‘Interviews’ Archives
Interview with anarchists from Den Haag (Netherlands)
Monday, January 2nd, 2017
From Avalanche – A conversation with two anarchist comrades from Den Haag, NL, an overview of the context, struggle and projects of a few anarchists from this city. We chose to transcribe this interview in order to better understand the particular path, circumstances and moments of revolt that have composed the experience of these comrades.
Tell me a bit about the city itself…
A – Den Haag is a city of 500 to maybe 600 thousand people, it is both the home to poor neighbourhoods, such as the Schilderswijk, the poorest neighbourhood in the Netherlands, and of the biggest institutions of justice of the European Union. The motto of the city is “Peace and Justice”.
It is the host of some of the most important military, intelligence and justice institutions of the European Union… Europol, international summit centres, international courts, embassies…
B – There is also an international zone, protected by security delta, this is not only for the State but also companies, it attracts companies, capital. This city has all changed in the last 15 years, some- one in charge, from one day to the next, decided to flip the switch… and everything changed, all the dozens of squats were evicted, cleaned up, made the space for its new international role… (more…)
Tags: Den Haag, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Mitch Henriquez, Netherlands, Police Brutality, Racism, Repression, Riots, Schilderswijk
Posted in Interviews
Interview with released anti-fascist prisoner Alexei Gaskarov (Russia)
Tuesday, November 15th, 2016
Alexei Gaskarov was released from prison 27th of October, here is a great interview which was translated from Snob by the Russian reader.
Alexei Gaskarov: What Politics?
Alexei Gaskarov: Many People Ask Whether I Am Going to Take up Politics.
But What Politics Are There Nowadays?
Olesya Gerasimenko
Snob
November 1, 2016
Anti-fascist Alexei Gaskarov has been released from prison after serving three and a half years in prison for alleged involvement in the Bolotyana Square riot in Moscow in 2012. Snob asked Kommersant special correspondent Olesya Gerasimenko to meet with Gaskarov to discuss the Bolotnaya Square case, life and education in the penal colony, and the death of the protest movement.
“Why would they ask me about organizing a riot if they knew no one organized it?”
Was your trial fair?
I regret we agreed to be involved in it. Like Soviet political prisoners, we should have stood with our backs turned and kept our mouths shut, and not treated it as an attempt to get at the truth. I had illusions after Khimki. [In 2010, Gaskarov was arrested and charged with attacking the Khimki town hall during a protest in defense of Khimki Forest, but the court acquitted him. — Snob] Several videos showed clearly that the incidents involving me happened before the riot kicked off, according to police investigators themselves. In the end, I ticked off the evidence, the judge nodded her head, but there was no reaction.
The entire trial looked as if the decision had already been made, the sentence written out, and let’s get this over as quickly as possible.
Read the rest of the interview here.
Tags: Alexei Gaskarov, Bolotnaya Case, Khimki, Russia
Posted in Interviews
Interview with Yesim Nurova, animal liberationist (Turkey)
Saturday, September 24th, 2016
Yesim Nurova is a journalist affiliated with R9 Media. She is an animal rights activist known throughout Turkey and Europe. She has organized and led some of the largest animal liberation and animal rights demonstrations and protests, many with a Direct Action component, in Asia. Also, she is the Founder of the Spanish language A.L.F Frente de Liberación Animal Liberation/Animal Rights Community, an animal liberation and animal rights online resource for Spanish speaking activists around the world.
Q-Where are you from?
I live in Turkey.
Q-What organization(s) are you involved with?
The North American Animal Liberation Press Office where I’m an Advisor and Liaison for Europe. Also, I’m a Journalist affiliated with New York City based R9 Media.
Q-Why are you an activist? How did you get involved in the fight for
animal liberation?
I’m an Animal Liberation Activist because animals are the most oppressed beings on the planet. They suffer and endure so much pain at the hands of and service towards humanity. Worldwide there are factory farms, fur farms, leather factories, slaughterhouses, circuses and zoos. All of which imprison them and subject them to violence and exploit them for goods, resources and entertainment. They are slaughtered for food, clothing, accessories, cosmetics, medical testing and medical products. This is unacceptable in the twenty-first century. Animals have the right to live free of suffering and exploitation at the hands of humans. Fighting for the freedom of animals is my fight. I, and in fact all people, have an ethical responsibility towards animals. They cannot fight for their own freedom so the responsibility falls to Activists. They must be liberated from their slavery and I’m in solidarity with them. I’m fighting for their freedom. (more…)
Tags: ALF, Animal Liberation, North American Animal Liberation Press Office, R9 Media, Supreme Vegan Power, Turkey, USA, Yesim Nurova
Posted in Interviews
A-Radio: Interview on the repression against anarchists – Operation Fenix (Czech Republic)
Thursday, September 8th, 2016
Interesting interview about the Operation Fenix which gives a round-up and highlights civil anarchist positions within the anarchist movement in Czech Republic.
In the context of the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners (23.-30th of August 2016), we had the opportunity of talking to a comrade from Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) in Czech Republic. The interview gives a short summary of the repression that started in 2015 and explains the singular cases and their current development, but deals also with the problems the movement had in the beginning to show solidarity. Last but not least, you get very good advice on the topic of solidarity and what to do yourselves.
Since the interview, another comrade is in prison. Lukáš Borl, who had been living underground, has been arrested by the police on September 4.
More information (in different languages) on the Antifenix website.
Length: 22:30 min
http://aradio.blogsport.de/2016/09/08/a-radio-in-english-antifenix-interview-on-the-repression-against-anarchists-in-czech/
If you want to write the two imprisoned comrades, please use these addresses:
Lukáš Borl
1.3.1982
Vazební veznice Litomerice
Veitova 1
412 81 Litomerice
Czech Republic
Martin Ignacák
10.8.1986
V.V. Praha – Pankrác
P.O.BOX – 5
Praha 4
140 57
Czech Republic
Tags: ABC Czech Republic, Anarchistisches Radio Berlin, Czech Republic, International Week for Anarchist Prisoners, Repression
Posted in Interviews
A-Radio: The defense of the Rog factory squat in Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Tuesday, July 5th, 2016
In cooperation with Crna Luknja, the anarchist radio show on Radio Student in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, we produced the following interview on the ongoing struggle against the attempted eviction of Rog, a former bicycle factory and an active squat for 10 years now. The interview focuses on the resistance against the attempts of eviction by the city as well as Nazi attacks and also on the political framework right now in Slovenia.
You’ll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here.
Length: 13:00 min
You can find other English and Spanish language audios here.
Tags: Anarchistisches Radio Berlin, Ljubljana, Rog factory squat, Slovenia
Posted in Interviews
Interview with Nikos Maziotis, imprisoned member of Revolutionary Struggle (Greece)
Wednesday, June 29th, 2016
Some Questions and Answers with N. Maziotis, event at Karditsa self-managed space, June 2016 [excerpts]
Q. How can the anarchist/antiauthoritarian space change from being reactive into a real revolutionary movement? In your opinion, what political characteristics should it have, and what kind of organization and aims?
A: It is a question of political positions. Anarchy, or Libertarian or antiauthoritarian communism is a social proposal and organization. The condition to create a truly revolutionary anarchist movement is the existence of political positions and proposals in order to make clear to the people, the masses and workers, what we believe and what aims we have as anarchists. This means that we must take positions on the burning problems and issues of our time that are the result of the capitalist crisis- such as debt, memoranda, the dilemma of staying in or leaving the European Union, and to make clear what is our goal as anarchists, which is none other than the overthrow and destruction of capital and the state and the creation of a stateless, classless society.
These are issues for which the masses of people, the people affected by the crisis and the policies for rescuing the system, have searched and still search answers, yet the anarchist/anti-authoritarian space had nothing different to offer them compared to the proposals of the mainstream parties (besides slogans perhaps). Also beyond the formulation of political positions and proposals it should be clear by whom or in what ways and means our struggle will promote and implement these political positions and proposals- in other words, how we will make Anarchy a reality. (more…)
Tags: Greece, Karditsa, Lambros Foundas, Nikos Maziotis, Pola Roupa, Revolutionary Struggle
Posted in Interviews
An Interview with Ulrike Meinhof’s Sister Wienke (Germany)
Thursday, May 12th, 2016
EN: Interview with Ulrike Meinhof’s sister Wienke
FR: Un entretien avec Wienke, la soeur d’Ulrike Meinhof
IT: Incontro con Wienke, sorella di Ulrike Meinhof
Tags: Germany, Red Army Faction (RAF), Ulrike Meinhof
Posted in Interviews
Some excerpts from the presentation by Nikos Maziotis, member of Revolutionary Struggle, at Pikrodafne squat, Athens (Greece)
Wednesday, April 27th, 2016
31/1/2016
“We have to sabotage the implementation of the Third Memorandum”
Q: What are the reasons, in your opinion, for the decline in the level of social resistance and struggles against capitalist restructuring and austerity measures and how can we get out of this impasse? What should be the strategy in the anarchist space currently?
A: The cause of the lessening of social resistance is precisely that it had and continues to have a defensive character in face of the unprecedented onslaught of capital and the state after 2010. The capitalist machine has been malfunctioning since 2008, neither finding profitable investments for pumping out ever greater profits nor capital to offset its losses, so it attacks social gains and the working class. And it attacks social security, salaries and pensions, it confiscates property due to debts, reduces labor costs, and seizes public property through privatization.
To compensate for its losses, capital pushes through rescue programs, that is to say the memoranda, wiping out sections of the population that it neither wants to nor can exploit, leading to their destruction. The redistribution of large-scale social wealth by confiscation applies a large-scale policy of theft from society and societal genocide to save the powerful.
Faced with this unprecedented attack that has already left thousands dead and the majority of society immiserated and impoverished, the solution is not to struggle to restore the system and social order to pre-2008 conditions- when the system worked, the banking system was “prosperous” and giving loans, with a welfare state (which in Greece was never well-developed) and a social consensus on the neoliberal reforms of that time. (more…)
Tags: Athens, Greece, Nikos Maziotis, Pikrodafne squat, Revolutionary Struggle
Posted in Interviews
Experiences of anarchist comrade Mikalai Dziadok on how to survive jail in Belarus (A-Radio)
Wednesday, March 30th, 2016
The following recording has been made by the Anarchist Group Dortmund (in cooperation with A-Radio Berlin) during a presentation on March 6, 2016.
In it the former anarchist prisoner from Belarus Mikalai Dziadok shares his prison experiences and gives some advice on how to survive the jail. Total helplessness, psychological pressure, stupid convicts‘ laws, ever-lasting prison terms – this is what Belarusian prison is made of.
You’ll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here:
Length: 1:29 h
You‘ll find more audios on Belarus from the Anarchist Radio Berlin here.
Read this previous post for details about some of the anarchist attacks which took place in Belarus for which Mikalai was taken hostage in revenge.
Tags: Anarchist Group Dortmund, Anarchistisches Radio Berlin, Belarus, Interviews, Mikalai Dziadok, Repression
Posted in Interviews
'Saboteur : An interview with a domestic insurgent' – Chapter 11 of the book ‘Radical Peace: People Refusing War’ By William T. Hathaway (USA)
Saturday, December 5th, 2015
Saboteur
An interview with a domestic insurgent
Chapter 12 of the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
I first met the man we’ll call Trucker in 1970 at a rally against the Vietnam War. Our demo was going to start on the Berkeley campus and continue with a march down Telegraph Avenue. This was shortly after the National Guard and police had murdered six demonstrators at Kent State and Jackson State, so the mood was extremely tense. The Berkeley city government had denied us a permit to march and called in police reinforcements from Oakland. The Oakland cops had a reputation for brutality (based on their treatment of the black population), and we were expecting an ugly and possibly violent confrontation. Out of fear, many people decided not to march, but others of us argued that marching was now more important than ever. We needed to defy the government’s attempts to scare us into silence.
After speeches and music in front of Sproul Hall, we marched off the campus and were met by a wall of police sealing off Telegraph Avenue. Some of our hard-cores in front tried to break through the barrier but were clubbed down. Cops began firing what looked liked shotguns, and people started screaming and running in panic, but it turned out to be tear gas. (more…)
Tags: Anti-Militarism, Anti-War, Arson, Non-violence/pacifism, Radical Peace: People Refusing War, Sabotage, USA, William T. Hathaway
Posted in Interviews
Interview with an anarchist prisoner in Korydallos prison (Greece)
Friday, November 27th, 2015
English language audio interview that was conducted in October 2015 with an anarchist prisoner in Korydallos prison, Greece who is part of the Network of Imprisoned Fighters (DAK). Topics covered include conditions inside Greek prisons, the current struggles of prisoners and the situation of the Greek prison society.
via Frequenz A, Insurrection News.
Tags: Athens, Greece, Hunger Strike, Korydallos Prison, Network of Fighting Prisoners (NFP)
Posted in Interviews
A-Radio: Interview with ABC Warsaw (Poland)
Thursday, November 19th, 2015
Dear all,
As Anarchist Radio Berlin we had the opportunity of talking to two comrades from Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) in Warsaw. In this interview they talk about their work and the topic of repression in Poland.
You’ll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here:
http://aradio.blogsport.de/2015/11/19/a-radio-in-english-eastern-europe-5-anarchist-black-cross-warsaw/
Length: 20 min
You can find other English and Spanish language audios here:
http://aradio.blogsport.de/englishcastellano/.
Tags: ABC Warsaw, Anarchistisches Radio Berlin, Poland
Posted in Interviews
Interview with Paul Z Simons: Stories From Rojava On Revolution, Daily Life, and Hope (Free Radical Radio)
Wednesday, November 11th, 2015
From Free Radical Radio / Modern Slavery:
Paul Z. Simons, also known as El Errante, is interviewed by rydra on his recent trip to Rojava. Paul tells stories of his trip, relays discussions he had with people in Rojava in the YPG, YPJ, taxi drivers, translators, and more. Paul describes the situation in Rojava as a “post-leftist revolution in a pre-leftist society.” Paul also tells us how he got into the country, how others can, and why he feels that what is going there is important to anarchists all around the world.
More formats: http://archive.org/details/RojvaInterview
Rojava Plan
Lions of Rojava
Modern Slavery
Rojava Report
Kurdish Question
Tags: Free Radical Radio, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Kobani, Kurdistan, Lions of Rojava, People's Defence Units (Y.P.G.), Rojava, Syria, Women's Defense Units (YPJ)
Posted in Interviews
Audio documentation: Undercover for State and Capital (A-Radio)
Thursday, November 5th, 2015
Dear all,
As Anarchist Radio Berlin we had the opportunity of documenting a presentation organized by the magazine Cilip in Berlin with the title “Undercover for State and Capital”. Therein, Kate Wilson talked about her relationship to [undercover cop] Mark Kennedy and Eveline Lubbes about the spying of multinationals and the Undercover Research Group. Unfortunately, due to technical problems, we could only record the first part of the presentation where Kate talks about her experiences.
The presentation was held in English.
You’ll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here:
http://aradio.blogsport.de/2015/11/04/a-radio-auf-englisch-audio-documentation-undercover-for-state-and-capital/
Length: 33 min
You can find other English and Spanish language audios here:
http://aradio.blogsport.de/englishcastellano/.
Tags: Anarchistisches Radio Berlin, Berlin, Germany, Undercover Police
Posted in Interviews
An Interview with Reacción Salvaje / Wild Reaction (Mexico)
Thursday, October 29th, 2015
Published by: Revista Regresión
Michoacán, Mexico
Autumn 2015
Note from Revista Regresión (Regression Magazine): This interview with Wild Reaction (Reacción Salvaje: RS) ended right after its last communiqué (August 14, 2015) and we waited until now (October 2015) to publish it in the fourth issue of the magazine, Regresión. We would like to thank everyone who made this collaboration possible. The editors of this magazine have great respect for the opinions of all of the interlocutors in this interview.
Even so, we must mention that we here at Regresión have great affinity to the practices and actions of what had at one time been RS, and to the groups that have derived from it. R.
A clarification by Xapiri Thepe (XT): This interview was done via the Internet, without contact with any of the members of the now defunct group Reacción Salvaje, with Revista Regresión acting as a go-between. Contact was made via the no longer updated website El Tlatol, which relayed our questions to the members of RS. Thus, the portal Xaipiri Thepe does not necessarily condone any of the positions exposited by the now defunct group. This interview is only meant to document what had been their positions, so it is not our intention to advocate or write apologetics for violence, nor for the actions that we disagree with. This is to say that there is absolutely no group affiliation, sympathy or affinity between Xaipiri Thepe and RS.
Xaipiri Thepe (XT): This conversation took place electronically through the magazine Regresión and the website El Tlatol. Through these sources we asked for the opportunity to have this conversation via email, and this should not be interpreted as assent to or sympathy with the positions of RS. That out of the way, we would like to ask: In February the magazine, “Destroy the Prisons”, strongly critiqued your radical ecological positions. What do you have to say regarding the criticism of this anti-prison magazine? What criticism do you have of prison abolitionism? What is your position regarding this sort of abolitionism as an alternative to depriving people of liberty?
RS: First of all, we would like to thank Revista Regresión and the folks at El Tlatol for organizing this conversation, as well as for providing a forum in which we can give a response to those who desire to converse with us. (more…)
Tags: Mexico, Reacción Salvaje / Wild Reaction (RS), Revista Regresión
Posted in Interviews