CHRONICLES OF REVOLT

 

Douglas, AZ (February 11, 2003)—Undocumented immigrants beat a Border Patrol agent unconscious in the desert west of here. While the agent was chasing one group of suspected border crossers, six migrants attacked him. As the agent fought one attacker, another hit from behind several times with a rock.

 

Athens, Greece (February 15, 2003)—During an anti-war demonstration, anarchists broke through the pacifist atmosphere by attacking some symbols of power (the office of the pro-government, social democratic newspaper “Ta Nea”, some banks and the British embassy) with molotov cocktails, afterwards running up against the forces of order during the march outside the American embassy where the demonstration ended. The police responded with charges, tear gas, beatings and a manhunt that has as its outcome the arrest of 25 people who were then beaten at the police station. Most were released, but Thanos Michalakelis, an anarchist known to the police from earlier social conflicts, was held for trial.

 

Jacksonville, FL (February 17, 2003)—Unknowns vandalized and burned a train carrying equipment for the army’s 101st Airborne division – intended for shipment to the Persian Gulf – and stole tools, batteries, gas cans and field rations sometime during the night.

 

Fife, Scotland (March 11, 2003)—Ulla Roder of the Trident Ploughshares group entered a British military airport and attacked a Tornado airplane with a sledgehammer causing so much damage as to render it unusable. Consequently she was arrested and held in preventive custody

 

Gloucestershire, England (March 13, 2003)—Arthur Paul Milling and Margaret Jones entered the Fairford military base and caused about $80,000 in damages to military aviation vehicles. Arthur and Margaret are imprisoned on charges of “conspiracy to commit criminal damages”.

 

Edison, NJ (March 18, 2003)—An armed forces recruitment center was attacked. According to a communiqué from a group calling itself Direct Action Front, “the intention was to cause the greatest economic damage possible”. The main entrance was destroyed and the interior methodically razed to the ground. Shelves were damaged and propaganda material and recruitment photos torn up.

 

Minneapolis, MN (March 20, 2003)—During the night, paint was used against the windows and the locks were sealed at a Marine recruitment center at the Village Stadium.

 

Athens, Greece (March 21, 2003)—A demonstration (200,000 people) against the war in Iraq. A thousand anarchists formed a fine “block” of the excited. The march passed into the zone of government palaces: during the passage rocks, eggs, red paint, bottles and other objects were thrown at the central offices of the European Union, as well as at journalists. Outside the US embassy, protected by dozens of cops and flying squads, there was an attack by comrades against the flying squads using rocks and molotovs. The leaders of the so-called communist Party tried to block the attack at the embassy. Due to a thick rain of tear gas, the struggles were continued in the neighboring streets. There were about forty demonstrators arrested, including 12 Iraqis who were tortured.

 

Milan, Italy (March 22, 2003)—During an anti-war demonstration, molotovs were thrown at a real estate office, journalists cameras were smashed, and the windows of a McDonald’s, several other businesses and an Israeli tourist office were shattered.

 

Maniago (Pordenone), Italy (March 24, 2003)—A US military vehicle was burned at the Aviano military base.

 

Vicenza, Italy (March 25, 2003)—Two military vehicles were set on fire at the US military base.

 

Concepción, Chile (April 1, 2003)—A bomb exploded at the office of the telephone company.

 

Istanbul, Turkey (April 4, 2003)—A bomb exploded in a UPS office.

 

New Orleans, LA (mid-April, 2003)—Over 350 independent truckers in New Orleans staged a wildcat strike to protest rising expenses that reduce their real wages to about minimum wage. Because they have been hired (by one company) as “independent contractors”, they are not allowed by law to unionize. This lack of a formal structure to act for them has not prevented them from acting. The strike apparently all but closed down the parts and train yards in New Orleans.

 

Buenos Aires, Argentina (April 16, 2003)—During the night the armored glass windows of a branch of the Banco Francés were cracked and the bank was attacked with incendiary devices. The fire from the hall entrance destroyed the automatic teller of the bank.

 

Sardinia, Italy (April 19, 2003)—During the night a bomb exploded inside a McDonalds restaurant in the town of Oristano.

 

Milan, Italy (April 25, 2003)—During the night an explosive device detonated at the center of a Neo-fascist group. During a demonstration of the "Antagonist Movement" some banks are damaged, two automobiles were attacked, one municipal police vehicle was set on fire, and some Bennetton stores were damaged.

 

Nairobi, Kenya (April 26, 2003)—Students at the University of Nairobi rioted after the vice chancellor issued a decision to send home all nursing students. This decision followed a 3-week boycott of classes by the nursing students who were demanding an increase in their student loans and a salary for interns. The students attacked vehicles and police with stones and destroyed property. During the protest they blocked traffic in three places.

 

Berlin, Germany (May 1, 2003)—About a hundred people were detained in the night after conflicts between demonstrators and police – among which there were 29 wounds of which one was serious. The first incidents broke out around midnight on the margins of a pacifist demonstration of about 6000 people at Mauerpark (the park at the wall). About two hundred demonstrators threw firecrackers and objects toward the forces of order, who used tear gas and water hydrants against the demonstrators.

 

Pisa, Italy (May 8, 2003)—A transmitter tower for Wind cellular phones was burned in the night. To reach the tower, the attackers climbed the nets that protect an adjacent sports field and lit the fire.

 

Barcelona, Spain (May 10, 2003)—Three ATMs of the Caja Madrid and the Banco Zaragozano were attacked. The windows of a branch office of the BBVA were destroyed.

 

Apache Junction, AZ (May 20, 2003)—Vandals slashed tires on 52 of the 59 buses of the Apache Junction Unified school district (kindergarten and special education buses were left intact) and glued the locks of several classrooms at the high school, causing delays in the start of the school day.

 

Louisville, KY (May 22, 2003)—Vandals deflated the tires of about 80 buses and glued locks at Fairdale high school. The deflation of the tires affected attendance at several schools in the school district.

 

Fredicton, New Brunswick, Canada (Late May 2003)—A military vehicle containing computers and diving equipment was stolen from the Regent Mall. The vehicle and its contents were valued at $80,000. Local police say that this is not the first time that military vehicles have been stolen from a mall parking lot.