A Communique from the ARF

From Autonomous Reed Front:

At 5:00pm on November 17, Reed students saved the essays they were working on, shelved their books and took to the streets to take decisive direct action against the 1% and their banks. In solidarity with actions across country, communities impacted by coal extraction and people behind bars in the Northwest Immigration center, the ARF committed a deathblow against the state and capital disrupting the businesses of two banks in SE Portland. In the face of a system based on oppression and the exploitation of people and planet, we could shed our identity as students and became partisans for truth and justice.

We took Wells Fargo by storm, giving them no warning or chance to repel us. Raising a ruckus, we let Wells Fargo know that their investment in the GEO Group, a private prison contractor, was not being ignored. The uncovering of Wells Fargo murderous and authoritarian ways visibly shook customers. Employees were given pamphlets letting them know that we were on our side, but in a deeply ironic move, they decided not to join us but to imprison us locking the doors and calling the police. In solidarity with all political prisoners, even as we fought the financers who build and run the prisons, we broke out of their hastily constructed jail.

We then marched into a Bank of America branch. Over the last 4 years, Bank of America invested 4.3 billion dollars in coal. These investments have and will have devastating effects in communities from Appalachia, the inner city of Chicago to the neighboring port towns here in the Northwest. Our voice did not quaver as we issued our demand: that these investments stop. We implored employees to recognize the violence their company perpetrates. Pacified and disempowered by years of corporate culture, the employees called their manager to come make decisions for them. We attempted to deliver our demands in a humanizing way, yet the manager refused to listen to us choosing instead to call the Portland Police.

Every time people are stirred out of apathy, the domination of Empire grows a little less. Every time people come together and fight for truth and justice, the walls of the Fortress start to crack. We can rule ourselves and determine our own future!

AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DOMINATION AND OPPRESSION!
FOR THE WILD!
ARF ARF ARF!
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