A PROPOSAL AGAINST REPRESSION:
CAMPAIGN OF POLITICAL DENUNCIATION AND MASS MOBILIZATION
AGAINST THE ART. 270
What follows is the result of the confrontation among some comrades of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Lazio about the necessity to develop a strong answer to the continuous repressive attack, to overcome those obstacles which till today prevented the development of a concrete initiative . In fact since time the matter of repression against revolutionary and antagonist militants is the main debate faced in Italy.
But not only: this debate is going through different organizations, different groups and subjectivities in the class. The reason is that it's clear that repression cannot be faced like an "accident" to be denounced every time one is hit, directly or not, by the enemy's instruments; it is a structural element which puts a great mortgage on the development of every oppositional and critical initiative towards the present situation.
Nationally and internationally, the "struggle to terrorism" has become the hobby-horse of imperialism to obstacle the class struggle and its development; a policy, consequent to the general capitalistic crisis, which forces all the world to side with oppressed peoples and exploited classes or with oppressors, exploiters, destroyers. In every country bourgeoisie, through the State, has got the monopoly of violence to keep its role of ruling class.
So repression represents the principal instrument to oppose the class struggle. For this reason, the State uses its apparatus (army, police, secret service, magistracy, legislation, mass media) to arrest, to search, to control, to tail, to file, to torture, etc.).
The last years, above all during last months, have been characterized by a constant initiative by different proxies and control structures, to which the whole movement often wasn't able to answer in the right way.
We also saw different attempts to face the question in a more structural and organic way, trying to go beyond defence on specific attacks; there were many national meetings, even of great interest, into which they were expressed many opinions, more or less interesting, more or less comprehensive. Nevertheless, without being able to go over theory and ideological statements and to build concrete paths for a common initiative among different political identities and on a national level.
At most, the first appointment called another, which often failed and didn't involve other people if not the same which had given a direct support.
Meanwhile, the results produced by repression are more and more heavy. Not only for direct "damages" which searches, denunciations, etc. made to comrades, but above all for the heavy intimidation and suspect created by these attacks towards the less militant area, to which first we refer through political initiatives we develop, towards those sectors which are still very frightened by an hypothesis of "Subversive association".
During last years inquiries one of the main instruments used by the State to hit, separate and isolate revolutionaries and class vanguards has been represented by the "associative offences".
The art. n. 270 of the Penal Code (Subversive Associations), main point of the fascist "Code Rocco", in force since 1st july 1931, used by the fascist regime to put on charge communists, anarchists, socialists and maximalists.
The art. 270 bis P.C. (Association with terroristic purpose, even international, or with purpose of subversion of the democratic order), in force since 6th February 1980, is proper of the Christian Democracy regime, in the period of the so called "national unity" to fight what institutional forces have ever called "terrorism": armed organizations, revolutionaries, mass movements and vanguard sectors. The 70s regime thought inadequate the art. 270 which punished "…associations directed to establish through violence the dictatorship of a social class on the ohers…" with imprisonment from 5 to 12 years and then enclosed into the Penal Code the art. 270 bis which punished "associations which intend to do acts of violence with the purpose of terrorism or subversion of the democratic order…" with imprisonment from 7 to 15 years, putting on the field the aspect of prevention.
21 years later, after 09/11 events, which speed up the repressive process yet since time started internationally against revolutionary and liberation movements, the bourgeois legislation encloses, with the art. 270 ter in Italy, the "black lists", the European warrant for arrest and the international requests.
After 09/11 the art.270 bis is "updated", first by a decree which provides for a 270 ter and a 270 quarter; after, the 270 ter is included in the 270 bis and the 270 quarter becomes the 270 ter.
The modification of the 270 bis , now to be considered "enlarged", consists of the insertion in the first section of the period: "…with terrorist aim…" and the addition of a third section "to the aims of the penal law, the terrorist purpose is present even when violent acts are directed towards a foreign State, an institution or an international organism" and the addition of a fourth section: "towards the condemned is ever obligatory the confiscation of those things which were used or were destined to commit the crime and those things which are the price, the product, the profit or which constitute the utilization".
Instead, the 270 ter is directed to punish not only "whoever promotes, constitutes, organizes, manages or finances associations…" but also "whoever gives refuge or food, hospitality, means of transport, communication instruments to some of those people which take part into the associations indicated in the articles n. 270 and 270 bis…".
It's all a mean to discredit, to denigrate and attack the international solidarity following the logic of the "war to terrorism".
Besides, the articles 304 P.C. "Political conspiracy through agreement", 305 "Political conspiracy through association", 306 "Armed group: formation and participation", 307 "Assistance to members of conspiracy or armed group", give the State the mean to put on charge or punish with imprisonment from 5 to 12 years (art. 305) and from 5 to 15 (art. 306) for the simple charge of being members of a political area; and during years have represented the instrument kept by the ruling class to keep in jail many comrades without specific proofs.
So the repressive intervention, on one side develops through a legislative worsening, not least the art. 4 and 41 bis of the Penitentiary Code and the Bossi-Fini law against immigrants (only to make some examples); while on the other side intensifies the "dirty war" as preventive action which today has got among its main promoters the bourgeois means of communication.
In this context it's clear that the action of repression, control and prevention carried on by the State has got as main purpose, beyond the attack to fighting organizations and the total isolation of political prisoners, to separate, isolate, denigrate, differentiate and eliminate solidarity into the revolutionary movement. we have to break this mechanism!
We, as part of this movement, have the task to unite through solidarity and struggle what the State tries to separate through repression. A solidarity that is "solidarity of class", which is independent from ideological, political or organization choices of everyone, but it depends on class belonging.; solidarity of class like fundamental weapon to obstruct every kind of repressive attack.
And it doesn't mean to be more or less clever, more or less acknowledged, more or less skilful.. we think that it' s necessary to reverse the conception and the method. We think about a proposal which puts some "basic" points on which develop a shared work of unrest, that at a first moment could seem backward by a political point of view, but which succeeds in developing a concrete path. Watch out! We are saying backward, not ambiguous or, worst, opportunist. We cannot leave space only to our enemy's initiative.
An experience which some of us have as possible reference is the campaign developed some years ago in defence of the revolutionary prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal, condemned to death in the USA.
Promoted in Italy on proposal of some revolutionary prisoners, that campaign was able to develop in a unitary way, among different parts of the movement, with some common points and above all developing an initiative of sensitization which, beyond every optimistic forecast, was able to involve very wide areas.
The mechanism was very simple: decided the campaign's key words, the work was articulated in different territories, they were built many local committees and the national coordination was the place into which the campaign's development was defined.
The local work increased in value in the national (and also international!) work. the campaign increased because supported not only by groups and political organizations but by real committees which produced concrete initiatives on their territory.
We think this is the possible and necessary way. If we develop a path which "breaks" the mechanism of political inter-groups, among which often the only confrontation is ideological, and where often there are only political "operations" among parts of the class movement, we can really obtain significant results.
Even because, as we said before, the matter of repression is of great relevance in the present.!
So, our proposal is to work to a "Campaign of political denunciation and mass mobilization against the art. 270". In particular we think about the 270 because main instrument used during these years against every kind of structure of the class movement (and its importance is shown by the development it had); because it is most used to justify every repressive action, by a mass-media and a social point of view; because of its political use, being fruit of the fascist regime.
It's clear that, without closing this confrontation among those which have promoted it, it's necessary that this work involves workers, young people, students, proletarians, in way to realize a mass mobilization to obstruct the state's purpose to isolate, denigrate, separate…
We want to propose this campaign in a very wide way, not asking for the adhesion of groups but for the individual engage of single comrades in a kind of "Promoter Committee", to avoid the same problems linked to an inter-groups logic.
A "Promoter Committee" with the purpose to:
1)promote a National Meeting to start the Campaign itself
2)prepare a kind of "kit" of basic materials for local committees (a national poster, an exhibition, a dossier, a great flyer, press communicates, etc)
3)work to a complete study of repressive actions during last years on the whole national territory (a European dimension only depends on the quality of our work!), in way to have not only an instrume3nt of knowledge, but also a support for the political and legal action for those hit by repression.
The support requested, beyond everyone's engage, will have to become concrete developing on every territory "local committees" in support of the Campaign, to organize a work of propaganda, through press conferences, interventions during public meetings, sensitization on repression.
Done this, the Promoter Committee will become a National Coordination, to coordinate concretely the work of single committees, proposing national initiatives.
The purpose is to develop a work of unrest and propaganda, denunciation and information on a mass level as tactic element; after, a more comprehensive activity which develops a Coordination among revolutionary forces able to organize and mobilize movements, single people, groups, against repression and preventive counter revolution.
This task maybe seems risky or of vain ambition, but we re sure that repression is a main theme on which work.
And if we believe that a real opposition can be built with the development of experiences of social and political resetting able to impose concrete strength relationships, we think that since now is necessary to try to obstruct that repressive mechanism which a great damage is creating to the engage and effort made by many comrades in every place in Italy.
Promoter Committee against 270 and associative offences
December 2004
CAMPAIGN OF POLITICAL DENUNCIATION AND MASS MOBILIZATION
AGAINST THE ART. 270
What follows is the result of the confrontation among some comrades of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Lazio about the necessity to develop a strong answer to the continuous repressive attack, to overcome those obstacles which till today prevented the development of a concrete initiative . In fact since time the matter of repression against revolutionary and antagonist militants is the main debate faced in Italy.
But not only: this debate is going through different organizations, different groups and subjectivities in the class. The reason is that it's clear that repression cannot be faced like an "accident" to be denounced every time one is hit, directly or not, by the enemy's instruments; it is a structural element which puts a great mortgage on the development of every oppositional and critical initiative towards the present situation.
Nationally and internationally, the "struggle to terrorism" has become the hobby-horse of imperialism to obstacle the class struggle and its development; a policy, consequent to the general capitalistic crisis, which forces all the world to side with oppressed peoples and exploited classes or with oppressors, exploiters, destroyers. In every country bourgeoisie, through the State, has got the monopoly of violence to keep its role of ruling class.
So repression represents the principal instrument to oppose the class struggle. For this reason, the State uses its apparatus (army, police, secret service, magistracy, legislation, mass media) to arrest, to search, to control, to tail, to file, to torture, etc.).
The last years, above all during last months, have been characterized by a constant initiative by different proxies and control structures, to which the whole movement often wasn't able to answer in the right way.
We also saw different attempts to face the question in a more structural and organic way, trying to go beyond defence on specific attacks; there were many national meetings, even of great interest, into which they were expressed many opinions, more or less interesting, more or less comprehensive. Nevertheless, without being able to go over theory and ideological statements and to build concrete paths for a common initiative among different political identities and on a national level.
At most, the first appointment called another, which often failed and didn't involve other people if not the same which had given a direct support.
Meanwhile, the results produced by repression are more and more heavy. Not only for direct "damages" which searches, denunciations, etc. made to comrades, but above all for the heavy intimidation and suspect created by these attacks towards the less militant area, to which first we refer through political initiatives we develop, towards those sectors which are still very frightened by an hypothesis of "Subversive association".
During last years inquiries one of the main instruments used by the State to hit, separate and isolate revolutionaries and class vanguards has been represented by the "associative offences".
The art. n. 270 of the Penal Code (Subversive Associations), main point of the fascist "Code Rocco", in force since 1st july 1931, used by the fascist regime to put on charge communists, anarchists, socialists and maximalists.
The art. 270 bis P.C. (Association with terroristic purpose, even international, or with purpose of subversion of the democratic order), in force since 6th February 1980, is proper of the Christian Democracy regime, in the period of the so called "national unity" to fight what institutional forces have ever called "terrorism": armed organizations, revolutionaries, mass movements and vanguard sectors. The 70s regime thought inadequate the art. 270 which punished "…associations directed to establish through violence the dictatorship of a social class on the ohers…" with imprisonment from 5 to 12 years and then enclosed into the Penal Code the art. 270 bis which punished "associations which intend to do acts of violence with the purpose of terrorism or subversion of the democratic order…" with imprisonment from 7 to 15 years, putting on the field the aspect of prevention.
21 years later, after 09/11 events, which speed up the repressive process yet since time started internationally against revolutionary and liberation movements, the bourgeois legislation encloses, with the art. 270 ter in Italy, the "black lists", the European warrant for arrest and the international requests.
After 09/11 the art.270 bis is "updated", first by a decree which provides for a 270 ter and a 270 quarter; after, the 270 ter is included in the 270 bis and the 270 quarter becomes the 270 ter.
The modification of the 270 bis , now to be considered "enlarged", consists of the insertion in the first section of the period: "…with terrorist aim…" and the addition of a third section "to the aims of the penal law, the terrorist purpose is present even when violent acts are directed towards a foreign State, an institution or an international organism" and the addition of a fourth section: "towards the condemned is ever obligatory the confiscation of those things which were used or were destined to commit the crime and those things which are the price, the product, the profit or which constitute the utilization".
Instead, the 270 ter is directed to punish not only "whoever promotes, constitutes, organizes, manages or finances associations…" but also "whoever gives refuge or food, hospitality, means of transport, communication instruments to some of those people which take part into the associations indicated in the articles n. 270 and 270 bis…".
It's all a mean to discredit, to denigrate and attack the international solidarity following the logic of the "war to terrorism".
Besides, the articles 304 P.C. "Political conspiracy through agreement", 305 "Political conspiracy through association", 306 "Armed group: formation and participation", 307 "Assistance to members of conspiracy or armed group", give the State the mean to put on charge or punish with imprisonment from 5 to 12 years (art. 305) and from 5 to 15 (art. 306) for the simple charge of being members of a political area; and during years have represented the instrument kept by the ruling class to keep in jail many comrades without specific proofs.
So the repressive intervention, on one side develops through a legislative worsening, not least the art. 4 and 41 bis of the Penitentiary Code and the Bossi-Fini law against immigrants (only to make some examples); while on the other side intensifies the "dirty war" as preventive action which today has got among its main promoters the bourgeois means of communication.
In this context it's clear that the action of repression, control and prevention carried on by the State has got as main purpose, beyond the attack to fighting organizations and the total isolation of political prisoners, to separate, isolate, denigrate, differentiate and eliminate solidarity into the revolutionary movement. we have to break this mechanism!
We, as part of this movement, have the task to unite through solidarity and struggle what the State tries to separate through repression. A solidarity that is "solidarity of class", which is independent from ideological, political or organization choices of everyone, but it depends on class belonging.; solidarity of class like fundamental weapon to obstruct every kind of repressive attack.
And it doesn't mean to be more or less clever, more or less acknowledged, more or less skilful.. we think that it' s necessary to reverse the conception and the method. We think about a proposal which puts some "basic" points on which develop a shared work of unrest, that at a first moment could seem backward by a political point of view, but which succeeds in developing a concrete path. Watch out! We are saying backward, not ambiguous or, worst, opportunist. We cannot leave space only to our enemy's initiative.
An experience which some of us have as possible reference is the campaign developed some years ago in defence of the revolutionary prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal, condemned to death in the USA.
Promoted in Italy on proposal of some revolutionary prisoners, that campaign was able to develop in a unitary way, among different parts of the movement, with some common points and above all developing an initiative of sensitization which, beyond every optimistic forecast, was able to involve very wide areas.
The mechanism was very simple: decided the campaign's key words, the work was articulated in different territories, they were built many local committees and the national coordination was the place into which the campaign's development was defined.
The local work increased in value in the national (and also international!) work. the campaign increased because supported not only by groups and political organizations but by real committees which produced concrete initiatives on their territory.
We think this is the possible and necessary way. If we develop a path which "breaks" the mechanism of political inter-groups, among which often the only confrontation is ideological, and where often there are only political "operations" among parts of the class movement, we can really obtain significant results.
Even because, as we said before, the matter of repression is of great relevance in the present.!
So, our proposal is to work to a "Campaign of political denunciation and mass mobilization against the art. 270". In particular we think about the 270 because main instrument used during these years against every kind of structure of the class movement (and its importance is shown by the development it had); because it is most used to justify every repressive action, by a mass-media and a social point of view; because of its political use, being fruit of the fascist regime.
It's clear that, without closing this confrontation among those which have promoted it, it's necessary that this work involves workers, young people, students, proletarians, in way to realize a mass mobilization to obstruct the state's purpose to isolate, denigrate, separate…
We want to propose this campaign in a very wide way, not asking for the adhesion of groups but for the individual engage of single comrades in a kind of "Promoter Committee", to avoid the same problems linked to an inter-groups logic.
A "Promoter Committee" with the purpose to:
1)promote a National Meeting to start the Campaign itself
2)prepare a kind of "kit" of basic materials for local committees (a national poster, an exhibition, a dossier, a great flyer, press communicates, etc)
3)work to a complete study of repressive actions during last years on the whole national territory (a European dimension only depends on the quality of our work!), in way to have not only an instrume3nt of knowledge, but also a support for the political and legal action for those hit by repression.
The support requested, beyond everyone's engage, will have to become concrete developing on every territory "local committees" in support of the Campaign, to organize a work of propaganda, through press conferences, interventions during public meetings, sensitization on repression.
Done this, the Promoter Committee will become a National Coordination, to coordinate concretely the work of single committees, proposing national initiatives.
The purpose is to develop a work of unrest and propaganda, denunciation and information on a mass level as tactic element; after, a more comprehensive activity which develops a Coordination among revolutionary forces able to organize and mobilize movements, single people, groups, against repression and preventive counter revolution.
This task maybe seems risky or of vain ambition, but we re sure that repression is a main theme on which work.
And if we believe that a real opposition can be built with the development of experiences of social and political resetting able to impose concrete strength relationships, we think that since now is necessary to try to obstruct that repressive mechanism which a great damage is creating to the engage and effort made by many comrades in every place in Italy.
Promoter Committee against 270 and associative offences
December 2004