The united anti-capitalist Mayday march in Barcelona was cancelled half way through when the black block of the anarchist section began attacking banks and burning a rubbish container barricade.
The anarchist celebrations began in the morning with a big open air meeting and well organised communal lunch in the Macba square.
The cancellation of the march was half expected as the leftist parties had agreed beforehand to do so if there was trouble,(in case their political leaders should have their careers prejudiced). It left the way open for dozens of riot vans to charge in and 5 people were arrested.
The anarchist communique translated below supports the young rioters and the arrested, while being auto critical of the tactics used.
The outcome was what the leftist leaders feared, indeed the route of the march was away from the center, heading for the beach. This may be the last time the anarchist movement will take part in a broad left demo. the police congratulated the organisers on their ‘responsible actions’.
Press release from the organizers of the Anarchist Bloc after the events
in the demonstration of 1st May 2014 in Barcelona. published on Indymedia Barcelona in Catalan and Spanish.
The worst capitalist crisis since 1929 , the worst attack by our ‘masters’ on
our lives since the Second World War has created a situation of slow death ,
individual and collective depression , material and emotional poverty, and also
rage, which now extends into ever larger parts of the population.
In this context , social conflict and manifestations arise from every pore of the
social body. From Rio de Janeiro to Athens, from Sarajevo to London, the
streets are sometimes burning .
It is not just a matter of the initiative of one or another but a result of a widespread social condition, generating tensions created by the decisions and policies of the owners of this world.
The question for those fighting against this dominant barbarism is how to organize this rage, to give it the practical and theoretical means to be more effective in our fight against exploitation and poverty , and create the possibility of a world of freedom and equality .
Now is the time for action ; Now is the time to organize and generalize the
conflict; now is the time to stop respecting the laws and norms that legitimize
and ensure the daily violations imposed by capital and its political allies .
Only those who are complicit in the spoils of the state and capital in our lives , or
those who are so scared they cannot face the tremendous task of organizing the
revolutionary process that society needs , can issue ” condemnations of
violence ‘, or characterize attacks on banks and the police as
” vandalism ” or criminal actions.
Only those who postpone forever the insurrection of the slaves , the oppressed of this world, who try to disengage from the barricades that arise increasingly in the streets. If not now , when?
Obviously , the immediate need is to create groups and events for
socialized resistance , without the permission of our adversaries , but not to say
that “anything goes” and that any act and time of attack is timely .
“This improvisation has cost us dearly , ” said our historical companions in these same streets we walk on , and they were absolutely right . We must leave behind the spontaneity and worship of individualized attack, regardless of the
others or the consequences. We must take our duties and our desires
seriously.
And this is true for both the Mayday 2014 demonstration in Barcelona and
for any other occasion . We do not condemn any act of resistance and defend their
ethical and political legitimacy. We never dissociate ourselves from these acts , but we question their strategies and tactics , considering when they are wrong . And this
we do not only for the demonstration of Mayday but also for all the other occasions and collective uprisings that are coming , which are surely coming .
For our part,we believe that we have not managed to channel the prevailing rage, to the point of seeing ourselves overwhelmed by the situation. We attribute this to our inability and lack of internal organization , which we must work on , so that on future occasions we can be abreast of the circumstances of the moment.
As organizers of the Libertarian Block, we worked to promote social and collective self-defense , which is also one of the seeds of the revolutionary society we
want to create, based on solidarity , horizontality and mutual support against the
dictates of state and capital.
There’s no doubt that those who have fallen into the hands of our enemies, including those arrested in this latest demonstration , have our full support. We demand their release, because if the fight for freedom is considered a crime it is the crime of all of us.
For the Social Revolution. For Freedom.
Barcelona, May 1, 2014
here’s also a rough translation of a few of the many comments
by..Proposals already! 02 May 2014
The “revolution” is not a demo. We need more discussion, organization, coordination and daily work.
Without that we are and will continue to be “ slowly dying.”
We need large actions like those made each year on May 1, but not just as commemorative date or because it’s always done.
It would be very productive to the “libertarian bloc” launched an action plan to start preparing this strategic time.
by IAC union = torturers! 02 May 2014
What really annoys me is when union IAC (which has sections among jailers and supports the torturers on trial for the suppression of the ‘4 Camins’ prison riot) spent half the demo chanting ” he who sows misery harvests rage ” and then act like real bastards ( rats are much more worthy ) , swearing and pointing out the anarchists and applauding the police : What RAGE are they talking about ! ? Sold-out, shitty parasites is what they are, like the rest of the unions ! The only difference from the majority CCOO (ex communist union) and UGT (ex socialist union) is that they receive less state funding because more are still a pathetic minority . Clearly we could have done things better and it was a pity that the demonstration was unable moves forward instead of being dispersed by the police. But the route was chosen as a betrayal ( and explicitly designed to have ZERO impact , not be seen by anyone or have any kind of possibility of attack where it hurts Capital ) the street where the ‘riot’ took place was the only time possible to make a ” combative “demonstration (understanding the concept in its real sense and not in the metaphorical and manipulative version that people like the IAC union use) instead of a boring and totally useless stroll.
Long live Anarchist Barcelona , with the misery that they are making us suffer this is the least that could happen ! Those who cannot see that are those who have money to still enjoy the good life , because with what is coming down these streets should burn every week !
original.. Spanish version
Comunicado de los convocantes del Bloque Libertario, ante los hechos ocurridos
en la manifestación del primero de mayo de 2014 en Barcelona
La mayor crisis capitalista después de 1929, es decir, el mayor ataque de los amos a
nuestras vidas después de la segunda guerra mundial crea una situación de muerte lenta,
de depresión individual y colectiva, de miseria material y emocional, y también de
rabia, que se extiende en cada vez mayores partes de la población.
En este contexto, el conflicto social y sus manifestaciones surgen de todos los poros del
cuerpo social. Desde Río de Janeiro hasta Atenas, desde Sarajevo hasta Londres, las
calles arden. No es una cuestión de la iniciativa de una o de otra sino una condición
social generalizada, generada por las tensiones que crean las decisiones y las políticas
de los dueños de este mundo.
La cuestión para las que luchan contra la barbarie dominante es organizar esta rabia,
dotarla de los medios prácticos y teóricos para ser más eficaz en su lucha contra la
explotación y la miseria, y así crear la posibilidad de un mundo de libertad e igualdad.
Ahora es el momento de la acción; ahora es el momento de organizar y generalizar el
conflicto; ahora es el momento de dejar de respetar las leyes y las normas que legitiman
y garantizan las violaciones cotidianas impuestas por el capital y sus aliados políticos.
Sólo los que son cómplices de los expolios del Estado y del capital en nuestras vidas, o
los que tienen tanto miedo que no pueden asumir la tremenda tarea de organización del
proceso revolucionario que la sociedad necesita, pueden emitir «condenas de la
violencia», sea cual sea, o caracterizar los ataques a los bancos y a la policía como
«vandálicos» o criminales. Sólo los que posponen eternamente el momento de la
insurrección de las esclavas, las oprimidas de este mundo, intentan desvincularse de las
barricadas que se levantan cada vez más en las calles. ¿Si no ahora, cuándo?
Evidentemente, la necesidad inmediata de crear acontecimientos colectivos y
socializados de resistencia, sin el permiso de nuestros adversarios, no equivale a decir
que «todo vale» y que cualquier acto y momento de ataque son oportunos. «La
improvisación nos ha costado muy cara», decían nuestras compañeras, en estas mismas
tierras que pisamos nosotras, y tenían toda la razón. Hay que dejar atrás el
espontaneísmo y la adoración del ataque individualizado, sin tener en cuenta a los
demás o las consecuencias. Hay que tomar nuestros deberes y nuestros deseos más en
serio.
Y esto es verdad tanto para la manifestación en Barcelona del primero de mayo como
para cualquier otra ocasión. No condenamos ningún acto de resistencia y defendemos su
legitimidad ética y política. No nos desvinculamos nunca de estos actos, pero podemos
cuestionar estrategias y tácticas, si consideramos que éstas son equivocadas. Y esto lo
hacemos tanto para la manifestación del primero de mayo como para todas las ocasiones
de levantamientos colectivos que vienen, que seguro vendrán. Por nuestra parte,
creemos que no hemos sabido canalizar la rabia imperante, hasta el punto de vernos
superadas por la situación. Achacamos este hecho a nuestra falta de capacidad
organizativa interna, en la que debemos trabajar para, en el futuro, estar a la altura de las
circunstancias.
Como convocantes del Bloque Libertario, seguiremos trabajando para promover la
autodefensa social y colectiva, que es también una de las semillas de la sociedad que
queremos crear, basada en la solidaridad, la horizontalidad y el apoyo mutuo, contra los
dictámenenes del Estado y del capital. No cabe duda de que las que caen en las manos
de nuestros enemigos, incluidas las detenidas en esta última manifestación, tienen
nuestro pleno apoyo. Exigimos su liberación, porque la lucha por la libertad no es un
delito sólo suyo sino que es de todas nosotras.
Por la revolución social. Por la libertad.
Barcelona, 1 de mayo de 2014
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