This post addresses common concerns and responses for the growing movement for abolition in the Inland Empire. Since we are trying to promote unrest and social change in the IE, we get a lot of questions about protests and actions. We put together this post for folks who are new to protesting and commonly asked the following questions. These perspectives can give us a sense of how to orient ourselves in our growing social movements. It is still only the beginning!
Who are the organizers?
95% of the time, this does NOT matter. We all know the stories of well-known and prolific organizers whose names were publicized and became targets of white supremacist, police, and FBI harassment. Knowing names and faces of those who organize actions not only puts them at risk, but has nothing to do with the REASONS people should be turning out to actions in the first place. If you agree with the need for social change, you don’t need to know who the organizers are because you are showing up for the what you believe in and not showing up for some social media celebrity with clout. In the almost non-existent cases where the protests may be organized by cops or sus people, still show up. Be cognizant of your surrounds and simply stay on the outskirts of the demonstration or in the back of the march if you are wary of who is there or who organized it.
Will it be peaceful?
This question also misses the point of actions and demonstrations, mostly due to the fact that this is impossible to guarantee. The only people who guarantee this are the police themselves which, in this case, are the very institution that people are protesting against. All other people who attempt to guarantee peace at actions are known as “peace police” because they replicate the actions of police themselves. They tend to be annoying people with vests and megaphones and should be ignored. Most importantly, the only way to guarantee your safety is for you and the homies you’re with to have each other’s backs because only we keep us safe. If you disagree with the abolitionist actions of property destruction, simply move out the way, but don’t act like the same police that you claim to protest – DON’T SNITCH.
Is this a permitted march?
This is also a question that misses the point: we roll out to the streets with the intention of shutting down this white supremacist system and all means are needed to accomplish that. Sometimes this means that actions transform and change moods, and actions are reflections of that. If the protest has the appearance of illegality – such as if people march without permits or begin to walk on the streets instead of sidewalks – these are only superficial appearances. Police act in illegal ways all the time and even following all of the “rules” at protests does not guarantee that the police won’t turn violent. The safety of those around you depends on your own boundaries, limits, preparation, and flexibility to respond to changing situations. Freedom is always risky and only your homies will ever have your back, not protest “leaders” or cops. The protest is ultimately about getting in touch with our own autonomy.
I don’t like how others are doing it, can I just organize one myself?
Yes! The more actions the better. There is a role for everybody in our movements. Accessibility is key to freeing our communities and so, invention is also needed to figure out ways to fully involve everyone. The more people who organize projects and actions, the more people who will be pulled into the inspiring work of liberation and abolition. It is within everyone’s autonomy to take action for themselves and their loved ones, and you don’t need to be a celebrity or experienced activist to do so. The point is to begin anywhere with those around you; all we need to free ourselves is already in our midst.
Further Reading:
“Revolutionary Solidarity: A Critical Reader for Accomplices”
“Who Is Oakland: Anti-Oppression Activism, the Politics of Safety, and State Co-optation”
“Anarchism and the Crisis of Representation” by Jesse Cohn