Anarchist Call to Resist the Inauguration in DC

All out for an anarchist mobilization against centralized power…at the 2005 Presidential Inauguration: Washington, DC - January 15-20th.

As George W. Bush is coronated on January 20th, the question is not if there will be protests, but what shape these protests will take. Thousands are organizing to oppose Bush's Inauguration. As the liberal and authoritarian groups negotiate permits with the powers that be, it’s time to put forward an alternate vision of protest; one of resistance to, not cooperation with the authorities.

Four years ago anarchists marched on the Inauguration, hundreds strong. The police set up check points forcing thousands to adhere to bag and body searches, in response - we smashed a secret service check point, opening up the parade route for all. While some waved the American flag, we burned it. While some booed, we pelted the motorcade with trash. Bush was crowned, but the black flag was hoisted high on that cold January day. In the four years that have passed, the country has grown afraid and the Left docile. As we have always known, it’s not just Bush – it’s the system, and his campaign of fear makes us more fearless everyday.

This January, let the world see not a display of American Patriotism from the right and American “free speech” from the left but a massive resistance to the latest representation of 200+ years of murder, slavery, greed and genocide that has been the American way from George Washington to George W. Bush. There's nothing left to salvage in this empire that is the U.S. government. It's time to bring it down.

We Are Resisting

For those of us who envision a world without rulers, a world without borders and a world with freedom for all, not just those within a particular nation, class, race, gender or religion – the time to act is now – with all out resistance to capitalism and centralized power. From empires, occupation, and colonialism by governments, to a
culture based on patriarchy, domestic violence, child abuse, and so many forms of oppression - the system is broken. It cannot be fixed, or reformed as many will try and tell us. It is from the ashes of the system, that the new world that we envision can arise.

The U.S. Presidential Inauguration is one of the grandest ceremonies of the ruling class in the land. As anarchists, it’s a prime opportunity to shatter these illusions of grandeur by crashing this decadent display of arrogance and wealth. This, Jan. 20th, let’s bring anarchy to the streets of DC - make resistance visible, and
ring in the next four years with a smash!

A Week of Anarchist Action: Jan. 15th-20th, 2005

From direct action to childcare to popular education, anarchists in DC are organizing for creative, vibrant protests to the inauguration
--- if you can, come early and get involved. Form affinity groups and (seriously folks) plan and carry out autonomous actions, help Food Not Bombs cook for protestors, get information out on the protests to people in DC, assist groups working on local issues, such as work against gentrification, poverty and public financing for a Major League Baseball stadium in DC. The list goes on.

It didn’t start in Seattle and it didn’t end on September 11th. These protests are not the beginning and certainly not the end, but one
stop in an ongoing struggle. What we build as we organize is just as important as what we produce in the protests itself. Use Jan. 20 as a focal point to build relationships and networks within your community and the movement that last long after Jan. 20. Use it as a basis for political discussions, tactical discussions, something to raise energy and action around. Put in practice new ways of organizing cooperatively, while breaking down social oppression so common in our day to day lives.

To create the world we want, we all need to participate. The power to change the world is not in the hands of Bush, the Democrats, or anyone else, it’s in our hands – the hands of people everywhere, including you. Come to DC, there are thousands of others out there who can’t wait to join us.

Yours,
DC Anarchist Resistance (http://www.anarchistresistance.org)
(A collaboration of some DC area affinity groups and individuals organizing around Jan. 20th)

If you're with this call, pass it on and send us your endorsement to sign on: anarchistresistance (at) hushmail.com

This goes out in solidarity with the Organic Collective's call for A Global Disruption of the Empire on Jan. 20th (http://www.organiccollective.org)

Stay tuned for a series of updates regarding anarchist resistance to the 2005 inauguration. Expect more updates in the following weeks
about more specific actions and events as they shape up at http://www.anarchistresistance.org