chant of "Fuck Nazi
Sympathies!!" had started, the "Protest Warriors" had arrived. This right-wing, Neo-Fascist organization, which
was started about two years ago and has received funding from conservative organizations, shows up at anti-war
demonstrations to act as counter-protesters. They picked a bad spot to show up on this day.
I joined the crowd of about 20-30 Anti-Fascists that had gathered near the approximately 13 "Warriors." Some began
to shout at them to "get the fuck out" of Malcolm X Park. There was a lot of anger from our side. The
Proto-Fascist Bush Regime was having its coronation later that day, yet these "warriors" felt the need to invade
our political space.
We started pushing the "warriors" back and they seemed surprised by our militancy. "What happened to your
non-violence?" said the apparent ring-leader of the Neo-Fascists. "Who the fuck said we were non-violent?" one
brother replied. An African-American man who was not part of the Anti-Fascist contingent observed what was
happening and, recognizing these goons for the Neo-Fascists that they are, joined our group and began to yell "Get
the fuck out!!" and began to push them back as well.
Some tried to rip the signs from their hands, others were more focused on giving the Protest Warriors the boot
(some literally did so by kicking them). When we finally pushed them back to the end of a hill, they were forced
to flee the park. We were jubilant as we serenaded the fleeing "Warriors" with Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey" (you've all
probably heard the shouts of "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, good bye!" at sporting events).
After the Anti-Fascist fun, the contingent slowly re-formed and prepared for the march. At about 11:40am, we began
marching outside the park. At approximately 12:00pm at 16th and Q, the 250-300 members of the Anti-Fascist
Contingent broke off from the main march to make our way to Logan Circle for the Anarchist March and
Anti-Authoritarian Bloc. This of course was an unpermitted march, and the police followed us along the sides with
their motorcycles.
After outmaneuvering the police several times, we finally made our way to Logan Circle at around 12:23. When we
arrived, we observed another contingent of Anarchists gathering and we cheered. They cheered in response. The
feeling of brotherhood was uplifting. At this point, there was an exchange between one brother and the rest of the
contingent which I found interesting:
Anarchist Brother: "Repeat after me!"
Crowd: "Repeat after me!"
Anarchist Brother: "We're five minutes early!"
Crowd: "We're five minutes early!"
Anarchist Brother: "We're gonna mill around!"
Crowd: "We're gonna mill around!"
Anarchist Brother: "And that's O. K.!"
Crowd: "And that's O. K.!"
(laughter)
I walked among the crowd and enjoyed the show put on by the " Radical Cheerleaders" as I waited for the next march
to start. A few minutes later, another exchange:
Anarchist Brother: "We're gonna get started!"
(crowd repeats)
Anarchist Brother: "Follow the Banners!"
A very large Anarchist banner, supported mostly by PVC pipes, was held by the brothers and sisters at the front of
the 2,000-strong contingent of Anarchists and Anti-Authoritarians. We began marching, out of Logan Circle and the
police presence was much greater. The slogan "What's the Solution?! PEOPLES' REVOLUTION!! What's the reaction?!
DIRECT ACTION!!" was chanted loudly. I felt a great sense of pride as I marched, tightly holding the cardboard
tube flagpole, red and black flag flapping in the wind.
We outmaneuvered the police severals times as they attempted to cut us off. At one point it appeared as if the
police were going to keep us where we were and we would not be able to move forward.
There were no leaders directing the contingent and decisions were made collectively yet quickly. Calls of "Keep it
tight!" and "Tighten up!" were heard from different members of the contingent, as we became concerned that if we
became too spread out we would be easily dispersed. Some noticed a snow-covered but easily passable parking lot to
our left and began to shout "Why the fuck are we stopped?! Go left! Go left!"
We crossed through the snow-covered parking lot and some brothers and sisters made snowballs and threw them both
at the police and the obvious Republicans who were observing from the sidewalks in their fur coats and cowboy
hats. One long-distance but well-aimed snowball hit a police officer on the top of his head (he was wearing a
motorcycle helmet and was not at all in danger).
We kept marching until we were finally stopped by police who blocked the entire street (I think we were at 4th and
D at this point). There was no way for us to pass, and the police began to push and shove the brothers and sisters
at the front of the contingent. A count of "One! Two! Three!" was heard and we all rushed forward on "three" to
push back the police who had disrupted our peaceful march.
With fear in their eyes, the police started swinging their telescopic batons and began to pepper spray the
brothers and sisters at the front at close range. I yelled out "Pepper Spray! Pepper Spray!", to alert those
behind me of what was happening as I turned my own head away to avoid getting sprayed. Those who had gotten
sprayed in front who were not prepared with eye protection (goggles, gas masks, etc.) were pulled from the front
and shouts of "Medic!!" were heard. The street medics in our contingent were quick to come to their aid. Some at
the front had armed themselves with PVC pipes from the now-damaged banner and I observed officers taking the pipes
away and striking protesters with their own pipes!
We began to fall back as the police became more violent. One officer crouched down low and held his baton like a
baseball bat and shouted "come on!" to members of our contingent. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I shouted at
him. In the next moment I observed an Anarchist brother with a gas mask, who could not have weighed more than 150
pounds soaking wet, get slammed onto a car by a police officer who was at least 6 feet tall and well over 200
pounds. The officer then pushed the brother to the ground and appeared ready to administer more of a beating, but
we moved in and managed to distract him and break his concentration long enough for the brother to get pulled away
and rescued from arrest.
At this point the contingent began to split up and fall back. Calls to stay in the streets, lock arms and walk
backward slowly were ignored by the more inexperienced brothers and sisters and this break in solidarity left us
no choice but to flee.
It was now a few minutes before 1:30pm and I was at 14th and Pennsylvania Ave. Despite what has just happened,
spirits were high as people danced in the streets, sang songs, and ate vegan sandwiches that were being passed
out. More calls of "Medic!!" were heard, and the street medics rushed to take care of pepper spray victims. The
spirit of mutual aid and solidarity was inspiring.
Many were unsure where the contingent was going to regroup but the network of decentralized communication worked
quickly. I was standing idle for only a few moments before a brother walked up to me and said "hey brother, we're
all going to 14th and H." Cell phone text messaging played a vital role in helping to spread information. A
"j20info" group had been created on the TxtMob website (http://www.txtmob.com/) and it was used to spread
"intelligence" information to the group. Information from those of us who signed up our phones was quickly spread
to others and it was easy to make quick collective decisions.
Reports came in of more pepper spray and rumors of tear gas at 14th and Pennsylvania had many of us moving around,
trying to adjust to the situation. A call for support to rush a checkpoint went out at one point but was quickly
rescinded. Reports later came in that one of the barricades had been breached and that was where the pepper
spraying was occurring.
As I walked to 14th and F, there were some right-wing anti-choice protesters with megaphones spreading their
anti-women message. One Anarchist brother yelled "He's so angry, I think he needs a hug!" (or words to that
effect) and three or four anarchist brothers and sisters swarmed in to give hugs. The anti-choice bigot was
annoyed to say the least.
I took a break for a bit to get some food and then just wandered the streets trying to see if there was any more
action. At around 4:30pm, a text message came through about a "spontaneous street party" which had started at
Connecticut and L. I tried to find it but my famous sense of direction made sure I was unsuccessful.
I was walking down Vermont at about 5:18pm, just about ready to call it a night, when I saw a contingent of
anarchists on a unpermitted march turning onto L street. I joined the contingent and we turned right onto Vermont.
We made our way to H street at around 5:37pm and found ourselves behind some barricades but these were easily
removed from our path and we proceeded to march down H street.
We turned onto Massachusetts Avenue at around 6pm and our contingent of about 200-250 took over the entire right
side of the street. As we entered Chinatown, we flashed peace signs at cars on the other side of the street and we
began getting honks of support. One car, which appeared to be driven by Republicans in town for the inauguration,
bumped one of the anarchist brothers which prompted a militant reaction from all those who were nearby.
At about 6:15pm. as we marched on Massachusetts toward Union Station, the heavy police presence which had begun
following us issued a warning to disperse. We began chanting "Union Station! Union Station!" and "Party! Party!
Party!" since our goal was to disrupt a Republican party at Union Station. Calls of "Tighten Up!" were made and we
began to link arms. Two more warnings were issued and at this point the contingent was pretty tight and most of us
had our arms linked in solidarity. The police, seeing our defiance, began to run into us with their motorcycles. I
was nearly hit, and the brother to my left who I was linked with appeared to be hit. One cop was hit in the leg by
another cop's motorcycle, to our amusement.
We were forced onto the sidewalk but remained defiant. One sister walked long the edge of the sidewalk while they
police pushed her back. I followed her the whole way, ready to pull her back if the police attempted to arrest
her.
We were gathered on the sidewalk until the light on Massachusetts turned red. We then all went back into the
street to cross the other side, many of us flashing middle fingers at the police. We converged at Union Station
and chants for peace and for an end to the occupation were heard. Several Republicans who were on their way to a
party at Union State were disrupted by creative methods such as stopping to "repair" a bicycle in their path,
walking in front of them then stopping suddenly, causing them to run into us, etc.
I spent some time sitting on a concrete barricade which was directly in front of the line of police motorcycles,
holding my red and black flag as it flapped in the wind. This was my final act of defiance before I called it a
night. All our spirits were high, we were unafraid and resisted the police state to the very end. I headed home at
around 7pm knowing that plenty of my brothers and sisters would remain and resist.
J20 Photos (Direct Action Tendency Website)
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(c) 2004,2006 Thomas Good
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