We are Illegal: Black Bloc Manifestation

Chicago, March 14, 2009
Marshall Boulevard & Cermak Road
Gather at 11, Spokescouncil @ NOON during rally followed by march

We are an affinity group making this call in hopes of meeting others at the mass Chicago anti-war/pro-immigrant demo in Pilsen on March 14 to form an anarchist black bloc.

We've been too busy and too frustrated to join the planning committee, and to be honest we never really believed we would be taken seriously.

The ruling classes have again revealed their cruelty and incompetence. The call for the dissolution of government and the dismantling of capitalism has taken on a fresh urgency. The current Crisis and the coming insurrection demand radical preparation and experimentation here and now.

Economic crisis spreads and deepens — it becomes social, political, moral. The take-over of Republic Windows whetted our appetites for possibilities beyond the Law. . All around us we are inspired by our neighbors' collective and adventurous responses to the Crisis and global resistance to occupation and deportation. We see neighborhoods plotting to resist the International Olympic Committee, and we wish to contribute by opening new currents to feed and spread social struggle. We are a part of the gathering storm.

It is important to recognize the massive police presence at such events and the hindrance they cause, but that is no reason to stay away or hide. Our bodies desire space and the total freedom of movement. We are attracted to crowds because we need to scream and shout, we want to break our isolation and become powerful.

The black bloc is an expression of our power, an organic outgrowth of our experiences together. In the mass, anonymous crowd we find our individuality, we hide in plain sight. In becoming whatever we are becoming ourselves.

Together we've cooked and shared food, thrown parties, traveled across the country, sneaked past ticket counters and lost ourselves in orgy. We've run together from police, confronted racists, stormed churches, disrupted conventions and lingered flirtatiously nose-to-nose after a kiss. We have yet to truly see everything of which we are capable together.

black tops // black bottoms
Meet around the black flags and anarchist banners
We ask potential friends to support and spread this call