1st Anniversary of Victory in Seattle Commerated By NJ Anarchists

PRESS RELEASE 11/30/2000

In the early morning of November 30th, 2000 we, as anarchists, hung black

banners of negation across the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey. We also

turned the American flags in front of the courthouse and city hall upside

down. These actions were done, first, as a signal of the distress and dismay

of many people at the brutality, illegal arrests, intimidation, and media

suppression of the large numbers of people who came to Seattle, Washington

on November 30, 1999. These people were present to publicly demonstrate

their disagreement with the World Trade Organization (WTO), globalization of

economies, attacks against labor and health standards, and capitalism itself

at last year's meeting of the WTO ministry. These activists succeeded in

shutting down their meeting. The WTO is an undemocratic organization of

corporations that enforce "free trade" agreements globally.

These flags, which were hung in sympathy and outrage, are also symbols of

anarchist pride and optimism which commemorate the victory of our sisters

and brothers in Seattle. With these actions a new movement was born - one

which showed the WTO that people will no longer tolerate their oppressive

actions.

Finally, we remember the court cases in Seattle that are still pending, as

well as those cases that have been resolved unjustly. For these current

injustices we continue to offer our support and solidarity.

Anarchists are a non-violent, compassionate and dedicated group. If it

were not for the systemic crisis of the emerging nations and the existence

of coercive governments worldwide, we would not have to exist. While we cry

for our own pain and losses sustained in actions which we freely

participated in in order to fight the systems which never fail to put

profits before people, we also perform all of these actions in memory of the

most direct victims of global capitalism. These people do not choose their

oppression. These include all the people of the developing nations, who are

increasingly abused by sweatshop labor, relocation, destruction of their

environment, as well as all the victims who lost their lives to police

brutality were detained or tortured worldwide over the past year of 2000.

We, as anarchists, will continue to perform our actions boldly, with love

for all humankind and confidence in the righteousness of our beliefs. So

long as our existence continues to be made necessary by the oppressive and

demeaning presence of capitalism and its violently coercive agents, we will

never cease in our actions.