Explore every episode of the podcast The Ex-Worker
Dive into the complete episode list for The Ex-Worker. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
#115: Iran: An Uprising Besieged from Within and Without—Three Perspectives
09 Jan 2026
00:44:08
This episode offers an audio version of "Iran: An Uprising Besieged from Within and Without," discussing the uprising that broke out across Iran on December 28, 2025, triggered by economic distress and escalating to call for the toppling of the government. It includes three analyses exploring the tensions within the uprising between grassroots movements and monarchist groups courting the support of the United States and Israel.
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:41}
Report on the Current Wave of Protests in Iran {2:57}
Iran Protests Amid a Siege by Internal and External Enemies: A Report on the Recent Mass Uprising {6:53}
I. The Fifth Uprising since 2017 {8:11}
II. An Uprising Besieged by External and Internal Threats {10:51}
III. The Spread of the Revolt {16:52}
IV. The Geography of the Revolt {19:06}
V. The Impact of the Twelve-Day War {22:46}
VI. The Contradictions {28:11}
VII. The Horizon {32:52}
The View from Syria {38:45}
This episode offers an audio version of "Iran: An Uprising Besieged from Within and Without," published by CrimethInc. on January 7, 2026. The online version includes footnotes and hyperlinks offering more information.
Thanks to Ayman Makarem of From The Periphery media collective for reading and recording this episode.
To learn more about the conditions that ethnic minorities experience in Iran, read Precarious Work Means Precarious Life, discussing the Rajaee Port Disaster and what it shoes about the situation confronting Baluch ethnic minorities.
To learn more about security culture, consult our classic guide on the subject. You can download and print out an introductory poster about security culture here.
For more background on the use of racketeering charges against defendants in the Stop Cop City RICO case, you could read this introduction and this update. You can learn about how the J20 defendants beat their charges here.
#113: Mutual Aid and Revolutionary Anti-Capitalism: Revisiting the Difference Between Mutual Aid and Charity
20 Jun 2025
00:23:49
This episode offers an audio version of "Mutual Aid, the Commons, and the Revolutionary Abolition of Capitalism," exploring why the best way to understand mutual aid as an effort to create participatory commons in which everyone can contribute and there is no fundamental division between organizers and beneficiaries.
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Table of Contents
Introduction {0:30}
Is It Mutual Enough? {1:34}
Beyond Individualism {5:13}
The Ones with the Problem Are Themselves the Solution {9:18}
To keep abreast of the prevailing discourse about the difference between mutual aid and charity, you could begin with Dean Spade's "Solidarity Not Charity." By contrast, this text presents some of the criticisms of the ways that the framework of mutual aid is used and misused.
You can read read Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution here. You can read about Peter Kropotkin's influence of the origins of Alcoholics Anonymous here. You can read AA founder Bill Wilson's text "Benign Anarchy and Democracy," which is quoted in this episode, here.
You can read read Errico Malatesta's "Mutual Aid" here. The allusion to "relations without measure" in this episode is a reference to the journal Killing King Abacus.
For more perspective on how the non-profit industrial complex foreshortens the potential of movements for social change, read The Revolution Will Not Be Funded.
The clash in Minneapolis came on the heels of a raid in San Diego in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents shot flash-bang grenades at an angry crowd. You can read more about the response to the federal raid in Minneapolis here.
After the uprising in Los Angeles, fierce protests followed elsewhere around the country. We published reports from Austin, Texas and Chicago, Illinois. We have also published a readercollecting many reports and analyses covering the events of the first half of June 2025.
Many ICE operations have obviously been calculated to be as brutal as possible, targeting documented as well as undocumented people with the intention of terrorizing the general public. This gratuitous cruelty is fundamental to Donald Trump's governing strategy, as explained here.
A large number of employees at other federal agencies have been reassigned to assist in the assaults on communities that ICE is carrying out. You can read about that here.
To learn more about what you can do to resist ICE assaults on your community, you could begin with this guide. You can also educate yourself about rapid response networks. In 2018, demonstrators established blockades at ICE facilities, demonstrating how to take the initiative in the fight against ICE.
This short guide has been circulating in the wake of the uprising in Los Angeles; it covers street safety and other important factors to consider in the midst of the resistance to ICE and Donald Trump's attempt to impose fascism via military occupation.
If it is possible that you will be in an environment in which chemical weapons are deployed, it is possible to extinguish tear gas canisters—consult this tutorial. You can find a wealth of similar information about how to stay safe in demonstrations here.
#111: Become an Anarchist or Forever Hold Your Peace
18 Mar 2025
00:21:55
This episode offers an audio version of "Become an Anarchist or Forever Hold Your Peace," arguing that neither courts nor laws will halt the descent into autocracy. Massive numbers of people will have to take it upon themselves to organize concrete acts of resistance, to take direct action on a horizontal and participatory basis—in other words, to become anarchists.
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Table of Contents
Introduction {0:36}
Tyranny Is the Opposite of Anarchism {1:12}
A Three-Sided Conflict {3:45}
No Law Will Give You Freedom {8:32}
Remember How We Got Here {12:02}
Become an Anarchist or Forever Hold Your Peace {15:50}
This episode offers an audio version of "Become an Anarchist or Forever Hold Your Peace," published by CrimethInc. on February 21, 2025. The article version includes a variety of hyperlinks offering documentation confirming the claims therein.
If you're interested in learning more about anarchist ideas, you could start with To Change Everything, our introduction to anarchism, or with "The Secret Is to Begin," which offers further points of departure. To learn about direct action, start with this guide.
You can read our argument that it was naïve for Democrats to invest so much hope in Robert Mueller's investigation of Donald Trump here. We published it well before that investigation ended in a complete washout. Along similar lines, our text "Take Your Pick: Law or Freedom" has proved prescient, accurately predicting some of the quandaries that fetishizing legality has created for Democrats as Donald Trump and his cronies gain control of more and more aspects of the government and judicial system.
You can read our critical analysis of democracy in full in our book From Democracy to Freedom. We offer it in print or as a free PDF.
For more background on the neoliberal nightmare that has unfolded in Argentina since the victory of Javier Milei, read this.
For background on the damage that the Trump regime is doing to public health, consult this text. For background on the damage that the Trump regime is doing to medical research, consult this one. You can learn about how the cuts to USAID have impacted people around the world here. Elon Musk is even trying to make it impossible to keep up with the weather. Whatever you're imagining, what's happening is worse.
This episode offers an audio version of "It's Safer in the Front," making the case that seeking safety by avoiding confrontation is not likely to be an effective strategy in a time of escalating political conflict. {February 25, 2025}
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Table of Contents
Introduction {0:30}
My Friend's Grandfather {1:11}
"Summit of the Americas," Québec City, April 20, 2001 {3:41}
George W. Bush's Second Inauguration, Washington, DC, January 20, 2005 {5:10}
Democratic National Convention, Denver, August 25, 2008 {6:34}
Donald Trump's First Inauguration, Washington, DC, January 20, 2017 {8:59}
Block Cop City, Atlanta, November 13, 2023 {13:11}
Conclusion {18:33}
This episode offers an audio version of "It's Safer in the Front," published by CrimethInc. on January 28, 2025. The article version includes a variety of hyperlinks offering more documentation about the events referred.
To learn more about the mobilization against the "Summit of the Americas" in Québec City in 2001, read this. To learn more about the movement against capitalist globalization, of which it was a part, you could start here. You could also read David Graeber's reflections on the movement.
To learn more about the demonstrations against George W. Bush's second inauguration, read this. For more background on the history of anarchist protest activity against presidential inaugurations across the decades, you could start here.
To learn more about the mobilization against the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in 2008, read this.
To learn more about the anarchist demonstration against Donald Trump's first inauguration, read this. To learn about how the arrestees used solidarity to win a historic victory over the charges brought against them, start here. You could also read this text about what to do when kettled. And to get a sense of what it was like on the streets that day, don't miss the J20 protest simulator!
For background on the movement to stop Cop City in Atlanta, start here; to learn about the Block Cop City mobilization, read this. Finally, this article explores the trumped up charges brought against arrestees in the movement.
For background on the anti-fascist resistance to the "Unite the Right" rally, read these reflections. To learn about the Kronstadt revolt, you could start here.
This episode offers an audio version of "Sacrificial Violence and Retribution," exploring the responses to two different extrajudicial killings as a way to understand the different forms of violence that are contending in our society today. {November 22, 2024}
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Table of Contents
Introduction {0:30}
Sacrificial Violence {3:18}
Retribution? {8:35}
Beyond Martyrdom {14:11}
This episode offers an audio version of "Sacrificial Violence and Retribution," published by CrimethInc. on December 23, 2024. The article version includes a variety of hyperlinks providing citations for the claims made herein.
To get deeper into René Girard's analysis of sacrificial violence, you can read the first chapter of his book Violence and the Sacred here.
You can read an incomplete roundup of various responses to the shooting of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, here. In this news clip, you can see a representative speaking on CNN on behalf of a fundraising campaign in support of Luigi Mangione's legal defense. You can read a discussion of the causes of the anger directed at insurance executives here. You can read some statistics about gun violence in the United States in general here.
For information about how much damage mass deportations are likely to inflict on the United States economy—not to mention the lives of millions of families—start here. To learn more about why people travel to the United States without documents and what role they play in the United States economy, read our book, No Wall They Can Build.
Finally, for a further discussion of revenge and political violence, you could read an earlier article of ours, "Against the Logic of the Guillotine."
#108: The Case for Resistance
23 Nov 2024
00:41:09
This episode offers an audio version of "The Case for Resistance," laying out an analysis of what we can expect from Donald Trump's second term and how we can prepare to confront it. "This is a pivotal moment, and everyone who isn't cynically detached is sounding the alarm. Those of us who recognize the necessity of fighting had better find each other, identify the strengths and weaknesses of all the parties involved, recall the lessons of the past eight years, and strategize." {November 22, 2024}
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Table of Contents
Introduction {0:30}
The Balance of Forces {2:44}
How Popular Is Trump? {5:36}
Billionaire Supervillains {8:47}
Know Your Enemy {10:29}
Breaking the Spell {12:57}
Exerting Leverage {15:10}
Refine Our Strategies {17:51}
Fight Smart {19:17}
How Can We Resist? {20:27}
Strategizing to Stop Mass Deportations {33:08}
This episode offers an audio version of "The Case for Resistance," published by CrimethInc. on November 20, 2024. The article version includes a variety of hyperlinks providing citations for the claims made herein.
For background, you could start by listening to episode #106 of the Ex-Worker, which explores the various ways that the Democratic Party is responsible for creating the situation in which Donald Trump can return to power. It is also available as the article "History Repeats Itself: First as Farce, Then as Tragedy." Unfortunately, we predicted this dire turn of events in "Why Stop at Removing Biden?", published by CrimethInc. in July 2024.
For information about how to organize an assembly, you could read the article "How to Organize an Assembly," which details the steps in organizing a successful assembly and presents some sample discussion questions you could use to discuss how to prepare for the second Donald Trump administration.
For access to a wide array of materials about security culture, digital security, phone safety, protective gear, direct action strategy, street tactics, jail support, and first aid, you could consult "EVERYBODY OUT!," the resource list we published ahead of the 2020 elections. To get some historical context and refine your sense of strategy ahead of the second Trump era, read The Trump Years," a chronology of resistance and direct action under the first Trump administration.
#107: The Eye of Every Storm
19 Nov 2024
00:24:24
At a time when misinformation, rising authoritarianism, and disasters exacerbated by industrially-produced climate change are creating a feedback loop of escalating crisis, it's crucial to understand disaster response as an integral part of community defense and strategize about how this can play a part in movements for liberation. In this reflection, a local anarchist involved in longstanding disaster response efforts in Appalachia recounts the lessons that they have learned in the course of dealing with the consequences of Hurricane Helene over the past six weeks and offers advice about how to prepare for the disasters to come. {November 18, 2024}
For related content, you can listen to an interview with an anarchist involved in Mutual Aid Disaster Relief organizing in the wake of Hurricane Irma in 2017 in the fourth episode of The Hotwire. You can also read these accounts of anarchist relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Florence in 2018. Finally, this analysis written in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida explores the colonial roots of the disasters that a series of hurricanes has inflicted upon New Orleans.
You can read about how people responded to the impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico here. Anarchists in Brasil have made the case that capitalism is one of the chief causes of the suffering inflicted by the floods of May 2024. In episode 95 of the Ex-Worker Podcast, you can hear two perspectives on the responsibility of the Turkish and Syrian governments for the suffering caused by the earthquakes of February 6, 2023.
For more information about how capitalism is implicated in the sort of industrially produced climate change that is exacerbating hurricanes and other "natural" disasters around the world, you could consult this short text by Peter Gelderloos.
Finally, if you are looking to get connected to anarchist disaster relief efforts, you could start by learning more about Mutual Aid Disaster Relief.
#106: First as Farce, Then as Tragedy
07 Nov 2024
00:18:16
Donald Trump has won the 2024 election. In order to understand what we're up against, let's look at how we got here. In many ways, the Democrats are responsible for Donald Trump's return to power. Over the past four years, the Democrats have beefed up the institutions through which the fascists will enact their policies, normalized violence against the people that the fascists intend to target, turned over the communications platforms via which people share information, and discouraged people from the kind of tactics one needs to fight against a fascist regime is complicity. {November 6, 2024}
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Table of Contents
Introduction {0:37}
The Hot Potato Changes Hands Again {1:12}
The Party of Complicity {3:03}
The Road to Fascism {5:07}
The Police {5:15}
The Law {6:17}
The Media {8:05}
Emptying the Streets {9:28}
The Political Rachet {11:56}
Desensitizing the Public {14:04}
The Road Ahead {15:10}
This episode offers an audio version of History Repeats Itself: First as Farce, Then as Tragedy in Argentina, published by CrimethInc. on November 6th. The article makes the case that, in many ways, the policies of the Democratic Party are responsible for Donald Trump's return to power.
For background on the events described in this article, consult The Billionaire and the Anarchists, which traces Twitter from its roots as a protest tool to Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform; Take Your Pick: Law or Freedom, which explores how the slogan "Nobody Is Above the Law" actually paved the way for tyranny; The Trump Years, a chronology of grassroots resistance from January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021; and Why Stop at Removing Biden, an analysis of why it took the Democratic Party so long to remove Joe Biden and what the consequences were bound to be—a forecast borne out by the results of the 2024 election.
Regarding the argument that state power has become a "hot potato" that burns whatever party holds it, consult this article and Chile and this earlier article about Ukraine.
#105: Don't Stop: Continuing the Fight Against Cop City
05 Feb 2024
01:39:09
This episode offers an audio version of "Don't Stop: Continuing the Fight Against Cop City", published on December 12th. It traces the activities of the movement to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest from June through December 2023, including accounts of the campaign for an Atlanta voter's referendum on Cop City, the Sixth Week of Action, the relationship between clandestine direct action and public organizing, local Black organizing against the project, the Block Cop City march in November, and potential strategic pathways forward. Tune in for an in-depth evaluation of the latest phase in one of the most critical social struggles of our time. {February 4, 2023}
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:37}
The Hour Is Drawing Late {2:37}
They Don't Care About You {6:38}
The Referendum {8:24}
What Mass Organizing Makes Possible {11:19}
The Sixth Week of Action {17:58}
The New Balance of Forces {22:03}
Escalating Tactics {25:20}
Atlas Technical Consultants Drops Out {27:45}
Scooping the Mid-Range: Repressing Public Resistance {30:16}
The Storm Before the Storm {33:26}
Escalating Repression: RICO and the Furtherance of the Conspiracy {36:26}
RICO in Georgia {39:54}
You Can't Break Us {41:12}
The Scope of Repression Broadens {43:30}
This is Not a Local Repression Strategy {45:37}
Attrition and Conflict {47:51}
From Atlanta to Gaza, No Cop City Anywhere {52:22}
"Living in an Earthquake" (audio version) – chronicles February through June of 2023, including the fifth week of action, the repression that followed, and the City Hall mobilizations.
The Uncover Cop City campaign is targeting the insurers whose coverage makes Cop City possible, including Nationwide Insurance and Accident Fund - follow the links to find office locations and contact information to show your opposition to the project.
#104: Living in an Earthquake—The Fight against Cop City Confronts Unprecedented Repression
28 Dec 2023
01:47:07
At first, it appeared to be an ordinary forest defense campaign aimed at discouraging Atlanta city government from pouring money into an unpopular police training facility. But over the past two years, the fight against Cop City has escalated into one of the fiercest struggles of the Biden era, pitting a wide range of courageous people against a united front of politicians, prosecutors, and police. In their desperate efforts to deflect popular resistance and force through the project, police and prosecutors have pressed trumped-up domestic terrorism charges against almost every defendant arrested since last December; they have killed one forest defender; they have charged those engaged in legal support for the arrestees. In the following account and analysis, published on June 21st as "Living in an Earthquake: The Fight against Cop City Confronts Unprecedented Repression," participants in the movement in Atlanta trace its trajectory from the fifth Week of Action that began on March 4, 2023 through the City Council vote of June 5. {December 28, 2023}
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:37}
Preface {2:21}
Living in an Earthquake {3:28}
February 2023 {5:59}
The Fifth Week of Action {8:33}
Retaking Weelaunee People's Park {9:19}
The South River Music Festival: A Flower Between Two Abysses {11:49}
The March on the Cop City Construction {16:01}
Role Reversal {20:15}
The Raid on the South River Music Festival {22:12}
The Defense of the Music Festival {26:19}
A Pyrrhic Victory? {32:31}
Jumping to Conclusions {33:20}
Defense {36:25}
Urban Encampments {38:54}
The Limits of Deterrence {43:51}
Time and Space {46:14}
Controlling Risk {48:21}
The Aftermath {52:45}
The Week of Action Continues {55:09}
Without a Shadow of Doubt {57:07}
The Conclusion of the Fifth Week of Action {1:03:14}
Clearing Out {1:08:10}
Deforestation and Its Consequences {1:14:20}
Earth Day Weekend of Resilience {1:15:59}
Campus Actions {1:16:50}
War by Other Means {1:19:03}
The Attack on the Solidarity Fund {1:25:21}
The Centrists versus Everyone {1:27:43}
However They Vote, We Must Be Ungovernable {1:30:39}
The Theory of Failure and Disappointment {1:40:07}
For our most recent coverage, see "Don't Stop: Continuing the Fight Against Cop City", published by CrimethInc. on December 12th; stay tuned for the audio version, soon to be released as Ex-Worker Episode #105.
#103: The Return of the Ultraliberal Right in Argentina
10 Dec 2023
00:42:47
A so-called "anarcho-capitalist" has just been elected president in Argentina. What does this mean for anarchists and the prospects for revolutionary change in South America? Spoiler alert: it's not looking good. In this episode, we share an account from an Argentinian anarchist analyzing the recent rise to power of Javier Milei, an extreme neoliberal economist, in the context of the global turn towards fascist and reactionary populist leaders like Trump and Bolsonaro. You'll get an in-depth look at the history of center-left rule, military dictatorship, and neoliberal austerity that resulting in the powerful popular uprising of 2001, along with an detailed assessment of the economic challenges, disillusionment with the political class, and failures of the left and radical social movements that facilitated Milei's rise. This is a disturbing but essential exploration of one of the year's most important political developments, with critical implications for those of us fighting the culture and politics and fascism around the world. {December 10, 2023}
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:37}
Back to the Future {1:30}
"Viva la Libertad!"—Freedom to Work or Starve, to Submit or be Shot {5:53}
History Repeats Itself Again {17:30}
Ultraliberals, the Military, and Repression: A Love Story {27:18}
In case you were confused on this point, "anarcho-capitalist" is an oxymoron. We explore this in more depth in Episode 18 of the Ex-Worker, "What Anarchism Isn't, Pt 1: Libertarianism and Anarcho-Capitalism."
#102: How They Stopped Work at Raytheon
28 Nov 2023
00:12:53
On November 13, 2023, demonstrators in southern California blockaded a facility of Raytheon, a defense contractor, in solidarity with the Palestinians on the receiving end of the bombs that it produces. They managed to block the facility for more than seven hours, supported by waves of hundreds of activists joining the action, and succeeded in shutting down operations for the day. This episode offers an audio version of How They Stopped Work at the Raytheon Facility: Report on a Day of Blockading, published on November 15th. Participants summarize how the action was organized and unfolded, police responses, the background of direct actions against the war machine and mobilization in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and reflections for future resistance. {November 25, 2023}
On November 6, 2023, several hundred people showed up at the Port of Tacoma in Washington State to block access to a shipping vessel that was scheduled to deliver equipment to the Israeli military. This episode shares an account and analysis of the action published on November 10th as "Shutting Down the Port of Tacoma: Reflections from the Salish Sea." Participants review the history of port blockades in the Puget Sound, share their experience at the protest, and seek to offer inspiration for continued transoceanic solidarity. {November 23, 2023}
On April 19, 2023, a Russian anarchist named Dmitry Petrov was killed in battle near Bakhmut, Ukraine. In this episode, we offer a eulogy remembering Dmitry as an uncompromising anarchist fighter who participated in an unbelievable amount of radical activity around the region. His extraordinary life spanned anarchist organizing as a teenager in Moscow; environmental defense, radical unionism, and refugee solidarity activism; years of underground direct action against police, military, and profiteers from gentrification; participating in the Maidan protests in Ukraine, uprising against dictatorship in Belarus, and the struggle against the Islamic State in Rojava; co-founding the Anarcho-Communist Combat Organization; and finally taking up arms against Russian imperialism in Ukraine. This episode combines an incomplete biography of his life in combat against all forms of hierarchy and domination, along with a translation of his text "The Mission of Anarchism in the Modern World," a remembrance published by the Anarcho-Communist Combat Organization titled "Dima Ecolog's Partisan Path", and a song inspired by his direct action. Join us in commemorating the life of a powerful anarchist comrade who will be dearly missed. {November 7, 2023}
This episode offers an audio version of In Memory of Dmitry Petrov: An Incomplete Biography and Translation of His Work, published on May 3rd, 2023. It includes an account of his life and anarchist activity assembled by CrimethInc. operatives (be sure to check out the original article for all the links to the source material), along with Dmitry's text, "The Mission of Anarchism in the Modern World," a tribute from his fellow fighters from the Anarcho-Communist Combat Organization titled "Dima Ecolog's Partisan Path" (here in the original Russian), and a song based in part on his activities called "Black Blog Fighter" by the Russian punk band Electric Partisans.
A print version of this text in the form of a small book is available from Active Distribution in Europe. We hope to announce soon that copies will be available for purchase in the US via PM Press; we'll update this link when that comes to pass.
Here is a partial archive of Dmitry's writings, public statements, and publishing projects:
Dmitry speaking at the Ukrainian House (UkrDom) during the Maidan, in February 2014. (At this meeting, Dima spoke about the experiences of Russian protesters, drew parallels between the liberation struggle in both countries, and proposed the idea of people's power as an alternative to vertically organized power represented by professional politicians.)
Dmitry Petrov was killed alongside two other anarchist fighters, Cooper Andrews and Finbar Cafferkey. You can read about Cooper's motivations in his own words here and consult a eulogy from his comrades here. You can learn about Finbar's lifelong activism here, read an interview with him here, and listen to a song of his here.
#99: Strategizing for Palestinian Solidarity
08 Nov 2023
00:22:28
As the Israeli bombardment of Gaza intensifies, with over 10,000 deaths recorded to date, it is more urgent than ever for people everywhere to take decisive action to stop the war machine. In this episode, we share the strategic reflections of a collective of Jewish anarchists based in the US on Palestinian solidarity. The authors propose a shift from making demands to taking direct action, relying not on appealing to the consciences of politicians but on concretely interrupting the functioning of the businesses and agencies that are enabling the slaughter. After offering historical context to Israeli settler colonialism and Palestinian resistance, this article connects the movement to defend the Weelaunee Forest and Stop Cop City to Palestinian solidarity struggles, and describes approaches used by different collectives involving targeting war profiteers and law enforcement/military exchange programs. A publisher's afterward reflects on the uses and limits of tertiary targeting through reflections on the SHAC model and the Green Scare. Tune in for vital strategic reflections on what we can do from wherever in the world we're listening to take action against militarism, displacement, and death in Palestine. {November 7, 2023}
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:37}
The Ceasefire in Gaza Starts Here {3:43}
75 Years of War {6:06}
"Ceasefire now!" {10:33}
How to Start a Ceasefire {15:44}
Publisher's Afterword: The Uses and Limits of Tertiary Targeting {19:50}
For background on our discussion of tertiary targeting and direct action strategy, check out our critical assessment of The SHAC Model (2008) and the broader context of The Green Scare (2008).
The authors connect Palestinian solidarity to the movement to Defend the Weelaunee Forest and Stop Cop City. For our coverage of that movement, see Episodes 85, 86, 96, and 97 of the Ex-Worker for audio coverage; you can also read "The City in the Forest," chronicling the first year of the movement; "The Forest in the City", chronicling the second year of the movement; "Balance Sheet," exploring the strategies that different currents in the movement have employed; and "Living in an Earthquake," on the most recent wave of repression and resistance.
#98: From the Galilee to Gaza—A Voice From Palestine
01 Nov 2023
00:10:44
As the Israeli military escalates its slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza and societies around the world fracture and clash over the conflict, we want to amplify anti-authoritarian voices from within the territory to share their experiences and analysis. In this short but moving account, we present the perspective of a Palestinian living in the north of Palestine, who speaks about different aspects of life under colonization and about the struggle for liberation through grassroots organizing and solidarity. {November 1, 2023}
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:34}
A Voice From the Galilee in Palestine {2:18}
"Who's a Terrorist?"—The Manufacture of Consent {6:18}
Prosecutors in Georgia have charged activists protesting against a planned police militarization facility known as "Cop City" with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has indicted 61 people on RICO charges. In this episode, we explore the ramifications of this more or less unprecedented stage of repression. {Oct 6, 2023}
For more background on the ways that this law has been wielded as a tool of repression against social movements, see "On the Political Use of RICO Charges."
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers. You can find episodes from other anarchist podcasts covering the struggle to defend the forest in Atlanta and Stop Cop City, including The Final Straw Radio, This is America, from It's Going Down, and more.
#96: The Forest In The City: Two Years Of Forest Defense In Atlanta, Georgia
26 May 2023
01:52:38
This episode continues the Ex-Worker Podcast's coverage of the movement to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta, Georgia. In this episode, we present an audio version of The Forest In The City: Two Years Of Forest Defense In Atlanta, Georgia, originally published February 22, 2023, which continues the chronology of the movement whose origins we reported in episodes 85 and 86. In this eloquent and nuanced narrative, you'll hear a detailed account of the movement's second year, from the frenzy of activity in spring 2022 through the third and fourth weeks of action, waves of backlash and repression, and the tragic murder of forest defender Tortuguita, up to the eve of the March 2023 week of action. In addition to a chronology of developments and actions, the article shares insights learned by participants in the movement about relations with the media, the significance of music and the arts in social struggles, the importance of optimism and confidence, the risks of specialization, and many more aspects of revolutionary strategy. We encourage all of our listeners to learn what you can from this account, and to take action to support forest defenders and fight back against Cop City and its world. To learn more, be sure to check out the show notes and links, and stay tuned for forthcoming audio versions of more of CrimethInc.'s coverage of the struggle. {May 25, 2023}
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Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:37}
The Forest in the City: Two Years of Forest Defense in Atlanta, Georgia {3:13}
The Stakes of the Fight {3:37}
Taking the Initiative {9:05}
The Spring Was Ours {11:29}
Third Week of Action (May 2022) {13:47}
Hell is Empty, All the Devils Are Here {16:52}
They Don't Understand Who We Are {20:31}
They Tried to Break Us: Post-Week Raid {25:05}
Full Court Press {28:30}
Speaking for Ourselves {30:00}
Momentum Breeds Resistance {39:23}
The Tree People {41:18}
New Openings {43:40}
Luring Them In {46:42}
The Fourth Week of Action {49:12}
The Sound of Music {49:46}
Weelaunee People's Park {51:59}
The Kids Will Have Their Say {57:14}
Fall {1:02:48}
Gridlock and Innovation {1:05:49}
Preparing for a Clampdown {1:11:45}
The Repression {1:13:36}
We Are All Forest Defenders {1:16:06}
Destruction in Weelaunee People's Park {1:19:02}
Regaining Confidence {1:21:24}
Injunction Overruled {1:24:40}
January 18, 2023 {1:26:38}
The Shooting {1:29:21}
Tortuguita Vive, la Lucha Sigue {1:32:02}
Indomitable Resistance {1:35:30}
Is Everything Coming to a Head? {1:42:55}
Blood in the Water {1:45:23}
This episode offers an audio version of the article The Forest In The City: Two Years Of Forest Defense In Atlanta, Georgia, originally published February 22, 2023. Please note that this audio version does not include the article's Appendix, which offers a day-by-day chronology of events with links to media coverage; we thought that including this in the audio version would feel redundant for listeners, and the episode is already nearly two hours long! If you're interested, you can consult the original article to read this and check out the links it includes.
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers. You can find episodes from other anarchist podcasts covering the struggle to defend the forest in Atlanta and Stop Cop City, including The Final Straw Radio, This is America, from It's Going Down, and more.
#95: Disasters of State: On the Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
24 May 2023
00:28:20
On February 6, 2023, two powerful earthquakes hit southern Turkey and Northern and Western Syria, inflicting tremendous damage and killing tens of thousands of people. But there was nothing "natural" about this disaster: the lethal combination of negligence and repression imposed on the people of the region by the authoritarian regimes of the Turkish and Syrian states is directly responsible for the misery. This episode offers an audio version of the article "Disasters of State: The Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria", originally published on March 16, 2023. It includes two texts, the first from supporters of the movements for liberation in the regions of Bakur and Rojava and the second from supporters of the revolution in western Syria. These offer different vantage points on how the Turkish and Syrian governments not only failed to protect their subjects but used this catastrophe as an opportunity to consolidate power and target their adversaries via neglect, blockading, and even bombing. Against the opportunism and violence of the state, we are inspired by the international grassroots mobilization with which communities around the world have responded to the earthquake. But in order for these efforts to succeed, we have to understand both the earthquakes and the state as aspects of the same catastrophe and take action against both of them. {May 23, 2023}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:37}
Disasters of State: On the Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria {2:16}
Statement about the Earthquakes from the Bay Area Mesopotamia
Solidarity Committee {4:59}
In Syria, the Sieve of an Earthquake {12:57}
Back to a Revolution {16:30}
The Denial of Politics {19:39}
Confronting the Ba'ath Regime and Its Supporters {24:03}
In December 2022, a wave of popular protests led by campesino and Indigenous movements swept across Peru, including a nationwide mobilization in the capital. In response, the government has decreed a state of emergency, and the police have killed more than 60 people and injured thousands. For a direct view of these events, we spoke with Peruvian anarchists, hoping to get perspective on the aspects of this movement that exceed state politics. This episode narrates The Uprising in Peru, an interview conducted by comrades in Latin America with participants in Periodico Libertária, an anarchist publication based in the territory of Peru, originally published on February 19th. The comrades discuss the centrality of campesino and indigenous participation in the uprising, the brutality and racism of the police and their connection to the former dictatorship, the failures and opportunism of the political left, regional tensions across the Peruvian state, and different forms that anarchism takes in the region. (April 20, 2023)
#93: France in Flames: The Movement Against Macron's Pension Reform
15 Apr 2023
00:59:12
In France, a powerful protest movement has erupted against the government in response to an attempt to raise the retirement age. Millions have gone on strike and poured into the streets in the most substantial unrest in France since the Yellow Vest movement. President Emmanuel Macron and his henchmen have attempted to crush this movement by escalating police violence to lethal extremes. In this episode, we share two recently published texts on the movement against Macron's pension reform in France. In France: The Movement Against The Pension Reform—On The Threshold Of An Uprising?, published on March 22nd, we present an introduction and a translation of a French text, which explore the roots of the movement, an overview of its first phase, and an analysis of the issues at stake—which, our correspondents argue, goes beyond the democratic process or social benefits to a rejection of work itself. In France in Flames: Macron Attempts to Crush the Movement against the Pension Reform with Lethal Violence, published on March 30th, we offer a chronology of the events of the previous week, including a translation of an account by one participant in the brutally repressed demonstration at Sainte-Soline on March 25th and a statement from the parents of another who remains in a coma. As anti-government struggles with very different characters rage across the globe, from Peru to Iran to Israel, we're doing our best to transmit reports from anarchists on the ground about what's happening, about the possibilities and risks they present, and about how we can think critically about the currents of liberation inside of them. (April 15, 2023)
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Episode Introduction {0:37}
France: The Movement Against The Pension Reform—On The Threshold Of An Uprising? {2:22}
Bedtime for the Macron Regime? {12:04}
Alone against All {13:14}
The Best Retirement Is Attack {16:31}
A Critique of Violence {19:34}
Learning the Lessons of Repression {22:13}
Power Is Logistical—Let's Block Everything {27:40}
Towards Infinity and Beyond {33:05}
Ex-Worker PSA {34:40}
France in Flames: Macron Attempts to Crush the Movement against the Pension Reform with Lethal Violence {35:05}
The General Strike of March 23 {36:45}
The Strike Continues {39:19}
March 25: Bloodbath in Sainte-Soline {40:23}
Reportback From Sainte-Soline {44:34}
Communiqué from the Parents of Serge on March 29, 2023 {48:29}
Our French correspondents argue that what's really at stake in the protests around the retirement age is a mass rejection of work itself. Well, we've had some things to say about work, too, if you want to read or listen.
Our friends at Ill Will Editions offer some of the most insightful English-language coverage of social upheavals in France; this episode quotes from their article The Trap of Sainte-Soline.
In this episode, the Ex-Worker presents an audio version of A Coup D'Etat In Israel? The Bitter Harvest Of Colonialism, originally published on March 27th. The article assesses the recent attempts by Israeli President Benjamin Netanhayu to strip power away from the judiciary, a power grab that has precipitated the largest protest movement in modern Israeli history. As our correspondent from the region argues, however, the crisis has emerged out of a conflict between competing elites and their respective colonial models. The article provides in-depth context behind the social rifts and political developments that led to the current showdown, and highlights the structural exclusions that make Jewish democracy in Palestine—i.e., ethnocracy—possible. While different sectors within the state of Israel clash over its future and a "reactionary international" supports the most extreme right-wing Zionist currents, determined Palestinian resistance to escalating genocidal violence on the other side of the wall shows that the struggle has many sides. Tune in for an in-depth anarchist analysis of a complex and critical struggle for the future of the Middle East and beyond. (April 12, 2023)
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Ex-Worker Introduction {0:01}
Episode Introduction {0:36}
A Coup D'Etat In Israel? The Bitter Harvest Of Colonialism {2:17}
Since this article was published, some important developments have taken place. In an extreme provocation denounced by Muslim leaders across the world, Israeli police invaded Al-Aqsa mosque on the first day of Passover and during the middle of Ramadan, beating up worshippers and arresting 450; in response, attacks on Israelis took place through rockets launched from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria into Israeli cities, followed by Israeli attacks on Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Despite the threat that Netanyahu might attempt to use this escalation to silence the protests and unite Israelis around fear of a common enemy - a common tactic around elections and at times of social unrest - the protest movement remains strong, with some 100,000 demonstrators surging into the streets of Tel Aviv on the past two Saturdays. Also, the Israeli Minister of Defense who Netanyahu fired has been restored to his post.
The episode makes references to several historical events you might want to read more about, including the Wadi Salib revolts, the Black Panthers in Israel,
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers. You can find episodes from other anarchist podcasts exploring the situation in Israel from a radical perspectives, including the Dresden Anarchist Network, the Final Straw, and more.
#91: Elections, Fascism, and Popular Resistance in Brazil
03 Mar 2023
00:42:25
In Brazil, a three-way contest is unfolding between the far right in the streets, the institutional electoral left in the halls of power, and autonomous radical movements caught between them. When authoritarian president Jair Bolsonaro was narrowly defeated at the polls in October, a popular right-wing movement emerged to contest the election results, culminating in a protest in which Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in the capital of Brasilia. In this episode, we share two articles in which Brazilian anarchists analyze these developments: the first, published in October shortly after the election, assesses the limits of electoral strategies as pathways to social transformation or checks to fascist power; the second, published just after the right-wing attack on government buildings in January, analyzes the similarities and differences between the events in the US and in Brazil, and argues for the urgent necessity of autonomous direct action to counter both the limits of the left and the threat of the right. Anarchists in the United States and beyond can learn much from our Brazilian comrades as we strategize to push back against rising fascism in our own contexts. {March 3, 2023}
If you or folks you know speak/read Portuguese, check out pt.crimethinc.com, where you’ll find dozens of Brazilian Portuguese translations of articles and zines.
This episode makes a lot of references—here are some links to learn more about them! The articles speak of the Latin American "Pink Tide" of progressive electoral victories beginning in 2008, which itself drew on momentum from popular uprisings across the region in the preceding decades, including the 1989 Caracazo uprising in Venezuela and the reintroduction of democracy in Brazil and Chile (which didn’t make people free—see the Brazilian anarchist critique of their democracy, or our critique of democracy itself, for some insights as to why). There’s also discussion of the 2013 mass protests against the government’s effort to raise public transportation prices and the 2014 protests against the FIFA World Cup.
#90: Solidarity with Alfredo Cospito, Italian Anarchist Prisoner on Hunger Strike
09 Feb 2023
00:31:06
Italian anarchist prisoner Alfredo Cospito has been on hunger strike for over 100 days, demanding his release from the brutal regime of solitary confinement and severe restrictions known as "41bis." Despite the mobilization of anarchist and radical networks across Italy in solidarity, as well as actions in support across the world, the Italian state stubbornly refuses to acknowledge his protest, and Alfredo's life is in severe danger. In this episode, we share three short pieces that introduce you to Alfredo Cospito, explain the context behind the hunger strike and the repressive prison regime in Italy, and describe anarchist efforts to challenge the state's attempt to bury our comrade. We open with a short solidarity statement about the case, along with a translation of a statement by Italian philosopher Donatella Di Cesare titled "Release Alfredo Now—It's a Question of Justice." The episode concludes with an interview with a friend from Rome who locates the hunger strike and solidarity efforts in a broader context of anarchist activity in Italy and beyond. {February 9, 2023}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Ex-Worker Introduction {0:01}
Episode Introduction {0:37}
Solidarity with Alfredo Cospito {2:27}
Release Alfredo Now—It's a Question of Justice {8:30}
Interview with Alfredo Cospito Supporter in Rome {16:14}
#89: The Battle of York, January 2002—Anti-Fascism, Then and Now
06 Feb 2023
00:45:32
In this episode, we share an audio version of a recently published account from the history of anarchist struggles against fascism. On January 12, 2002, hundreds of neo-Nazis gathered in York, Pennsylvania to promote white supremacy. Anarchists and other opponents of fascism throughout the region mobilized to oppose them, making common cause with locals and sending the fascists packing in a clash that came to be known as "the Battle of York." Twenty-one years later, a participant in the day's events recounts the clashes and reflects on what has changed since then, comparing the events in York with those in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017. This account is adapted from a memoir forthcoming on PM Press, entitled The Anarchist International. {February 6, 2023}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Ex-Worker Introduction {0:01}
January 2022: The Battle of York—Anti-Fascism Then and Now {0:38}
Want to learn more about anarchist struggles against fascism in the past and today? Start with The Ex-Worker's two episodes on the subject, [#11, "Never Forgive and Never Forget"](https://crimethinc.com/podcasts/the-ex-worker/episodes/11) and [#12. "Remembering Means Fighting"](https://crimethinc.com/podcasts/the-ex-worker/episodes/12).
In November, CrimethInc. was banned from Twitter by Elon Musk, part of a concerted campaign by right wing trolls and the world's richest man to shift global political discourse to the right. Why is this happening now, and what should we do about it? This episode collects three months of our writings and coverage of developments with social media as it enters a new phase of consolidation and cooptation. We open with an article published in October—before our ban—tracing the evolution of Twitter from a protest tool developed by anarchists for use at mass mobilizations into a corporate platform controlled by a right-wing billionaire. Next, we share the statement we issued when Twitter banned CrimethInc. from the platform, as well as a poster developed to take our response offline and into the streets. The episode concludes with Canary in the Coal Mine: Twitter and the End of Social Media, an in-depth analysis of how communications in movements for social transformation have evolved within the shifting landscape of technology, politics, and resistance in the past decades, concluding with suggestions for ways to take action beyond the nightmare of corporate social media. {January 30, 2023}
CrimethInc. wasn't the only radical account banned from Twitter, of course. As The Intercept, Jacobin, and others have reported, other radical outlets who've gotten the chop include It's Going Down and many other anarchist, anti-fascist, and critical journalist accounts.
Want to stay connected without Twitter? Follow us on Mastodon and Telegram and subscribe to our RSS feed. You can even find us on YouTube, Tumblr, and Reddit. If you want to help us continue to reach people offline, order stickers and others materials to distribute here.
#86: Stop Cop City / Defend Weelaunee Forest, Part II: Accounts and Solidarity
29 Jan 2023
00:47:01
In this episode, we continue our coverage of the struggle to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta, Georgia. While Episode 85 offered a history and analysis of the first phases of the movement, today we present a series of anonymous first person narratives from participants who describe their inspiring and transformative experiences in the forest, originally published in August 2022 as "Beneath the Concrete, the Forest." The episode opens with the text of a solidarity statement we're encouraging all listeners to sign with groups or as individuals, in response to the police's murder of forest defender Manuel "Tortuguita" Teran. Around the US and escalating repression of the movement. {January 29, 2023}
DJing is an Extension of My Everyday Acts of Resistance {35:12}
The Sweat Lodge {37:37}
To Defend the Forest, Everyone Has to Fight {39:19}
Appendix: Not a Music Festival {43:18}
Conclusion {46:06}
We opened this episode by sharing this solidarity statement to show support for the movement. If you are part of an organization, or just an interested individual, you can sign on by emailing defendweelaunee at riseup dot net.
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers. You can find more coverage of the struggle to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest on other CZN projects, including The Final Straw Radio, It's Going Down, and Kite Line, so check out those projects through the links above if you want to hear more.
#85: Stop Cop City / Defend Weelaunee Forest, Part I: History and Analysis
27 Jan 2023
01:22:30
The Ex-Worker is back! Episode 85 introduces the history behind the struggle to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta, Georgia. For nearly two years, a coalition of anarchists, abolitionists, environmental activists, indigenous communities, local residents, and supporters from all over has faced off against police, entertainment and construction companies, politicians, and media intent on destroying a beloved forest to build a police training compound and a film industry sound stage. Recently, the state has arrested over a dozen activists on absurd charges of "domestic terrorism," and on January 18th, police murdered forest defender Manuel "Tortuguita" Teran. Around the US and beyond, folks are mobilizing in outrage against the killer police and the corporate and political power structures responsible for their murderous repression. In this episode, we present a long article first published in April 2022, titled The City in the Forest: Reinventing Resistance for an Age of Climate Crisis and Police Militarization, which combines a comprehensive history of the campaign to defend the forest with a strategic analysis that locates it in reference to the broader political context and other similar campaigns. Stay tuned for more coverage in Episode 86, including accounts from the forest and a solidarity statement you can sign to show support. {January 27, 2023}
If you are part of an organization, or just an interested individual, you can sign on to this solidarity statement to show your support for the movement. You'll hear an audio version in our forthcoming Episode 86, too.
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers. You can find more coverage of the struggle to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest on other CZN projects, including The Final Straw Radio, It's Going Down, and Kite Line, so check out those projects through the links above if you want to hear more.
#84: Steal Something From Work Day 2022
15 Apr 2022
01:14:06
April 15th is Steal Something From Work Day! For over a decade, we've celebrated the everyday resistance that workers undertake to challenge their exploitation when the boss isn't watching. Whether in factories or coffee shops, under capitalism or socialism, workers have always pilfered from their workplaces—not just as a way to survive or get revenge for exploitation, but as a way to channel their creativity and humanity. In this episode, we introduce listeners to our favorite holiday, answer common questions about it, and share some fascinating accounts and analyses. A "grocery store guerrilla" shares a story of theft and resistance, while a network of workplace rebels describe how they formed "The Team" to expand their class war efforts. A factory worker in Soviet Hungary relates a fascinating story of how illicitly making personal items in factories provides a window into what free creative activity could look like beyond the world of work, whether enforced by capitalist or socialist bosses. A 2020 analysis from the early days of the pandemic explores what stealing from work at the end of the world can look like, whether you're an "essential" or remote worker. And we wrap up with a reflection on the revolutionary horizons of struggle against capitalism through and beyond stealing from work. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more audio projects exploring work, capitalism, and resistance! {April 15, 2022}
But there's more! If you want to spread the word about Steal Something From Work Day, you can check out all of our outreach materials, including stickers, posters, pamphlets, postcards, and Heist, our journal of workplace theft!
Got a story to share? Send in your own account of stealing from work to contact[at]crimethinc[dot]com!
Stay tuned for the forthcoming audio version of our classic book Work! In the meantime, did you know that we have an audio book of No Wall They Can Build and an audio zine version of From Democracy to Freedom?
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers.
#83: Anti-War Resistance in Russia
11 Mar 2022
01:45:14
Even as Russian forces continue their brutal assault on Ukraine, a growing domestic uprising is challenging the empire from within. This episode of the Ex-Worker focuses on the anti-war movement in Russia, analyzing it from an anarchist perspective and assessing the regime's power and vulnerability. The episode opens with a call to action from the March 6th day of protest across Russia and a summary of militant direct actions against the war machine. An anarchist in the provinces shares a first-person reflection on the evolution of the anti-authoritarian movement and its prospects in today's crisis, while an analysis from Autonomous Action considers Putin's miscalculations, the information war, international dynamics, and possibilities for resistance. An independent journalist discusses the nature of the protests, police responses, migration and diaspora, censorship, the role of NATO, and lessons to learn from the invasion and the protest movement. We close out with a Syrian refugee collective's reflections on how their experiences in the Syrian revolution and civil war can inform how international observers relate to the conflict. And just for fun, we throw in some hair-raising Russian songs related to protest and war. We'll continue our coverage of the crises in Ukraine and Russia—and much more—in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. {March 11, 2022}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:01}
[Protester's Song From a Russian Police Van] {5:29}
The piece "The Kremlin's Fatal Miscalculation" is a translation of the transcript of the March 6 episode of Trends in Order and Chaos, the podcast from the anarchist media platform Autonomous Action.
During our interview, Dmitrii recommended a few English-language news sources on Russian politics, including Open Democracy, Meduza, and The Russian Reader.
By the way: if you have any trouble with the accent or wording in the live interview, you can always read along with the transcription in our full transcript, which is lightly edited for easier understanding.
The Ex-Worker is a proud member of the Channel Zero Network, an English-language anarchist radio and podcast network run by radical media makers. Several other CZN participants, including The Final Straw Radio, Elephant in the Room, and This is America by It's Going Down, have done their own coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so definitely check out those projects through the links above if you want to hear more.
#82: Invasion and Resistance in Ukraine, Part II
04 Mar 2022
01:07:32
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine proceeds, anarchists on both sides of the border are mobilizing to resist. This episode collects a variety of statements and accounts from anti-authoritarians explaining their opposition to Putin's bloodthirsty imperialism while rejecting nationalism and the state. We share messages from the newly formed anarchist Committee of Resistance in Kyiv, as well as from Russian anarchist groups including Food Not Bombs Moscow, Anarchist Fighter, and St. Petersburg's Anarchist Black Cross. These testimonies refute Russian state and authoritarian leftist propaganda about the invasion and emphasize the possibilities for resistance and solidarity. An anarchist refugee attempting to escape the war zone gives a detailed report on daily life in the midst of war, martial law, the political composition of the armed forces, the grassroots mobilization of society for defense and mutual aid, the situation at the border, and ways to show support. Stay tuned for more coverage of anarchist analysis and resistance from the front lines of imperial war. {March 4, 2022}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:01}
Russia and Ukraine: Grassroots Resistance to Putin's Invasion {4:05}
Moscow Food Not Bombs Statement {4:35}
Interview: The Committee of Resistance, Kyiv {6:23}
Additional Statement From the Committee of Resistance {12:04}
Russian Anarchists on the Invasion of Ukraine: Updates and Analysis {19:30}
Anarchist Militant's Position on Russia's Attack on Ukraine {20:39}
The Dusk before Dawn {26:06}
The Anarchist Black Cross of St. Petersburg Statement against the War {34:40}
Interview with Anarchist Refugee In Ukraine {36:31}
As Russian tanks encircle Kyiv and hundreds of thousands of refugees flee, our hearts go out to our comrades in Ukraine resisting the Russian invasion—and to the Russian anti-war movement bringing the resistance home. In this episode, we explore the history and background context to the current crisis in Ukraine. A variety of firsthand accounts from the weeks leading up to the invasion discuss differing perspectives on the threat of war, the complexities of anti-fascism, the role of NATO, and possibilities for principled resistance in times of severe threat. We share an excerpt from an interview by Elephant in the Room with a Ukrainian anarchist discussing the political history of Ukraine since the fall of the Soviet empire, Putin's vulnerabilities, and the character of the current Ukrainian regime. A long essay written by group of Ukrainian anarchists maps out the political landscape from the Maidan protests through the present crisis, with special attention to the evolution of the anarchist movement in recent years. And a statement from Russian anarchists on the eve of the invasion highlights the shared commitment of anarchists in the region to resisting Russian imperialism while working towards a broader vision of liberation. {March 2, 2022}
We played some short excerpts from an interview with a Ukrainian anarchist originally released by Elephant in the Room, a Dresden-based anarchist audio project. Highly recommended to listen to the whole interview! You can also read an edited transcription later on in the Between Two Fires article.
Opponents of vaccine mandates have established protest encampments in Ottawa and elsewhere around Canada, blockading several routes crossing the United States border. Far-right organizers and former police officers have prominent positions in this movement, and police have taken a relatively hands-off approach thus far; it appears likely that the model currently being tested in Canada will appear elsewhere around the world shortly. In this episode, we present an audio version of the article Ill Winds From Ottawa: Thinking Through the Threats and Opportunities as a Far-Right Initiative Gains Momentum, in which our correspondent in Montréal explores the sequence of events that led up to these developments, reviews the agendas of the various forces vying for control, and reflects on what we can do in a situation in which the far right has gained the initiative.
{February 17, 2022}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:01}
Preface: A Movement for "Freedom"? {1:56}
Ottawa is Just the Tip of the Iceberg {4:36}
Timeline {8:47}
Update: Trudeau Invokes the Emergencies Act {16:45}
Why Has the Situation in Ottawa Gone on So Long?{18:23}
By the Way, We Probably Shouldn't Call These People "Truckers" {24:02}
Beyond Ottawa: The Movement in the Streets {27:23}
Since the above article was written, an important development has taken place, which we describe in the episode as such:
As we prepare to release this podcast, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked the Emergencies Act, temporarily granting the federal government sweeping powers. Among other things, this enables banks to freeze personal and business accounts suspected of being used to further the blockades—and they can freeze them without obtaining a court order. It is easy to imagine how this precedent could pave the way for the US government to freeze bail funds and other accounts serving protesters in the US, as well—including anti-fascists and anarchists.
This drives home that we are in a three-way contest with both far-right nationalists and centrist state authorities, in which the enemy of our enemy is not our friend. Any power that we permit either of these adversaries to gain will ultimately be used against us, as well. If we legitimize any repressive measures that the Canadian state takes against these protesters, it will only be easier for the authorities to take the same measures against us when we try to change society for the better. (We made this same point about liberals who celebrated the repressive measures, ranging from facial recognition software to crowdsourced social media snitching, used against right-wing participants in the January 6th disorder at the US Capitol.) This is why grassroots resistance to fascism is so important: it is the only way to defend ourselves and our neighbors without contributing to the development of an invasive and unaccountable centralized power.
#79 – The *Real* Truth About Today's Anarchists: The Ex-Worker Responds to the New York Times
05 Oct 2020
01:05:47
Anarchists and anti-fascists in general, and CrimethInc. in particular, have been the focus of intense hostile government and right-wing attention and censorship efforts in recent weeks. The latest salvo comes from the New York Times, which on June 30th published "The Truth About Today's Anarchists," drawing on conspiracy theorists and right-wing talking points to argue that violent anarchists are somehow controlling the ongoing countrywide protests, but don't actually care about Black lives. The article actually calls out The Ex-Worker Podcast by name! While we're flattered for the attention—who knew we were such a threat?—the article is both inaccurate and dangerous; more importantly, it touches on critical issues about today's movements for liberation that we need to clarify. So in this episode, the Ex-Worker lays out the truth about "The Truth About Today's Anarchists", refuting the article's bogus claims one by one, and offering a more accurate perspective on the relationships between anarchists and the ongoing movement to end white supremacy and police violence. We conclude with an audio version of an article we published with Agency in June called This Is Anarchy: Eight Ways the Black Lives Matter and Justice for George Floyd Protests Reflect Anarchist Ideas in Action. This episode challenges the myths and distortions about anarchism offered across the spectrum from Trump to the New York Times to provide insight into what anarchists today are really fighting for.
To read our own account of how the uprising spread and why the authorities themselves were chiefly responsible for the widespread adoption of confrontational tactics, check out the CrimethInc. article "Snapshots from the Uprising." If you want to know more about what anarchists believe and desire, start with To Change Everything: An Anarchist Appeal.
For an articulate portrayal of exactly why government elites and right-wing authoritarians feel so threatened by us these days, check out the recent essay "Why Anarchism Is Dangerous."
#78: June 11th—Prisoner Solidarity, COVID-19, and Anti-Police Rebellion
11 Jun 2020
02:02:50
Today we celebrate June 11th, an international day of solidarity with long-term anarchist prisoners. While this is the sixteenth year this date has been observed, 2020 presents an unprecedented context: both the COVID–19 pandemic and the massive uprising sparked by the police murder of George Floyd have shifted our focus and sense of what's possible. In solidarity with all prisoners, with particular care for anarchists in long-term confinement, we begin by sharing an excerpt from a history of June 11th as a day of prisoner solidarity along with the June 11th call issued for 2020. To these we add a short interview with a June 11th organizer and supporter of anarchist Green Scare prisoner Marius Mason. As politicians raise the specter of "antifa" to divide and defuse the militant anti-police resistance that has swept the US and beyond, we explore state repression of antifascists through an interview with antifascist prisoner David Campbell and his support crew. Another interview with a participant in the South Florida COVID–19 Hotline for Incarcerated People explores a model for prisoner solidarity in pandemic times. We conclude with updates on several long-term prisoners' cases and upcoming birthdays. After today's focus on prisoner struggles, next time we'll return our focus to the Minneapolis uprising and the international movement to commemorate Black lives lost to police violence.
We shared an interview with antifascist prisoner David Campbell. Here are some tips on writing to him, and this is his address: David Campbell #3101900657 Robert N. Davoren Complex 11–11 Hazen St East Elmhurst, NY 11370
If you want to virtually visit him, here are instructions:
Check the Visit Schedule, then click on the month (e.g. "May 2020"): Rikers folks can have up to three visitations as long as they fall under:1 weekday (Wed or Thurs), a Friday, and 1 weekend day (Sat or Sun).
Fill out Televisit Request form: You'll need a photo ID, address, and e-mail to complete the form. You will need to upload a photo of your ID. Up to three people can visit at a time. You will also need to know the incarcerated person's booking and case number; for David Campbell, his booking and case number is: 3101900657. You will be able to choose up to three potential visit times, unfortunately there is no guarantee that you will get your first choice.
Wait for an e-mail or call from Rikers telling you the date and time of your virtual visit. This will happen the day before your scheduled visit. (Note that the slot they give you might be different from any of the dates or times you requested).
Also check out "Stickup on Rikers," an article David wrote on the hunger strike he helped to organize in March.
Be sure to also check out the June 11th episode from The Final Straw, featuring interviews with a Marius Mason supporter and with anarchist prisoner Jeremy Hammond.
If you're interested in the South Florida COVID–19 Hotline for Incarcerated People (CHIP), please consider donating to them through GoFundMe, Venmo (@CHIP-Hotline), or PayPal (sflactivistdefensefund@gmail.com). If you want to volunteer or offer other support, or you're interested in starting a similar project, you can contact the organizers at C19inmatehotline[at]riseup[dot]net.
To understand the history that led to the arrest of Marius Mason and the emergence of June 11th as a day of anarchist solidarity, it's helpful to learn about the Green Scare, the wave of arrests and state repression against earth and animal liberation movements in the early 2000s. Check out Ex-Worker episodes [#34, "Staying Safe so we can be Dangerous Together"](https://crimethinc.com/podcasts/the-ex-worker/episodes/34), and [#17, "Conspiracy! State Repression Strategies and Anarchist Resistance"](https://crimethinc.com/podcasts/the-ex-worker/episodes/17) for more background and analysis.
Check out The Uprise Daily, an exciting new audio project offering a daily rundown of protests and ongoing rebellion in response to police killings.
#77: Minneapolis Uprising, Part 1—How to Abolish the Police
11 Jun 2020
01:20:44
The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police has sparked a nationwide rebellion against the police and global solidarity efforts. One of the most striking developments is the announcement on Sunday, June 7 by a majority of Minneapolis City Council members that they intend to dismantle the city's police department. In Episode 77 of the Ex-Worker—the first in a series covering the Minneapolis uprising and its national and global implications—we return to the question of abolishing the police. The episode kicks off with our reflections from these unprecedented first two weeks of rebellion, then shares an essay exploring the question we're all asking: What Will it Take to Stop the Police From Killing? Next, we share an anonymous report on the siege of the Third Precinct in Minneapolis, analyzing how a diverse "compositional" crowd was able to defeat the police. An anarchist from Minneapolis who attended the rally where the City Council declared their intention to end the police department shares their take on the background and context leading to the announcement and how abolitionist organizers, rioters, artists, and others joined forces to make abolition imaginable. We conclude with our thoughts about how the struggle against police might unfold beyond Minneapolis in the months to come. Stay tuned for more episodes soon on the Minneapolis uprising, June 11th, and prisoner struggles, international solidarity with the rebellions, and more!
If you want to actually watch the Third Precinct as it succumbs to the wrath of the people, there's no better source than the Unicorn Riot livestream (Day 3, Thursday evening, from about 1:14:30 onwards).
Prisoner birthdays and updates on prison struggles coming in our next episode about June 11th, the international day of solidarity for long-term anarchist prisoners!
#76: Anarchist Nurses Speak Out on Survival and Resistance
08 Apr 2020
01:56:24
Here at the Ex-Worker, we continue to navigate the COVID–19 crisis by seeking guidance and insight from three anarchist nurses who are working on the frontlines of the pandemic. First, we hear from an anarchist ER nurse from the southwest US who offers reflections on individual and community health, mutual aid projects, and how to stay safe through the epidemic. You'll hear a brief discussion of the promise and peril of antibody testing and the concept of an immunity passport. After that, we share a long conversation with two anarchist nurses from New Orleans, Louisiana on a wide range of topics, including harm reduction, how to support healthcare workers, the legacy of AIDS activism, delineating between authority and expertise, and lots more. We close out the show with urgent appeals of support for families at Black Mesa as well as incarcerated radicals , Kijana Tashiri Askari, Leonard Peltier, David Campbell, and all prisoners trapped on the inside through the pandemic.
Mutual aid projects as a general concept are mentioned in both interviews. To learn more about mutual projects in your area, check out this list put together by our friends at itsgoingdown.org and this guide to Radical Solidarity Through Covid–19 from Mutual Aid Disaster Relief.
Antibody tests may be a new tool to fight the spread of the virus, but proposals for an Immunity Passport could lead us farther down totalitarian and dystopian paths.
Please support efforts to get Leonard Peltier released from federal prison into home confinement by writing to his captors using the info below. (We know, we know-home confinement, ugh! But JUST DO IT, seriously!!)
In light of the provisions of the CARES Act meant to decrease the risk to prisoner heath, in response to the COVID–19 pandemic, the U.S. Attorney General has delegated to the Director of the Bureau of Prisons the authority to release certain vulnerable prisoners to home confinement. Currently, the process for identifying appropriate candidates for home confinement have not been solidified but we believe it may help to write to the BOP Director and Southeast Regional Director and ask that Leonard be immediately considered and transitioned to his home on the Turtle Mountain Reservation.
Your letters should be addressed to:
Michael Carvajal Director, Fed. Bureau of Prisons 320 First Street NW Washington, DC 20534
J.A. Keller Southeast Regional Director Federal Bureau of Prisons 3800 Camp Crk Prk SW, Building 2000 Atlanta, GA 30331
We have not drafted a form letter or correspondence. Your pleas should come from your heart as an individual who has supported Leonard for so many years. Say what you would like but we have put together some talking points that will assist you in your letter writing. Below are some helpful guidelines so your letter touches on the requirements of the Attorney General's criteria for releasing inmates like Leonard to home confinement.
OPENING: Point out that Leonard is an elder and is at risk; for example, "Mr. Peltier is 75 years old and in very poor health; his only desire is to go home to the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation and live out the remainder of his years surrounded by his family."
MEDICAL: The AG and CDC guidelines for releasing inmates requires the health concerns cause greater risk of getting the virus. Leonard has the following conditions you can list in your letter: Diabetes, Spots on lung, Heart Condition (has had triple by-pass surgery), Kidney Disease.
RISK TO COMMUNITY: To qualify for release to home confinement we must show that Leonard poses no risk to the community.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT/RENTRY PLAN: To qualify for release to home confinement we must show that Leonard has a reentry plan. Leonard has support from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Band and has family land on the reservation where he can live.
RISK OF COVID–19: To qualify for the release to home confinement must show that Leonard is at reduced risk to exposure of COVID 19 by release than he is at Coleman 1. As of recently Rolette County, ND has no cases of COVID 19, Sumter County has at least 33 cases.
Check out The Final Straw's stellar and important interview with New Afrikan Black Revolutionary prisoner Kijana Tashiri Askari, who is in urgent need of medical assistance due to a heart condition. UPDATE from supporters: After the first day of calls they changed his medicines to something more appropriate for his heart condition—not just Tylenol, which they had him on (only). That's the only thing so far. Please help keep up the pressure!
You can help bail out vulnerable detainees from immigration detention and jail by donating to the LGBTQ Freedom Fund; with pandemic-related bail reductions, they've expanded their focus past LGBTQ detainees to bail out as many people as they possibly can.
Upcoming prisoner birthdays:
Romaine 'Chip' Fitzgerald #B–27527 California State Prison LAC Post Office Box 4490 B–4–150 Lancaster, California 93539 Address envelope to Romaine Fitzgerald, address card to Chip
#75: Rent Strike!
31 Mar 2020
01:24:13
This April 1st, people around the world will go on strike and refuse to pay rent. In the midst of the pandemic, we are confronted not only with a virus, but with the murderous logic of the market. Before COVID–19 hit, millions already struggled to afford rent, mortgage, or loan payments; today, all but the wealthiest face ruin, caught between either sickness or poverty. It's inevitable that most of us will not be able to pay the bills next month—but what we do about it is up to us. This episode offers tools, examples, and history to support you and your neighbors in withdrawing your support from the regime of rent and debt and to devote what resources you have to nourishing yourself and your community through mutual aid. We'll share excerpts from CrimethInc. texts promoting the strike, discuss the 5 Demands framework and anarchist critiques of it, work through concrete tactical suggestions from a rent strike tool kit, present an invitation to a strike from the West Coast and an interview with the radical housing collective Station 40, and offer a condensed version of an inspiring history of rent strikes around the world over the past century.
#74: Surviving the Virus—An Anarchist Introduction to Pandemic Life
31 Mar 2020
00:54:58
The COVID–19 crisis presents both extreme dangers and opportunities. As our lives are threatened by a new virus, our freedom is menaced by authoritarians intent on using this opportunity to set new precedents for state intervention and control. On the other hand, the collapse of the global capitalist economy and unprecedented social crisis are opening possibilities for refusal and resistance that we could not have imagined even a month ago. How can we keep ourselves healthy while resisting the intensification of control and pressing our advantage to undo capitalist relations? To open our discussion of life and resistance in the new pandemic landscape, we present the recent CrimethInc. text Surviving the Virus: An Anarchist Guide, which explores how to apply anarchist tools such as affinity groups and security culture to organizing our lives during the pandemic. We discuss the significance of nationalism and xenophobia in political discourse around pandemics today and in history, including the intriguing story of how the so-called "Spanish Flu" of 1918–19 got its name. Comrades in Italy offer us Against the Coronavirus and the Opportunism of the State, their report on the early days of the pandemic and quarantine in and around Milan. The episode concludes with an appeal to our listeners to let us know how we can best support all of you during the challenging times ahead. Please reach out and let us know! Whatever the future brings, we will be with you in solidarity as we confront the challenges and possibilities of pandemic life.
On resistance during the pandemic, check out this Black Rose Federation article on labor strikes and walkouts.
Please let us know what you'd like to see from the Ex-Worker in the weeks and months to come! You can email us at podcast at crimethinc dot com, or hit us up on CrimethInc.'s social media.
Just days into the new year, masked encapuchados circle-pitted while burning the church of the Carabineros. That's how fierce the Friday protests continue to be. Action has somewhat (not entirely!) slowed down on the other days of the week, but anarchists have taken advantage of the extra time to pour energy into organizing: neighborhood assemblies, prisoner defense, and anarchist congresses. Students are burning their university entrance exams—a preview of what's to come when the school year begins anew in February. We have interviews from the streets, from the anarchist congresses, and with an anarcho-syndicalist healthcare workers' union. With everything going on, we feel like we have to leave the podcast behind and film a documentary. Check out our wishlist and get in touch if you can help us get the gear we need: podcast@crimethinc.com.
{January 17th, 2020}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Help Us Make a Documentary! {:00}
Introduction {6:10}
December 1–13, 2019 {8:45}
Interview: Felíz 13.12 from Concepción! {18:45}
December 14–31, 2019 {35:15}
New Years Eve in Santiago {45:35}
Matías Catrileo Anniversary {58:10}
Students Rebel Against the University Entrance Exam {01:05:15}
Anarchist Assembly of the Bío-bío {01:08:30}
Interview with an Organizer {01:09:50}
Interview with a Mapuche Anarchist {01:20:00}
Valparaiso Anarchist Assembly {01:28:15}
Santiago Anarchist Congress {01:35:10}
Interview: Asamblea Libertaria De Santiago {01:36:05}
Interview: Grupo Solenopsis {01:42:40}
Interview: Grup Eco Anarquista {01:46:35}
October 18 Prisoner Defense Coalition {01:51:30}
Afusap – Anarcho-syndicalist Healthcare Union {02:08:50}
A Panasonic Lumix g95 camera, or any other camera that shoots in 4K with a decent stability and a good auto-focus
A GoPro with a waterproof case
A powerful laptop or desktop Mac with plenty of RAM for video processing
SD cards
External hard drives
Cloud storage
Batteries
Zoom lenses
Lens cleaner
A lens protection filter
A full-face 3M gas mask, with extra cartridges!
A monopod and/or a shoulderpod
A digital recorder and decent boom microphone
Lavalier microphones and a receiver
Motion graphics and subtitling volunteers
Any kind of hookup or discount on international airplane tickets
And, possibly, soundtrack music
Write to us at podcast@crimethinc.com if you have gear to donate, or if you can help set up an ongoing, online donations account for supporting anarchists in Chile
Write to [tatuajessinfronteras@protonmail.com](mailto: tatuajessinfronteras@protonmail.com) to participate in the February 15 international tattoo fundraiser for prisoners from the uprising in Chile. Check It's Going Down for an announcement at the beginning of February. There's a website with more info in both English and Spanish here, and also on Instagram.
Mauricio Fredes, the demonstrator who died on the primera línea near Plaza de la Dignidad
Prisoner Support:
SANTIAGO: Coordinadora por la Libertad de los Prisionerxs Políticxs 18 de Octubre/Defense Coalition for the Freedom of the Political Prisoners of October 18. Also on Instagram
The Chilean state's own National Institute of Human Rights recognizes 300+ cases of eye-damage and 20+ cases of significant loss of vision
Angry civilians throw water on leftist politician Gabriel Boric for his vote in favor of the anti-looting law
One outlier politician entered the Chilean congress wearing a balaclava and denouncing the president
Inti-Illimani playing their classic hit "El pueblo unido jamás sera vencido" on December 13 in Plaza de la Dignidad. More shots of the massive concert and demonstration here
The best memes in response to the government's "intelligence" report that K-Pop is fueling the revolt in Chile
Carabineros de Chile ruining a Christmas dinner in Plaza de la Dignidad
Furniture leaping to its doom in solidarity with the students rebelling against the university entrance exam
There are some concerning attempts at coopting the uprising for nationalist reconciliation between left and right, but thankfully so far they have very little presence or purchase in the streets
Has normality returned to Chile? NO! Social peace? Neither! The people don't want peace without dignity. To borrow a phrase from the situationists, the people don't want the peace of the graveyard. The revolt has been going on for over a month now. In this episode we have two reports about the day-to-day reality of the demonstrations in downtown Santiago, two interview with anarchists in Santiago and Valparaiso, an analysis on the April 2020 constitutional plebiscite, and a couple of strange, surprise interviews too. If you can help us with Spanish translation or transcription, please write us at podcast@crimethinc.com.
{November 29th, 2019}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:00}
November 25 report {00:02:55}
November 12: A view from the streets {00:27:40}
Not Falling for It: How the Uprising in Chile Has Outlasted State Repression And the Questions for Movements to Come {00:49:35}
Rara Señal interview {01:01:45}
Santiago anarchist interview {01:22:35}
Faced with the constitutional assembly and the government's repressive agenda: What is the anarchist proposal in the Chilean revolt? {02:06:55}
The first game of professional soccer since the revolt began was cancelled due to demonstrators, and players covered their eyes in recognition of the more than 200 eyes that have been lost due to the pellets that police are shooting at demonstrators
Two weeks of revolt in Chile and there are no signs of it slowing down! In this Radio Evasión dispatch, we bring you up to speed on all the developments in the past week: the president's attempts to quell the protests with reforms, the lifting of Martial Law, and the cancellation of the upcoming APEC trade summit. We have two communiqués translated into English from Chile, and eight interviews! This episode we tried to focus on not just the combative protests at Plaza Italia downtown, but also represent a little bit of how the neighborhoods on the periphery of the city are getting organized with cacerolazos, cultural events, barricades, and people's assemblies.For feedback, ideas for interview questions, or to contribute material, send us an e-mail at podcast@crimethinc.com.
{November 1st, 2019}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:00}
Update since last episode {1:54}
From Civil Disobedience to Popular Insurrection: A Reflection on Revolt and State Repression in the Chilean Region {10:05}
Interview 26 October: Cacerolazo in Puente Alto {16:00}
Interview 28 October: Downtown in the teargas with an anti-authoritarian legal worker {19:30}
Interview 28 October: Coordinating Assembly of High School Students, ACES {30:35}
Interview 28 October: Villa Olímpica festival of resistance with Kassandra Romanini {36:40}
Interview 29 October: Colegio Paulo Freire in San Miguel {40:55}
Interview 29 October: Middle school students' anti-police demonstration {1:01:26}
Interview 30 October: The People's Assembly in Plaza Bogota {1:03:40}
Report from the Olla Común at Plaza Italia {1:07:40}
The Right to Live Is Not to be Begged For, It Is to Be Taken! {1:13:18}
Anonymous Chile hacked the police and leaked their private chats: [#PacoLeaks ~ Datadump de Carabineros de Chile (Pacos culiaos)](https://pacoleaks.rebelside.pw/)
A MASSIVE repository of police and military brutality recorded from individual phones and cameras
The Ex-Worker #70: Radio Evasión—dispatches from Chile Part 1
25 Oct 2019
01:02:36
Beginning last Monday, October 14, high school students in Santiago, Chile kicked off a campaign of mass fare-dodging, or evasiones, in response to a 30 peso fare hike. The movement grew quickly and, before anyone knew it, revolt spread all across Chile. On the one hand, the government declared a State of Exception, including a military-imposed curfew. On the other hand, the president and congress have been working hard to offer trablescrap reforms to satisfy the angry and exploited. However, neither the repression nor the reforms have been able to quell the resistance, which today celebrates its anniversary of one week in the streets. To catch you up on what's been happening, we bring you an overview timeline of the revolt, along with four interviews from the streets. We're not sure if this will be a one-off episode or the first in a series of updates from Chile, it all depends on how things go—whether they heat up or cool down, but for feedback, ideas for interview questions, or to contribute material, send us an e-mail at podcast@crimethinc.com.
{October 25th, 2019}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {:00}
Timeline of the Uprising {2:23}
Interview on the Streets with a Preschool Teacher {10:20}
Interview about the Looting in Neighborhoods on the Outskirts {13:40}
Interview in the Middle of Street Conflict During the General Strike {24:20}
Interview with an Anarchist from Valparaiso {27:35}
#69: Defend Rojava! Part 4, More Interviews on Revolution and Solidarity
23 Oct 2019
01:06:44
As the news breaks of a Russian-Turkish alliance determined to stamp out Kurdish autonomy, what's at stake in the international fight to defend Rojava? This episode continues our exploration of the embattled revolution in northeastern Syria through interviews with a variety of anarchists who have engaged in international solidarity work there. One recounts the women's movement and the impact on gender roles of the autonomous social experiments in Rojava, while another provides an inside look at the armed forces and the struggle against ISIS. Participants in the Internationalist Commune describe their educational and ecological projects, and two anarchist combat medics serving with the SDF in the war zone describe their experiences. We hope these will deepen your understanding of this complex effort to remake society from the ground up amidst war and fascism on all sides—and strengthen your solidarity efforts, as we fight to support the resistance in Rojava.
As we mentioned last time: even though we're focusing on the crisis in Kurdistan again for this episode, let's not forget that even as the Turkish bombs are falling, other important rebellions are taking place across the world—in Chile, in Catalunya, in Ecuador, in Haiti, in Lebanon, in Hong Kong, and beyond. We'll have more coverage of these and other revolts through the Ex-Worker and on the CrimethInc. blog in the days and weeks to come, so stay tuned!
{October 23nd, 2019}
-------SHOW NOTES------
Table of Contents:
Introduction {0:01}
Interview with the Internationalist Commune {5:29}
Interview with Merva {12:13}
Interview with Internationalist Volunteer in the YPG {23:22}
Interview with Anarchist Combat Medics in Rojava {52:04}
Solidarity Song: Go on Home, Turkish Soldiers {1:02:57}
One of our interviewees recommends that supporters donate funds to Heyva Sor, a Kurdish medical aid organization that is helping to bring urgently needed medical supplies to the war zone.
Want to learn more about the situation in Rojava? Check out podcast episodes from It's Going Down—This is America #92 includes an interview with an Assyrian anarchist in the region—and The Final Straw.
We decided not to include this letter from the PKK to the American people, but we're including the link so you can read it if you'd like. Although we're not aligned with all aspects of their perspective, we do think it's important to hear how some Kurdish militants are framing their struggle to an American audience, and to offer folks here who are working to mobilize people in the US against the Turkish invasion and in solidarity with Rojava tools with which to do so.
For further background on the radical potential of the Rojava experiment, we encourage you to listen to the two previous Ex-Worker engagements with the topic, Episode 36 and Episode 39.
#68: Defend Rojava! Part 3, The So-Called "Ceasefire" and What's at Stake
22 Oct 2019
01:28:29
The revolutionary social experiments in the Kurdish territories of northeastern Syria remain under attack. As SDF forces mount fierce resistance in Sêre Kaniyê and waves of outraged protest sweep the world, the news in recent days has been full of the "ceasefire" negotiated by Turkey and US Vice President Pence. But what is really going on? And why is it so important to aspiring revolutionaries around the world? In Episode 68 of The Ex-Worker, we begin by deconstructing this so-called ceasefire, drawing on an account and analysis shared by anarchist volunteer currently in the war zone. But the bulk of this episode consists of an in-depth interview with an anarchist from the US who participated in a solidarity education delegation in Rojava this summer. She offers detailed insights into daily life amidst revolution and war, the council system and other social and political institutions, the role of military veterans and martyrs in public life, processes for absorbing criticisms and revising revolutionary praxis, and the lessons learned for organizing back in the US. We conclude with a message from another internationalist volunteer sent days ago as the bombs began to fall in Sêre Kaniyê, appealing for action. This episode continues tomorrow as we release a second installment featuring more interviews exploring armed struggle, gender roles, and daily life in Rojava.
Even though we're focusing on the crisis in Kurdistan again for this episode, let's not forget that even as the Turkish bombs are falling, other important rebellions are taking place across the world—in Chile, in Catalunya, in Ecuador, in Haiti, in Lebanon, in Hong Kong, and beyond. We'll have more coverage of these and other revolts through the Ex-Worker and on the CrimethInc. blog in the days and weeks to come, so stay tuned!
Here is the Twitter thread in which the French volunteer fighting in Sêre Kaniyê makes a final appeal for action.
Want to learn more about the situation in Rojava? Check out podcast episodes from It's Going Down—This is America #92 includes an interview with an Assyrian anarchist in the region—and The Final Straw, whose October 20th episode includes an interview with a couple of anarchists working as combat medics with the SDF in Rojava, and whose October 9th episode is titled "Rojava, War, Imperialism, and Defense: An interview with Gönül Düzer."
For further background on the radical potential of the Rojava experiment, we encourage you to listen to the two previous Ex-Worker engagements with the topic, Episode 36 and Episode 39.
#67: Defend Rojava! Part 2, Understanding the Kurdish Resistance
16 Oct 2019
01:10:58
As the crisis in Rojava deepens and political turmoil spreads across the world, it's critical for us to understand how we got here. Who exactly are the Kurds, and why have so many thousands of them been willing to risk their lives fighting against ISIS and to defend their autonomy? What can we learn from their struggle? In this episode, we examine the historical background to today's conflict by looking at the decades of militant Kurdish resistance that led up to the formation of the autonomous cantons of Rojava. You'll hear an audio version of CrimethInc.'s detailed 2015 essay "Understanding the Kurdish Resistance: A Historical Overview and Eyewitness Report," which tracks the emergence of the Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK) and its conflicts with Turkish nationalism, waves of insurgency and repression, the evolution of Kurdish radical thought, the Revolutionary Patriotic Youth Movement, the Gezi Park uprising in Istanbul, the siege of Kobane, and lots more. To bring you up to date on developments since then, we also share an interview with one of the authors of the essay, in which we explore the impact of the failed 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, repression of social movements, Erdoğan's goals with the invasion, and prospects for resistance and solidarity. Stay tuned later this week for more interviews with people who've participated in the social revolution in Rojava.
For further background on the radical potential of the Rojava experiment, we encourage you to listen to the two previous Ex-Worker engagements with the topic, Episode 36 and Episode 39.
An urgent crisis is unfolding in northern Syria, with implications for global geopolitics and revolutionary possibilities for years to come. In response to US troop withdrawal and a green light from President Trump, the Turkish military has invaded Rojava, an autonomous Kurdish region within the borders of Syria, killing hundreds and displacing over 100,000 so far. Activists around the world have condemned the invasion as a boon to ISIS, a prelude to ethnic cleansing of the Kurdish population, and an effort to destroy an important experiment in self-organization by an increasingly fascist regime. The Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Forces have just struck a deal with the regime of Bashar al-Assad to bring Russian-backed Syrian government troops into Rojava in hopes of halting the Turkish advance. The experiments in autonomy and democratic confederalism enacted in the cantons of Rojava have been inspiring to many anarchists; but the combination of the dire threat of annihilation by the Turkish military and the painful compromises necessary for survival have put this radical legacy in question. How did this happen? And what can we do? This is the first episode in a series The Ex-Worker will release this week exploring the current crisis. We bring you up to date on the circumstances surrounding the invasion with first-hand reports, analysis, responses to criticisms of solidarity efforts, and more. We conclude with a call to action and info on how to plug in to the global wave of resistance against the invasion. Stay tuned later this week for more historical background, interviews, and more!
For further background on the radical potential of the Rojava experiment, we encourage you to listen to the two previous Ex-Worker engagements with the topic, Episode 36 and Episode 39.