![](\"https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2024/12/15/1.jpg\")
\nParticipants in CrimethInc. projects are collaborating with veterans of other anarchist media platforms on a new podcast, The Beautiful Idea, which will offer reporting and analysis of current events. The first episode of The Beautiful Idea has just been released!
\n\nIn their own words:
\n\n\n\n\nWe are happy to announce the first episode of The Beautiful Idea, a new project from a collective of several anarchist and autonomous media producers scattered around the world. We’re bringing you interviews and stories from the front lines of autonomous social movements and struggles, as well as original commentary and analysis. We plan to put out about two episodes a month; one will be more focused on action news and include shorter interviews with front-line activists and organizers, and the other will feature longer, more deep-dive interviews on specific topics, including theoretical and historical analysis.
\n\nOn today’s show, we feature our “Behind the Barricades “roundup of movement news, events, and updates, along with a look at the recent burst of media coverage following the shooting of a United Healthcare CEO in New York. Then we speak with someone involved in a new campaign to support Stop Cop City defendants facing both RICO and domestic terrorism charges. Finally, we consult a longtime anarchist to look back on the historic mobilization against the World Trade Organization in Seattle in 1999.
\n
\nThe Ex-Worker is back! After a hiatus to work on other projects, our newly reassembled audio affinity group is leading the charge to produce audio versions of a wide range of CrimethInc. materials. Stay tuned for updates!
\n\nListen to the Ex-Worker #85: Stop Cop City / Defend Weelaunee Forest, Part I: History and Analysis
\n\n\n\nListen to the Ex-Worker #87: The Twitter Ban and the End of Social Media
\n\nListen to the Ex-Worker #88: 2022 in Review—A Year to Endure
\n\nListen to the Ex-Worker #89: The Battle of York, January 2002—Anti-Fascism, Then and Now
\n\n\n\nSince Elon Musk kicked us off of Twitter at the urging of a certain far-right troll, we haven’t slowed down—you’ll find us publishing regularly here at crimethinc.com and circulating our texts and ideas through accounts on Mastodon, Kolektiva, and other platforms. But we want to make sure that the analysis, reporting on current events across the globe, historical accounts, calls for action, and other anarchist content we’ve been providing for over two decades can reach the widest possible audience.
\n\nTo that end, the Ex-Worker Podcast has committed to producing audio versions of most of the new content we produce. Beginning this month, you’ll be able to find links at the top of each page to an audio version of the article you’re reading. You’ll also be able to get the latest audio releases from the Ex-Worker by streaming or downloading directly from the podcast page, through your favorite podcatcher, or from other audio/video platforms including YouTube and Soundcloud—stay tuned for updates as we roll these out.
\n\nToday, we’re releasing the first of two episodes on the struggle to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta, Georgia. In the coming days, you’ll see episodes appear on our banning from Twitter and our analysis of social media, navigating fascism and left electoralism in Brazil, and an audio version of our article on the Battle of York in 2002. Stay tuned!
\n\nAdditionally, we’re working our way through the back catalog of our most popular articles and zines that haven’t had audio versions produced yet. You can already find audio versions of some classics, including To Change Everything, From Democracy to Freedom, and our book No Wall They Can Build. Coming soon, you’ll be able to listen to a wide range of articles and zines, including Why We Don’t Make Demands, Against the Logic of the Guillotine, There’s No Such Thing as Revolutionary Government, and many more! If you’ve got requests for audio versions of your favorite article or zine, you can drop us a line to podcast at crimethinc dot com.
\n\nFinally, in response to popular demand, we’re working on a major project to produce an audiobook version of Work, our classic analysis of capitalism, economics, and resistance. Today, revolt against work is spreading across the world in the aftermath of the pandemic, and a wave of strikes and union organizing offers possibilities but also limits. We want to make sure that as many people as possible have tools for understanding the functioning of the economy from the bird’s-eye-view down to the cash register and the factory floor—and ideas about how to challenge the mythology of work and take action to escape from its clutches into a freer world. Stay tuned!
\n\nSince 2013, the Ex-Worker Podcast and our comrades at The Hotwire have offered an audio strike against a monotone world. The project has evolved over the years, and will continue to change as our lives and the terrain we’re fighting on goes on shifting. When we got started nearly ten years ago, other than our friends at The Final Straw Radio (who are still going strong!), there were hardly any anarchists working in the medium of podcasting. Today, we’re a part of the Channel Zero Network, which has hosted dozens of different audio projects produced by anarchists and anti-authoritarians. We have participated in international gatherings networking with podcasts, radio shows, and radio stations across dozens of countries.
\n\nBut we still think there’s a vital role for audio projects in support of our broader mission to hasten the end of all forms of hierarchy and domination and dream a free world into being. From your headphones to the streets, we’ll be seeing you!
\n\nIn solidarity,
\n\nThe Ex-Worker Podcast Collective
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/04/15/the-ex-worker-84-steal-something-from-work-day-2022-stealing-something-from-work-isnt-enough-when-work-steals-everything-from-us", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/04/15/the-ex-worker-84-steal-something-from-work-day-2022-stealing-something-from-work-isnt-enough-when-work-steals-everything-from-us", "title": "The Ex-Worker #84: Steal Something From Work Day 2022 : Stealing something from work isn't enough when work steals everything from us!", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/04/15/header2.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/04/15/header2.jpg", "date_published": "2022-04-15T21:51:33Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:54Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. April 15th is Steal Something From Work Day! For over a decade, we’ve celebrated the everyday resistance that workers undertake to challenge their exploitation when the boss isn’t watching. Whether in factories or coffee shops, under capitalism or socialism, workers have always pilfered from their workplaces—not just as a way to survive or get revenge for exploitation, but as a way to channel their creativity and humanity. In this episode, we introduce listeners to our favorite holiday, answer common questions about it, and share some fascinating accounts and analyses. A “grocery store guerrilla” shares a story of theft and resistance, while a network of workplace rebels describe how they formed “The Team” to expand their class war efforts. A factory worker in Soviet Hungary relates a fascinating story of how illicitly making personal items in factories provides a window into what free creative activity could look like beyond the world of work, whether enforced by capitalist or socialist bosses. A 2020 analysis from the early days of the pandemic explores what stealing from work at the end of the world can look like, whether you’re an “essential” or remote worker. And we wrap up with a reflection on the revolutionary horizons of struggle against capitalism through and beyond stealing from work. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more audio projects exploring work, capitalism, and resistance!\n{April 15, 2022}
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/03/11/the-ex-worker-83-anti-war-resistance-in-russia-anti-war-resistance-in-russia-syrian-refugees-on-ukraine", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/03/11/the-ex-worker-83-anti-war-resistance-in-russia-anti-war-resistance-in-russia-syrian-refugees-on-ukraine", "title": "The Ex-Worker #83: Anti-War Resistance in Russia : Anti-war resistance in Russia; Syrian refugees on Ukraine", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/03/11/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/03/11/header.jpg", "date_published": "2022-03-11T18:56:27Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:53Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Even as Russian forces continue their brutal assault on Ukraine, a growing domestic uprising is challenging the empire from within. This episode of the Ex-Worker focuses on the anti-war movement in Russia, analyzing it from an anarchist perspective and assessing the regime’s power and vulnerability. The episode opens with a call to action from the March 6th day of protest across Russia and a summary of militant direct actions against the war machine. An anarchist in the provinces shares a first-person reflection on the evolution of the anti-authoritarian movement and its prospects in today’s crisis, while an analysis from Autonomous Action considers Putin’s miscalculations, the information war, international dynamics, and possibilities for resistance. An independent journalist discusses the nature of the protests, police responses, migration and diaspora, censorship, the role of NATO, and lessons to learn from the invasion and the protest movement. We close out with a Syrian refugee collective’s reflections on how their experiences in the Syrian revolution and civil war can inform how international observers relate to the conflict. And just for fun, we throw in some hair-raising Russian songs related to protest and war. We’ll continue our coverage of the crises in Ukraine and Russia—and much more—in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/03/04/the-ex-worler-82-invasion-and-resistance-in-ukraine-part-ii-grassroots-mobilization-against-putins-invasion-by-anarchists-from-ukraine-and-russia", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/03/04/the-ex-worler-82-invasion-and-resistance-in-ukraine-part-ii-grassroots-mobilization-against-putins-invasion-by-anarchists-from-ukraine-and-russia", "title": "The Ex-Worker #82: Invasion and Resistance in Ukraine, Part II : Grassroots mobilization against Putin’s invasion by anarchists from Ukraine and Russia", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/03/04/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/03/04/header.jpg", "date_published": "2022-03-04T17:02:54Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:53Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. As the Russian invasion of Ukraine proceeds, anarchists on both sides of the border are mobilizing to resist. This episode collects a variety of statements and accounts from anti-authoritarians explaining their opposition to Putin’s bloodthirsty imperialism while rejecting nationalism and the state. We share messages from the newly formed anarchist Committee of Resistance in Kyiv, as well as from Russian anarchist groups including Food Not Bombs Moscow, Anarchist Fighter, and St. Petersburg’s Anarchist Black Cross. These testimonies refute Russian state and authoritarian leftist propaganda about the invasion and emphasize the possibilities for resistance and solidarity. An anarchist refugee attempting to escape the war zone gives a detailed report on daily life in the midst of war, martial law, the political composition of the armed forces, the grassroots mobilization of society for defense and mutual aid, the situation at the border, and ways to show support. Stay tuned for more coverage of anarchist analysis and resistance from the front lines of imperial war.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/03/02/the-ex-worker-81-invasion-and-resistance-in-ukraine-part-i-the-history-leading-up-to-the-russian-invasion-ukrainian-anarchists-speak-out", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/03/02/the-ex-worker-81-invasion-and-resistance-in-ukraine-part-i-the-history-leading-up-to-the-russian-invasion-ukrainian-anarchists-speak-out", "title": "The Ex-Worker #81: Invasion and Resistance in Ukraine, Part I : The history leading up to the Russian invasion; Ukrainian anarchists speak out", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/03/02/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/03/02/header.jpg", "date_published": "2022-03-02T20:40:29Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:53Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. As Russian tanks encircle Kyiv and hundreds of thousands of refugees flee, our hearts go out to our comrades in Ukraine resisting the Russian invasion—and to the Russian anti-war movement bringing the resistance home. In this episode, we explore the history and background context to the current crisis in Ukraine. A variety of firsthand accounts from the weeks leading up to the invasion discuss differing perspectives on the threat of war, the complexities of anti-fascism, the role of NATO, and possibilities for principled resistance in times of severe threat. We share an excerpt from an interview by Elephant in the Room with a Ukrainian anarchist discussing the political history of Ukraine since the fall of the Soviet empire, Putin’s vulnerabilities, and the character of the current Ukrainian regime. A long essay written by group of Ukrainian anarchists maps out the political landscape from the Maidan protests through the present crisis, with special attention to the evolution of the anarchist movement in recent years. And a statement from Russian anarchists on the eve of the invasion highlights the shared commitment of anarchists in the region to resisting Russian imperialism while working towards a broader vision of liberation.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/02/19/the-ex-worker-80-ill-winds-from-ottawa-threats-and-opportunities-as-a-far-right-initiative-gains-momentum", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2022/02/19/the-ex-worker-80-ill-winds-from-ottawa-threats-and-opportunities-as-a-far-right-initiative-gains-momentum", "title": "The Ex-Worker #80 – Ill Winds From Ottawa : Threats and Opportunities as a Far-Right Initiative Gains Momentum", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/02/18/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2022/02/18/header.jpg", "date_published": "2022-02-19T18:48:48Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:53Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Opponents of vaccine mandates have established protest encampments in Ottawa and elsewhere around Canada, blockading several routes crossing the United States border. Far-right organizers and former police officers have prominent positions in this movement, and police have taken a relatively hands-off approach thus far; it appears likely that the model currently being tested in Canada will appear elsewhere around the world shortly. In this episode, we present an audio version of the article Ill Winds From Ottawa: Thinking Through the Threats and Opportunities as a Far-Right Initiative Gains Momentum, in which our correspondent in Montréal explores the sequence of events that led up to these developments, reviews the agendas of the various forces vying for control, and reflects on what we can do in a situation in which the far right has gained the initiative. {February 17, 2022}
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/10/05/the-ex-worker-79-the-real-truth-about-todays-anarchists-response-to-ny-times-article-how-the-blm-protests-reflect-anarchist-values", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/10/05/the-ex-worker-79-the-real-truth-about-todays-anarchists-response-to-ny-times-article-how-the-blm-protests-reflect-anarchist-values", "title": "The Ex-Worker #79: The *Real* Truth About Today’s Anarchists : Response to NY Times article; how the BLM protests reflect anarchist values", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/10/05/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/10/05/header.jpg", "date_published": "2020-10-05T19:40:38Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:46Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen Here. Anarchists and anti-fascists in general, and CrimethInc. in particular, have been the focus of intense hostile government and right-wing attention and censorship efforts in recent weeks. The latest salvo comes from the New York Times, which on June 30th published “The Truth About Today’s Anarchists,” drawing on conspiracy theorists and right-wing talking points to argue that violent anarchists are somehow controlling the ongoing countrywide protests, but don’t actually care about Black lives. The article actually calls out The Ex-Worker Podcast by name! While we’re flattered for the attention—who knew we were such a threat?—the article is both inaccurate and dangerous; more importantly, it touches on critical issues about today’s movements for liberation that we need to clarify. So in this episode, the Ex-Worker lays out the truth about “The Truth About Today’s Anarchists”, refuting the article’s bogus claims one by one, and offering a more accurate perspective on the relationships between anarchists and the ongoing movement to end white supremacy and police violence. We conclude with an audio version of an article we published with Agency in June called This Is Anarchy: Eight Ways the Black Lives Matter and Justice for George Floyd Protests Reflect Anarchist Ideas in Action. This episode challenges the myths and distortions about anarchism offered across the spectrum from Trump to the New York Times to provide insight into what anarchists today are really fighting for.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/06/11/the-ex-worker-78-june-11th-prisoner-solidarity-covid-19-and-anti-police-rebellion-prisoner-solidarity-amid-pandemic-and-rebellion-june-11-history-david-campbell", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/06/11/the-ex-worker-78-june-11th-prisoner-solidarity-covid-19-and-anti-police-rebellion-prisoner-solidarity-amid-pandemic-and-rebellion-june-11-history-david-campbell", "title": "The Ex-Worker #78: June 11th—Prisoner Solidarity, COVID-19, and Anti-Police Rebellion : Prisoner solidarity amid pandemic and rebellion; June 11 history; David Campbell", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/06/11/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/06/11/header.jpg", "date_published": "2020-06-11T16:50:01Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:44Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Today we celebrate June 11th, an international day of solidarity with long-term anarchist prisoners. While this is the sixteenth year this date has been observed, 2020 presents an unprecedented context: both the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive uprising sparked by the police murder of George Floyd have shifted our focus and sense of what’s possible. In solidarity with all prisoners, with particular care for anarchists in long-term confinement, we begin by sharing an excerpt from a history of June 11th as a day of prisoner solidarity along with the June 11th call issued for 2020. To these we add a short interview with a June 11th organizer and supporter of anarchist Green Scare prisoner Marius Mason. As politicians raise the specter of “antifa” to divide and defuse the militant anti-police resistance that has swept the US and beyond, we explore state repression of antifascists through an interview with antifascist prisoner David Campbell and his support crew. Another interview with a participant in the South Florida COVID-19 Hotline for Incarcerated People explores a model for prisoner solidarity in pandemic times. We conclude with updates on several long-term prisoners’ cases and upcoming birthdays. After today’s focus on prisoner struggles, next time we’ll return our focus to the Minneapolis uprising and the international movement to commemorate Black lives lost to police violence.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/06/11/the-ex-worker-77-minneapolis-uprising-part-1-how-to-abolish-the-police-minneapolis-plans-to-dismantle-police-3rd-precinct-siege-report-how-to-stop-police-killing", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/06/11/the-ex-worker-77-minneapolis-uprising-part-1-how-to-abolish-the-police-minneapolis-plans-to-dismantle-police-3rd-precinct-siege-report-how-to-stop-police-killing", "title": "The Ex-Worker #77: Minneapolis Uprising, Part 1—How to Abolish the Police : Minneapolis plans to dismantle police; 3rd Precinct siege report; how to stop police killing", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/05/31/1.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/05/31/1.jpg", "date_published": "2020-06-11T03:25:19Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:44Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police has sparked a nationwide rebellion against the police and global solidarity efforts. One of the most striking developments is the announcement on Sunday, June 7 by a majority of Minneapolis City Council members that they intend to dismantle the city’s police department. In Episode 77 of the Ex-Worker—the first in a series covering the Minneapolis uprising and its national and global implications—we return to the question of abolishing the police. The episode kicks off with our reflections from these unprecedented first two weeks of rebellion, then shares an essay exploring the question we’re all asking: What Will it Take to Stop the Police From Killing? Next, we share an anonymous report on the siege of the Third Precinct in Minneapolis, analyzing how a diverse “compositional” crowd was able to defeat the police. An anarchist from Minneapolis who attended the rally where the City Council declared their intention to end the police department shares their take on the background and context leading to the announcement and how abolitionist organizers, rioters, artists, and others joined forces to make abolition imaginable. We conclude with our thoughts about how the struggle against police might unfold beyond Minneapolis in the months to come. Stay tuned for more episodes soon on the Minneapolis uprising, June 11th, and prisoner struggles, international solidarity with the rebellions, and more!
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/04/08/the-ex-worker-76-anarchist-nurses-speak-out-on-survival-and-resistance-interviews-with-anarchist-nurses-on-health-mutual-aid-survival-resistance", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/04/08/the-ex-worker-76-anarchist-nurses-speak-out-on-survival-and-resistance-interviews-with-anarchist-nurses-on-health-mutual-aid-survival-resistance", "title": "The Ex-Worker #76: Anarchist Nurses Speak Out on Survival and Resistance : Interviews with anarchist nurses on health, mutual aid, survival, resistance", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/04/08/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/04/08/header.jpg", "date_published": "2020-04-08T20:14:25Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:42Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Here at the Ex-Worker, we continue to navigate the COVID-19 crisis by seeking guidance and insight from three anarchist nurses who are working on the frontlines of the pandemic. First, we hear from an anarchist ER nurse from the southwest US who offers reflections on individual and community health, mutual aid projects, and how to stay safe through the epidemic. You’ll hear a brief discussion of the promise and peril of antibody testing and the concept of an immunity passport. After that, we share a long conversation with two anarchist nurses from New Orleans, Louisiana on a wide range of topics, including harm reduction, how to support healthcare workers, the legacy of AIDS activism, delineating between authority and expertise, and lots more. We close out the show with urgent appeals of support for families at Black Mesa as well as incarcerated radicals , Kijana Tashiri Askari, Leonard Peltier, David Campbell, and all prisoners trapped on the inside through the pandemic.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/03/31/the-ex-worker-75-rent-strike-how-to-prepare-for-aprils-rentstrike-analysis-of-rent-strikes-past", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/03/31/the-ex-worker-75-rent-strike-how-to-prepare-for-aprils-rentstrike-analysis-of-rent-strikes-past", "title": "The Ex-Worker #75: Rent Strike! : How to prepare for April’s #RentStrike & analysis of rent strikes past", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/03/31/header1.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/03/31/header1.jpg", "date_published": "2020-03-31T17:53:58Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:42Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. This April 1st, people around the world will go on strike and refuse to pay rent. In the midst of the pandemic, we are confronted not only with a virus, but with the murderous logic of the market. Before COVID-19 hit, millions already struggled to afford rent, mortgage, or loan payments; today, all but the wealthiest face ruin, caught between either sickness or poverty. It’s inevitable that most of us will not be able to pay the bills next month—but what we do about it is up to us. This episode offers tools, examples, and history to support you and your neighbors in withdrawing your support from the regime of rent and debt and to devote what resources you have to nourishing yourself and your community through mutual aid. We’ll share excerpts from CrimethInc. texts promoting the strike, discuss the 5 Demands framework and anarchist critiques of it, work through concrete tactical suggestions from a rent strike tool kit, present an invitation to a strike from the West Coast and an interview with the radical housing collective Station 40, and offer a condensed version of an inspiring history of rent strikes around the world over the past century.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/03/31/the-ex-worker-74-surviving-the-virus-an-anarchist-introduction-to-pandemic-life-preparing-for-what-is-to-come-and-analyzing-what-we-can-do", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/03/31/the-ex-worker-74-surviving-the-virus-an-anarchist-introduction-to-pandemic-life-preparing-for-what-is-to-come-and-analyzing-what-we-can-do", "title": "The Ex-Worker #74: Surviving the Virus—An Anarchist Introduction to Pandemic Life : Preparing for what is to come and analyzing what we can do", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/03/31/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/03/31/header.jpg", "date_published": "2020-03-31T15:20:16Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:42Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. The COVID-19 crisis presents both extreme dangers and opportunities. As our lives are threatened by a new virus, our freedom is menaced by authoritarians intent on using this opportunity to set new precedents for state intervention and control. On the other hand, the collapse of the global capitalist economy and unprecedented social crisis are opening possibilities for refusal and resistance that we could not have imagined even a month ago. How can we keep ourselves healthy while resisting the intensification of control and pressing our advantage to undo capitalist relations? To open our discussion of life and resistance in the new pandemic landscape, we present the recent CrimethInc. text Surviving the Virus: An Anarchist Guide, which explores how to apply anarchist tools such as affinity groups and security culture to organizing our lives during the pandemic. We discuss the significance of nationalism and xenophobia in political discourse around pandemics today and in history, including the intriguing story of how the so-called “Spanish Flu” of 1918-19 got its name. Comrades in Italy offer us Against the Coronavirus and the Opportunism of the State, their report on the early days of the pandemic and quarantine in and around Milan. The episode concludes with an appeal to our listeners to let us know how we can best support all of you during the challenging times ahead. Please reach out and let us know! Whatever the future brings, we will be with you in solidarity as we confront the challenges and possibilities of pandemic life.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/01/17/the-ex-worker-73-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-4-mauricio-fredes-prisoner-support-anarchist-assemblies-support-our-documentary", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2020/01/17/the-ex-worker-73-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-4-mauricio-fredes-prisoner-support-anarchist-assemblies-support-our-documentary", "title": "The Ex-Worker #73: Radio Evasión—Dispatches from Chile Part 4 : Mauricio Fredes—Prisoner support—Anarchist assemblies—Support our documentary", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/01/17/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2020/01/17/header.jpg", "date_published": "2020-01-17T19:50:40Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:41Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Just days into the new year, masked encapuchados circle-pitted while burning the church of the Carabineros. That’s how fierce the Friday protests continue to be. Action has somewhat (not entirely!) slowed down on the other days of the week, but anarchists have taken advantage of the extra time to pour energy into organizing: neighborhood assemblies, prisoner defense, and anarchist congresses. Students are burning their university entrance exams—a preview of what’s to come when the school year begins anew in February. We have interviews from the streets, from the anarchist congresses, and with an anarcho-syndicalist healthcare workers’ union. With everything going on, we feel like we have to leave the podcast behind and film a documentary. Check out our wishlist and get in touch if you can help us get the gear we need: podcast@crimethinc.com.
\n\nDESCARGAR AQUÍ LAS ENTREVISTAS EN ESPAÑOL
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/11/29/the-ex-worker-72-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-3-narratives-of-daily-conflict-anarchist-analysis-episodio-en-espanol-descargable", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/11/29/the-ex-worker-72-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-3-narratives-of-daily-conflict-anarchist-analysis-episodio-en-espanol-descargable", "title": "The Ex-Worker #72: Radio Evasión—Dispatches from Chile Part 3 : Narratives of daily conflict, Anarchist analysis, Episodio en español descargable", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/11/29/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/11/29/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-11-29T19:31:37Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:41Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "DESCARGAR AQUÍ EL EPISODIO EN ESPAÑOL
\n\nListen here. Has normality returned to Chile? NO! Social peace? Neither! The people don’t want peace without dignity. To borrow a phrase from the situationists, the people don’t want the peace of the graveyard. The revolt has been going on for over a month now. In this episode we have two reports about the day-to-day reality of the demonstrations in downtown Santiago, two interview with anarchists in Santiago and Valparaiso, an analysis on the April 2020 constitutional plebiscite, and a couple of strange, surprise interviews too. If you can help us with Spanish translation or transcription, please write us at podcast@crimethinc.com.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/11/01/the-ex-worker-71-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-2-en-espanol-tambien-week-2-neighborhood-assemblies-daily-rioting-downtown", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/11/01/the-ex-worker-71-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-2-en-espanol-tambien-week-2-neighborhood-assemblies-daily-rioting-downtown", "title": "The Ex-Worker #71: Radio Evasión—Dispatches from Chile Part 2 : En español también! Week 2: neighborhood assemblies & daily rioting downtown", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/11/1/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/11/1/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-11-01T18:14:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Two weeks of revolt in Chile and there are no signs of it slowing down! In this Radio Evasión dispatch, we bring you up to speed on all the developments in the past week: the president’s attempts to quell the protests with reforms, the lifting of Martial Law, and the cancellation of the upcoming APEC trade summit. We have two communiqués translated into English from Chile, and eight interviews! This episode we tried to focus on not just the combative protests at Plaza Italia downtown, but also represent a little bit of how the neighborhoods on the periphery of the city are getting organized with cacerolazos, cultural events, barricades, and people’s assemblies.For feedback, ideas for interview questions, or to contribute material, send us an e-mail at podcast@crimethinc.com.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/25/the-ex-worker-70-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-1-reports-from-fare-dodging-to-a-week-of-full-blown-revolt", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/25/the-ex-worker-70-radio-evasion-dispatches-from-chile-part-1-reports-from-fare-dodging-to-a-week-of-full-blown-revolt", "title": "The Ex-Worker #70: Radio Evasión—dispatches from Chile Part 1 : Reports from fare-dodging to a week of full-blown revolt", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/25/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/25/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-10-25T13:26:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Beginning last Monday, October 14, high school students in Santiago, Chile kicked off a campaign of mass fare-dodging, or evasiones, in response to a 30 peso fare hike. The movement grew quickly and, before anyone knew it, revolt spread all across Chile. On the one hand, the government declared a State of Exception, including a military-imposed curfew. On the other hand, the president and congress have been working hard to offer trablescrap reforms to satisfy the angry and exploited. However, neither the repression nor the reforms have been able to quell the resistance, which today celebrates its anniversary of one week in the streets. To catch you up on what’s been happening, we bring you an overview timeline of the revolt, along with four interviews from the streets. We’re not sure if this will be a one-off episode or the first in a series of updates from Chile, it all depends on how things go—whether they heat up or cool down, but for feedback, ideas for interview questions, or to contribute material, send us an e-mail at podcast@crimethinc.com.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/23/the-ex-worker-69-defend-rojava-part-4-more-interviews-on-revolution-and-solidarity-interviews-with-anarchists-in-commune-womens-movement-ypg-and-combat-medics", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/23/the-ex-worker-69-defend-rojava-part-4-more-interviews-on-revolution-and-solidarity-interviews-with-anarchists-in-commune-womens-movement-ypg-and-combat-medics", "title": "The Ex-Worker #69: Defend Rojava! Part 4, More Interviews on Revolution and Solidarity : Interviews with anarchists in commune, women’s movement, YPG, and combat medics", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/23/headera.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/23/headera.jpg", "date_published": "2019-10-23T17:55:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here: As the news breaks of a Russian-Turkish alliance determined to stamp out Kurdish autonomy, what’s at stake in the international fight to defend Rojava? This episode continues our exploration of the embattled revolution in northeastern Syria through interviews with a variety of anarchists who have engaged in international solidarity work there. One recounts the women’s movement and the impact on gender roles of the autonomous social experiments in Rojava, while another provides an inside look at the armed forces and the struggle against ISIS. Participants in the Internationalist Commune describe their educational and ecological projects, and two anarchist combat medics serving with the SDF in the war zone describe their experiences. We hope these will deepen your understanding of this complex effort to remake society from the ground up amidst war and fascism on all sides—and strengthen your solidarity efforts, as we fight to support the resistance in Rojava.
\n\nAs we mentioned last time: even though we’re focusing on the crisis in Kurdistan again for this episode, let’s not forget that even as the Turkish bombs are falling, other important rebellions are taking place across the world—in Chile, in Catalunya, in Ecuador, in Haiti, in Lebanon, in Hong Kong, and beyond. We’ll have more coverage of these and other revolts through the Ex-Worker and on the CrimethInc. blog in the days and weeks to come, so stay tuned!
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/22/the-ex-worker-68-defend-rojava-part-3-the-so-called-ceasefire-and-whats-at-stake-analysis-of-the-ceasefire-interview-with-anarchist-from-solidarity-delegation", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/22/the-ex-worker-68-defend-rojava-part-3-the-so-called-ceasefire-and-whats-at-stake-analysis-of-the-ceasefire-interview-with-anarchist-from-solidarity-delegation", "title": "The Ex-Worker #68: Defend Rojava! Part 3, The So-Called “Ceasefire” and What’s at Stake : Analysis of the “ceasefire”; interview with anarchist from solidarity delegation", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/22/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/22/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-10-22T17:31:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. The revolutionary social experiments in the Kurdish territories of northeastern Syria remain under attack. As SDF forces mount fierce resistance in Sêre Kaniyê and waves of outraged protest sweep the world, the news in recent days has been full of the “ceasefire” negotiated by Turkey and US Vice President Pence. But what is really going on? And why is it so important to aspiring revolutionaries around the world? In Episode 68 of The Ex-Worker, we begin by deconstructing this so-called ceasefire, drawing on an account and analysis shared by anarchist volunteer currently in the war zone. But the bulk of this episode consists of an in-depth interview with an anarchist from the US who participated in a solidarity education delegation in Rojava this summer. She offers detailed insights into daily life amidst revolution and war, the council system and other social and political institutions, the role of military veterans and martyrs in public life, processes for absorbing criticisms and revising revolutionary praxis, and the lessons learned for organizing back in the US. We conclude with a message from another internationalist volunteer sent days ago as the bombs began to fall in Sêre Kaniyê, appealing for action. This episode continues tomorrow as we release a second installment featuring more interviews exploring armed struggle, gender roles, and daily life in Rojava.
\n\nEven though we’re focusing on the crisis in Kurdistan again for this episode, let’s not forget that even as the Turkish bombs are falling, other important rebellions are taking place across the world—in Chile, in Catalunya, in Ecuador, in Haiti, in Lebanon, in Hong Kong, and beyond. We’ll have more coverage of these and other revolts through the Ex-Worker and on the CrimethInc. blog in the days and weeks to come, so stay tuned!
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/16/the-ex-worker-67-defend-rojava-part-2-understanding-the-kurdish-resistance-history-from-the-pkk-through-the-siege-of-kobane-repression-resistance-today", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/16/the-ex-worker-67-defend-rojava-part-2-understanding-the-kurdish-resistance-history-from-the-pkk-through-the-siege-of-kobane-repression-resistance-today", "title": "The Ex-Worker #67: Defend Rojava! Part 2, Understanding the Kurdish Resistance : History from the PKK through the siege of Kobanê; repression & resistance today", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/16/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/16/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-10-16T18:18:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. As the crisis in Rojava deepens and political turmoil spreads across the world, it’s critical for us to understand how we got here. Who exactly are the Kurds, and why have so many thousands of them been willing to risk their lives fighting against ISIS and to defend their autonomy? What can we learn from their struggle? In this episode, we examine the historical background to today’s conflict by looking at the decades of militant Kurdish resistance that led up to the formation of the autonomous cantons of Rojava. You’ll hear an audio version of CrimethInc.’s detailed 2015 essay “Understanding the Kurdish Resistance: A Historical Overview and Eyewitness Report,” which tracks the emergence of the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) and its conflicts with Turkish nationalism, waves of insurgency and repression, the evolution of Kurdish radical thought, the Revolutionary Patriotic Youth Movement, the Gezi Park uprising in Istanbul, the siege of Kobane, and lots more. To bring you up to date on developments since then, we also share an interview with one of the authors of the essay, in which we explore the impact of the failed 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, repression of social movements, Erdoğan’s goals with the invasion, and prospects for resistance and solidarity. Stay tuned later this week for more interviews with people who’ve participated in the social revolution in Rojava.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/14/the-ex-worker-66-defend-rojava-part-1-the-turkish-invasion-turkey-has-invaded-rojava-reigniting-the-syrian-civil-war-heres-the-backstory", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/10/14/the-ex-worker-66-defend-rojava-part-1-the-turkish-invasion-turkey-has-invaded-rojava-reigniting-the-syrian-civil-war-heres-the-backstory", "title": "The Ex-Worker #66: Defend Rojava! Part 1, The Turkish Invasion : Turkey has invaded Rojava—reigniting the Syrian civil war. Here’s the backstory.", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/14/headerb.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/10/14/headerb.jpg", "date_published": "2019-10-14T18:57:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. An urgent crisis is unfolding in northern Syria, with implications for global geopolitics and revolutionary possibilities for years to come. In response to US troop withdrawal and a green light from President Trump, the Turkish military has invaded Rojava, an autonomous Kurdish region within the borders of Syria, killing hundreds and displacing over 100,000 so far. Activists around the world have condemned the invasion as a boon to ISIS, a prelude to ethnic cleansing of the Kurdish population, and an effort to destroy an important experiment in self-organization by an increasingly fascist regime. The Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Forces have just struck a deal with the regime of Bashar al-Assad to bring Russian-backed Syrian government troops into Rojava in hopes of halting the Turkish advance. The experiments in autonomy and democratic confederalism enacted in the cantons of Rojava have been inspiring to many anarchists; but the combination of the dire threat of annihilation by the Turkish military and the painful compromises necessary for survival have put this radical legacy in question. How did this happen? And what can we do? This is the first episode in a series The Ex-Worker will release this week exploring the current crisis. We bring you up to date on the circumstances surrounding the invasion with first-hand reports, analysis, responses to criticisms of solidarity efforts, and more. We conclude with a call to action and info on how to plug in to the global wave of resistance against the invasion. Stay tuned later this week for more historical background, interviews, and more!
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/09/18/the-ex-worker-65-greek-anarchists-fight-back-in-exarchia-evictions-and-resistance-in-exarchia-interviews-with-lk37-squat-void-network", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/09/18/the-ex-worker-65-greek-anarchists-fight-back-in-exarchia-evictions-and-resistance-in-exarchia-interviews-with-lk37-squat-void-network", "title": "The Ex-Worker #65: Greek Anarchists Fight Back in Exarchia : Evictions and Resistance in Exarchia; Interviews with LK37 Squat, Void Network", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/09/19/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/09/19/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-09-18T18:39:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:40Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. On August 26th, riot police under orders from the newly elected right-wing government stormed and evicted four squatted social centers in the Exarchia neighborhood of Athens, Greece, in a serious attack on both precarious migrants and the anarchist and anti-authoritarian movements. In response, Greek anarchists have organized assemblies and demonstrations, while solidarity efforts have poured out from across the world. Both shaken and inspired by these events, the Ex-Worker podcast has emerged from hibernation to ask anarchists in Exarchia what’s going on and what needs to be done.
\n\nThis episode explores the situation in Exarchia through three interviews with anarchist residents of the renowned radical neighborhood. The first is an audio version of “The New War on Immigrants and Anarchists in Greece,” published on the CrimethInc. blog on August 28th, which gives an in-depth analysis of the evictions with historical context and insight into the dynamics of the Greek anarchist movement, supplemented by an excerpt from the 2015 piece “Syriza Can’t Save Greece.” The second is a long discussion with a squatter from the Lelas Karagianni 37 squat in Exarchia, the oldest squat in Greece and a central hub for assemblies and anarchist organizing in Athens; it touches on the role of the media and the previous Syriza regime in paving the way to this wave of attacks; the anarchist movement’s strategy for regaining the initiative from the state; and the significance of international solidarity. The third and shortest interview with the Void Network reports back on the September 14th anti-repression demonstration in Athens and reflects on the prospects for ongoing resistance. Tune in to learn more about this critical struggle to defend freedom and autonomy in an inspiring enclave of radical experimentation.
\n\nOh, and we’ll be back with more reports on global rebellions… sooner than you think. So stay tuned!
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/06/13/no-wall-they-can-build-episode-11-from-east-to-west-part-ii-solidarity-and-home", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/06/13/no-wall-they-can-build-episode-11-from-east-to-west-part-ii-solidarity-and-home", "title": "No Wall They Can Build, Episode 11 : From East to West, Part II: Solidarity, and Home", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/06/13/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/06/13/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-06-13T16:21:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:39Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Welcome to Episode 11, the final installment of No Wall They Can Build, the Ex-Worker Podcast’s serialized audiobook exploring borders and migration across North America. This episode concludes the book with personal reflections about the author’s own journey in and out of the desert and the unavoidable links that bind all of us across all borders. To become a real force for change, those who would act in solidarity must overcome the limits of privilege politics and guilt, understanding our activities as fighting for our own lives and dismantling the illusion of separation between ourselves and others. What links migrants, solidarity workers, and all people struggling to survive amidst the disorienting nightmare of postmodern civilization is the pursuit of dignity—a sentiment beautifully expressed in a message sent by Rachel Corrie, an American solidarity worker in occupied Palestine, to her mother in 2003 just weeks before she was murdered by an Israeli bulldozer while attempting to stop a home demolition. Two final stories—one chilling and one touching—illustrate the astonishing peril of the desert even for experienced travelers, and the solace that unexpected alliances with creatures of the desert can provide for migrants and solidarity workers alike. Ultimately, the book concludes, to end death in the desert, to rediscover our own humanity, and to have any hope of our survival on this planet, there is one thing in common that we all must do—find our way back home.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/06/06/no-wall-they-can-build-episode-10-from-east-to-west-part-i-chaos-and-order-and-transformation", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/06/06/no-wall-they-can-build-episode-10-from-east-to-west-part-i-chaos-and-order-and-transformation", "title": "No Wall They Can Build, Episode 10 : From East to West, Part I - Chaos and Order, and Transformation", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/06/06/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/06/06/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-06-06T21:46:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:39Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here Welcome to Episode 10 of No Wall They Can Build, the Ex-Worker Podcast’s serialized audiobook exploring borders and migration across North America. Over the past two months, we’ve explored the ins and outs of irregular migration across the US/Mexico border. Where does it leave us? As the crises produced by climate change and economic exploitations intensify across the world, revolutions turn in to wars, which beget tyranny, which in turn provoke revolutions. In this climate of escalating chaos, what can we do? This episode explores the meaning of revolution in the twenty-first century, looking at the forms it has taken and assessing what it would take to defend it today. The Zapatista struggle offers one of the most durable and promising models of autonomy we’ve seen in recent decades—yet the limits it has encountered point towards unavoidable contradictions facing those who wish to avoid warfare and bloodshed but also cannot defend their achievements against remorseless foes without the force of arms. A harrowing story about the siege of San Juan Copala, an indigenous community whose effort to secure autonomy from the Mexican state was brutally crushed, illustrates the agonizing dilemma that faces would-be revolutionaries today. This episode offers an unflinching look at the perils confronting those who would defy these global systems driving displacement and death, setting the stage for our final installment next week on solidarity and coming home.
\n\n" }, { "id": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/05/29/no-wall-they-can-build-episode-9-the-north", "url": "https://crimethinc.com/2019/05/29/no-wall-they-can-build-episode-9-the-north", "title": "No Wall They Can Build, Episode 9 : The North", "summary": "", "image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/05/29/header.jpg", "banner_image": "https://cdn.crimethinc.com/assets/articles/2019/05/29/header.jpg", "date_published": "2019-05-29T17:04:00Z", "date_modified": "2024-09-10T03:55:39Z", "tags": [], "content_html": "Listen here. Welcome to Episode 9 of No Wall They Can Build, the Ex-Worker Podcast’s serialized audiobook exploring borders and migration across North America. The border doesn’t end at the border: the violent regime of citizenship constrains and ruins lives throughout the north, as a chilling story of a narrow escape from death makes clear. Yet this ongoing migration constitutes, against all odds, a powerful form of resistance that is changing the United States in unpredictable ways. This installment begins to explore what it might take to actually end death in the desert—which would also mean dismantling the global systems of exploitation, colonialism, white supremacy, and state power that lie at its roots. We can take inspiration and strategic guidance from some of the stories that appear in this episode, ranging from an extraordinary migrant whose ingenuity and determination helped him to survive multiple crossings against unthinkable odds to a team of civil disobedience activists whose simple action managed to briefly grind part of the migrant detention industrial complex to a halt. Listening won’t offer a single path, program, or tactic that’s guaranteed to work, but rather a way of thinking about resistance at multiple points of intervention that can start wherever you are. Whatever action you take, it’s time to take sides.
\n\n" } ] }