From It’s Going Down
“Next time you see me, I may be smiling
Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao!
I’ll be in prison or on the T.V
I’ll say the sunlight dragged me here!”
On Saturday, March 4th at the Minnesota State Capitol, alt-righters, white nationalists, Bikers for Trump, and various other right-wing supporters of the Trump regime attempted to hold a rally and march as part of the nationwide “March for Trump” called by President Cheeto himself. Students for a Democratic Society and various autonomous anti-fascist groups in the Twin Cities called for counter-demonstrations in response. The day was sure to be a heated confrontation, and it was. A more detailed reportback and firsthand account will hopefully be written by those who were there but for now, a few important details:
- Trump supporters came looking for a fight. When activists dropped a banner reading “Y’all racist” in the rotunda, Trump supporters grabbed them from behind, choked them, and even beat them. It wasn’t until after punches were thrown that people on the anti-Trump side began to fight back and defend themselves.
- Several people were maced. No one knows who did the macing, if it was antifa, Trump supporters, or perhaps even undercover cops. But mace in a crowded indoor area such as the Capitol rotunda backfires easily.
- Police were nowhere to be found until it was time to start arresting people and the arrests were entirely one-sided. 6 anti-fascists were arrested. One was let go and police said their court appearance papers would be mailed to them along with what their charges are. 5 others were held, initially for 48 hours. But, on Monday afternoon when they were supposed to be released we learned from a St. Paul police officer that they would be held for an additional 24 hours and would appear in court to be charged presumably with 2nd degree riot, a felony in Minnesota.
- Trump supporters were reportedly seen pointing anti-fascists out for arrest and the police were openly cooperating with these Trump supporters. We should have no illusions whose side the police are on, but after Saturday it should definitely be crystal clear to anyone who might still for some reason be on the fence.
In light of these things mentioned above, those involved in anti-repression work in the Twin Cities as well as friends/comrades of the arrested anti-fascists decided to call for a noise demo in support of them. Noise demos have a storied history in the anarchist movement of breaking down the walls of the prison if only for a moment to show that those locked up inside are not forgotten. They also have a proven track record of hastening the release of comrades snatched up by the State.* It was the hope of those doing the demo that, in addition to the phone blast of city attorney John Choi already underway called by the Twin Cities General Defense Committee’s Anti-Repression Working Group, enough pressure would be put on the police state to release our comrades without charges.
It was late at night. We were gathered in the parking lot of a gas station just about to close. Confused passersby gawked at the gaggle of bad kids in black and wondered what the hell was going on and just went on about their business. Once a few late arrivals finally made it in and a bullhorn was ready, we started. Chants of “burn all the jails, burn all the prisons, just make sure the cops are in ’em!” echoed off the walls of the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center and St. Paul police headquarters.
Without a cop in sight, we decided to up the ante a little and get closer. As we approached a nearby courtyard marked with “No trespassing” signs singing “Do You Hear the People Sing” only a single police cruiser drove by and didn’t even slow down. Feeling emboldened, we decided to actually venture in to the forbidden courtyard. We were literally in the cops’ own backyard! Fuck the police chants continued to fill the air, the cacophony of pots and pans, the screaming of whistles, flutes, and recorders joining in. Shortly after 10:00PM, when a noise ordinance goes into effect in the city, we decided to wrap it up and disperse. A few shadows of those inside the jail were seen in the windows, and we greeted them with chants of “You are not forgotten” and “We’ll be back!”
As we dispersed, an anti-fascist song “Bella Ciao” was sung. Just as the lyrics say, we came to “shake the gates of hell.” We went into the belly of the beast, into the St. Paul police department’s own backyard, and woke up the motherfuckin’ neighbors. Police repression of our movements will only embolden us. Kidnapping our comrades will only invite our rage and our wrath. It is the love for our comrades and passionate devotion to total liberation that fuels our hatred of the police and the fascists representing the Trump regime. We will not be intimidated by right wing violence against our movements. We will not be intimidated by police repression. We will only be further enraged.
Our passion for freedom is stronger than their prisons!
*As of the writing of this article, all 5 arrestees have been released without charges. This doesn’t mean that they are totally out of the woods yet as there is still a chance that they could still be charged with something else, perhaps more minor charges, but it is certainly good news and proof that putting the pressure on them works!