In part 2 of “On the practices of radical punk” we meet Abbie Hoffman and discuss Maximum Rock’n’Roll and the uses of Do-It Yourself culture ~ Alex Ratcharge ~ In the 1960s and 1970s, anarchist Abbie Hoffman was one of the founders of the Youth International Party, whose members called themselves “Yippies”. More than thirty years
From shows in squats to militant action, punk shows the convergence between class consciousness, psychedelic consciousness, and consciousness-raising (1/3) ~ Alex Ratcharge, from Audimat ~ For all intents and purposes, let us say that I am neither a theoretician, nor a philosopher, nor a specialist in political matters, but a humble 40-year-old reader, also a fanzine publisher and the author of a novel (Shortcut to Nowhere) exploring the world of punk and autonomous squats in France and Navarre – fictions inspired by my experience since, to quote NOFX, “I’ve been a punk- rocker for most of my life”
Writing for Cosmopolitan in 1906, the American lawyer, journalist and short-story writer, Alfred Henry Lewis observed: “There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy.” Being a lawyer, it comes as no surprise that he was using anarchy as a synonym for chaos. But the statement does highlight the fragility of a dominant socioeconomic system
As Ruth Kinna reminded us lately in issue 11 of Dope magazine, John Lydon of the Sex Pistols has openly confessed that he was never an anarchist. And nobody anywhere was actually surprised. Anarchy — like sex, revolution and rock ‘n’ roll — sells. The Malcolm McLaren Money Machine had very little to do with
Food — or the potential lack of it — has played on a lot of people’s minds lately. The government’s mixed-messages, misinformation and pointless power-play with regard to the coronavirus pandemic led to fear-induced panic-buying which highlighted the weakness of ‘just in time’ supply chains; which are, of course, designed to maximise profit rather than
Back in the growing winter of 2016 a pack of punks, anarchists and incorrigible rogues met in an indescript nonspace above an anarchist bookshop in East London with a dog, some beers, and a plan. The intention was to set up an autonomous DIY venue and social centre – something that used to be common
This year, on the weekend of 3rd and 4th November, Bristol will host its first ever Tattoo Circus. It will be a weekend full of tattoos from local and international artists and will be a chance to bring together folk from tattoo, DIY and anarchist circles. There will also be workshops on prison abolition and
One Freedom writer looks into the origins of the long-running DIY vegan alternative to Boxing Day — and we talk to one of the people who came up with it. A few years ago members of a radical housing co-op I was helping with, spending their first Christmas in the newly-bought building, found themselves looking
160 years after his death, the first self-proclaimed anarchist deserves criticism—but not oblivion ~ Maurice Schuhmann ~ Pierre-Joseph Proudhon died on January 19, 1865, at the age of 65.
Heathrow spray-painters were denied defence of necessity, while weapons facility invaders are being treated as ‘terrorists’ ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Two climate protesters who sprayed Heathrow departure boards with orange paint last July face a retrial, after their jury yesterday failed to reach a majority decision.
The activist is accused of attacks on neo-Nazis at the February 2023 “Day of Honour” in Budapest ~ Rob Latchford ~ A court in Paris yesterday accepted antifascist Gino’s lawyers request for further information on the conditions of detention and the conduct of a possible trial in Hungary.
Catastrophic fires and racist attacks, climate denial and religious coercion—and Trump hasn’t even taken power yet ~ Louis Further ~ Next week—in contravention of Section 3 of the 14th amendment to the US constitution—the leader of the most powerful nation in the world will be a convicted felon, and someone who has evaded three other
Chatting about what’s happening in economics, tech and direct action with a US twist thanks to this week’s guest, James Birmingham.
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