The Workers' Party (PT - Partido dos Trabalhadores) government in Rio Grande do Sul
(Brazil) is carrying out a witch hunt and raiding the homes and public premises of leftist
organizations and social movements. On the afternoon of Tuesday 1 October 2013 the Ateneu
Libert?rio A Batalha da V?rzea, which is used for political and social purposes by the
Federa??o Anarquista Ga?cha (FAG) was raided by the repressive forces of Tarso Genro's PT
government for the second time. The door of the headquarters was broken down and the
interior and equipment were overturned. On a table a note was left that read: "I came by
and the door was open. I'd like to participate in the FAG". ---- Tuesday dawned with a
strong crackdown unleashed by the state government and judiciary against activists of the
Bloco de Lutas (Struggle Block) and leftist organizations.
Raids on private homes, leftist public premises and premises of other comrades' campaigns
were carried out throughout the day. It is believed that more than 70 warrants for
searches and seizures have yet to be executed. Last Thursday, during the breakup of a
public demonstration by the Bloco de Lutas, 5 comrades were arrested and charged.
The Tarso government wants to shut down social protest outsdie its control: do not be
fooled by this rhetorical juggling, do not be cowed by the repressive measures.
DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED, DO NOT DEMOBILIZE. SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE WHO STRUGGLE!
Public statement by the FAG on the witch hunt of 1 October 2013 in Porto Alegre, Rio
Grande do Sul
The major operation that the Civil Police unleashed yesterday, affecting various comrades
and leftist organizations who are campaigning with the Bloco de Lutas demonstrates that
solidarity is an urgent task.
At this moment, we must urgently face the issue in its proper context. It was not a
repression directed specifically against one organization, but a blow to all leftist
militants. It is time to show solidarity to all the affected comrades and organizations as
a duty that lies above any ideological or organizational ties, and not fall into the
pettiness of affording solidarity according to political preferences.
After this whole sordid operation, Tarso had the coolness and chutzpah to release a
statement in which he was keen to defend the mega-operation, stressing that it respected
all the landmarks of the "democratic State". He omitted a whole list of raids on homes and
places like the Moinho Negro libertarian social centre, the Utopia e Luta autonomous
movement and the Ateneu Libert?rio, raided for the second time in less than 4 months.
Tarso cited the cases of the comrades of the Socialism & Freedom Party [PSOL - Partido
Socialismo e Liberdade] and the Unified Socialist Workers' Party [PSTU - Partido
Socialista dos Trabalhadores Unificado] and invited party leaders to an audience in order
to report on what has happened.
Tarsio's invitation has all the hallmarks of a stupid game, because the reality is that he
is seeking to arbitrate, without the agreement of the popular movement, who is prepared to
talk to him and press for their collaboration. This becomes clear when, while neglecting
the rest of the operation, he states that he does not believe that "criminal acts" are
being carried out by "political activists", having just presented the bill to such a large
number of other comrades and organizations affected. This is nothing new. In June, when we
had our headquarters raided thanks to illegal subterfuge (even today we do not know of any
court order), the same Tarso used the press to call us fascists and claim that these
parties were revising their policy of alliances in the social movements.
Finally, we call attention to the serious case of the 3 comrade teachers arbitrarily
arrested during the last Bloco de Lutas demonstration who were indicted today. These 3
comrades were loaded onto a bus belonging to the Military Brigade [state-based security
force - tr.] and arrested shortly thereafter as they were heading to a snack bar in the
Cidade Baixa area after the demonstration. The bait used to approach them was that one of
these comrades was carrying a CPERS-Sindicato flag.
The arrest of these comrades soon revealed a painstaking police operation that had the
intention of randomly hunting down protesters at the end of the demonstration, in order to
make arrests and to plant evidence of "flagrant illegality" in order to present them as
scapegoats in cases of pillaging. Without evidence, and summarizing all the testimony of
unidentified Brigade officers, the comrades were charged with vandalism of public
property, environmental offences for graffiti on protected buildings and assault against
Brigade officers. The ultimate goal of the operation was to send the comrades to the
Central Prison, given the exorbitant amount of the fine/blackmail that was applied to
them: R$4,000 (?1,300) each.
As for the Civil Police respecting the "democratic State" by invading comrades' homes and
organizations' premises, sheriff Paulo C?sar Jardim, in charge of the "investigation" into
prisons arising from the last demonstration, has concluded his noble task.
What is curious is the fact that the same sheriff Jardim is responsible for the
investigation into neo-Nazi groups who are operating freely across the state, more
specifically in Porto Alegre and in the Serra Ga?cha, carrying out numerous attacks,
particularly of the homophobic and racist kind. We have yet to see the rapidity of the
repression against leftists by this "great investigator" repeated in the investigations
into these real criminals, nor any effective measures by the Tarso/PT government applied
against them.
It is time to reach out your arms in solidarity to all the men and women who are fighting
so that the social protest does not bend to the power and can resist the reactionary
fusillade of the media monopolies. It is time to mobilize a common front of all those who
seek the independence of the class, to break the siege and stop the repressive
criminalization of social movements.
Against fear and repression. Struggle and Organization!
Those who struggle do not die. Because only direct action makes a people strong.
Federa??o Anarquista Ga?cha
Translation by .
Related Link: http://batalhadavarzea.blogspot.com
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