This „democracy“ which we enjoy is a spectacle organized merely because it assures better control of the savage mobs than brute force. If, as is sadly the case in Germany, the mainstream of society identifies with the State and its political and economic project, then the unpleasant display of the brute force that lies at the core of power is rendered luckily unnecessary. Should it happen however that society threatens to diverge from the script deemed acceptable by the needs of Capital, we are then quickly shown just how secondary „democracy“ is when it contradicts the needs of the market. Nowhere was this more obvious than in Greece over the last months, where the State simply decided to beat and tear gas „austerity“ into a people who refused to bow. And when finally Greek PM Papandreou, either in an act of political desperation or in a moment of rare honesty and clarity, dared to suggest holding a referendum on the question of Greeces economic bailout, the European political class erupted in a cacophony of shock, dismay, and outrage. Scandalous…that in the birthplace of „democracy,“ it should be the people themselves who are involved in a decision regarding their future. As if they knew anything?!

Citizens lamenting the loss of good old democracy, while others try to criticize the repressive measures of the state by policing themselves…and explaining that no militant acts would have taken place.

Thus it should come as no big surprise that when the „Blockupy“ campaign called for actions, demonstrations, cultural events, and a protest camp in the city of Frankfurt from May 16th to 19th, the German state chose not to watch idly from the sidelines, letting democratic expression unfold. Fearing that indeed, the land might have by now become so dry that even in the belly of the beast „a single spark could start a prairie fire,“ they threw the entire weight of the States repressive apparatus at all those planning to demonstrate. First, they forbid all gatherings (with the exception of the main demonstration on Saturday). Then, the Frankfurt police sent letters to all those who had been arrested at a previous anti-capitalist demonstration in Frankfurt in which they were informed that they were forbidden from entering the Frankfurt inner city for the days of the planned protests. This move effectively cancels the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, stripping people who have been convicted of no crime of their „right“ to demonstrate. And finally, they began stopping busses carrying activists from other cities from even entering the city, and handing all passengers in the busses written prohibitions from entering the city of Frankfurt. Once again, the „rights“ of democracy only apply to those who hold convenient opinions.

Cops evicting a square in Frankfurt, because democracy is only for those with nothing to say. Meanwhile, demonstrators chant „we are peaceful, and what are you?“ because apparently the issue here is not economics or the future shape of society, but rather who is more peaceful.

As if on cue, the next act in this somewhat sad and repetitive play will be the outrage of the left, which will once again put on display some of its most unattractive aspects. There will be, and already has been, much talk about what an overreaction this is on the part of the police and the State, much complaining about the violence both systematic (prohibitions and such) and raw (cops hurting people), and much proclaiming to the four winds that the demonstrations are peaceful. These are the arguments of victimization and self-defeat. Or, had the actions taken a militant and confrontational tone, would we then also be in favor of forbidding them? Is there any more virtue given to the content of our critique because we are in the position of weakness, of being those with the bloodied heads and the poltical trials in our future? Should we really be appealing for more „rights,“ concessions, or permits from the system and the State we want to abolish?

Those who still argue like this continue to not understand the true nature of power. There never was and never will be common ground between revolutionaries and the powers that be, and there never was and never will be a road to real, lasting emancipatory change which does not sooner or later take you outside of the framework of what is the accepted conflict range of dissent. Morality, politics, and groveling for the good will of public opinion are best left to politicians and political parties. Anarchists, anti-authoritarians, and revolutionaries will only have what we take and what we create. There is no justice. There is just us.

All in all, very exciting. But also a lot of work. Which is why several months ago we decided to not add any new items until the new site was finished. Seeing as how this will apparently still take several months, we have given up on this strategy. And so began the great catalogue update, yesterday with the Libertalia Books.

It continues today (or better said now) with college jackets (see below). Whats coming in the next few days, as fast as we can get to it and in no particular order…

*Lots of new stickers from Black Mosquito
*New Books from AK Press
*Polo shirts and sweatjackets from Kings League
*New shirts from Pull Up Wear and Uptight65.
*The big project….Spraycans, markers, and more decorative materials from Montana Cans!

But since we just finished with the college jackets, here are the infos…

*Available in several different styles: „Ladies“ Two Tone (for example this one), „Ladies“ Old School (looks similar, but is signifcantly heavier), and „Ladies“ Sweatjacket (like so).

As far as so-called „Mens Cuts“ go, they are available as sweatjacket (for example…), Old School (the classic heavy ones), and for the „Summer“ lightweight Nylon (like so)

*As far as sizes are concerned, nobody should feel left out, as they go from XS to 3XL!
*They are all vegan…no real leather involved.
*Below are just a few of the samples, but there are countless color combinations available, just head to the online shop to see them all.

And finally, because we all need them sometimes, some sweatpants…


(Also available in grey and navy)

Suite a notre visite a Paris pendant le fin de semaine pour le Salon du Livre Libertaire, on a eu l‘ocassion de nous restocker des livres des Editions Libertalia. Donc plusieurs „nouveaux“ (pour nous au moins, car la derniere livraison etait il ya plus d‘un an) titres interessantes. Voila donc les nouveaux titres, vous pouvez en lire plus en cliquant sur l‘image correspondante. Sinon, vous pouvez voire la liste complete des titres de Libertalia disponibles sur Fire and Flames ici.

Meanwhile, while some of us will be in Paris, speaking French, hording books, and gorging ourselves on Argentine food, another, more punk rock oriented Fire and Flames team will find themselves in Northern Germany, Rostock to be more precise, tabling at the „Riot in My Heart“ festival which we are proud supporters of…

Finally, somewhat closer to „home“, we suggest this fine concert…

Back to the subject of bookfairs, here is a first notice regarding the one in Stockholm…

As if this wasnt enough to get you up North, then…

Golden Dawns leader, with Sieg Heiling, Celtic cross carrying party militants

Any revolutionary (or pre-revolutionary) period is marked by a polarization of society, so it is not surprising that with the growth of antagonistic movements, be they anarchist or some which fall within the parliamentary spectrum, also comes a growth of the far right. But without falling into the mainstream media trap of constantly hyping the growth of the far right, while underplaying the equal or greater parallel growth of left-wing organizations, it is definitely something worth analyzing that what is basically a party of young Neo-Nazis, who Sieg Heil and are racial in their orientation as opposed to national, has been voted for by 7% of the population of a Western European country.

The decor at a Golden Dawn party office.

So on that note, because if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a few videos by way of presentation must be priceless. Meet Golden Dawn…

A short, and recent, piece from the New York Times, including short interviews and demonstration footage…

2011, Golden Dawn led anti-immigrant pogrom in downtown Athens. Notice the use of knives and screwdrivers, and the intimidation of a mother with a small child in arms.

Demonstration footage set to the organizations anthem. Notice the German Nazi flags, the celtic crosses, the paramilitary appearance, and even the masked demonstrators.

The quasi-Swastika, White Power lyrics, and Bonehead music…

On a brighter note, a few weeks ago, antifascists exposed a journalist who lent his show as a platform for the Nazis, by pelting him with yoghurt on live television…

*Speaking of cops and Nazis, here is an interesting article about the growth of Greeces „Golden Dawn“ fascists from The Independent.

„It started, as many days do in Greece, with a trip to the kiosk to buy cigarettes. Still half-asleep, Panayiotis Roumeliotis was surprised to be asked to show his identity card by two young men with shaved heads. It was his first direct contact with the vigilante groups that have become a feature of everyday life in some areas of the Greek capital.

„They were calling themselves the residents association but they were just fasistakia (little fascists),“ said the 28-year-old“.

(Read More…)

You can read a similar, also interesting, article in French, from Le Monde, here.

A frightening picture…

*Speaking of nationalism, Argentinas „National and Popular“ government, after expropriating YPF (the national oil company) and giving Spanish investors a heart attack, is now pouring it on with some easy nationalist rhetoric regarding the Islas Malvinas (which you first worlders might know of as „Falkland Islands“). The video below, which has created a bit of an international incident, features an Argentine athlete training for the coming London Olympics on the Malvinas. The text at the end reads „To compete on British soil, we train on Argentine land.“ Yes, its cheap, but it still draws a smile.

*No Te Va Gustar, excellent Latin Ska band from Uruguay who we had the pleasure of organizing a show with last June, has lent one of their songs to a campaign against domestic violence. The song was and is good, and the cause is even better. Here is the video…

If in or around Goettingen, you can go look at cops and Nazis here…

As far as musical options go, two highlights this weekend…

Near Frankfurt…

In Duesseldorf…

Finally, we leave you for the weekend with some randomly chosen memories from the most recent 1st of May…

A quaint little clash in Athens…

Istanbul…

„KEIN UMTAUSCH / NO RETURNS!

*Hoodie is so small, it is for decorative purposes only. Your head probably wont fit!
*Really tight around the shoulders, really loose around the waist.
*Bad stitching.
*Smaller than usual. Please order one size bigger! „

Also anything except new, but available again and in this case properly produced…

Finally, keeping with the „classics“ theme, as we mentioned recently, a whole lot of classic shirt designs are available again in all sizes.

Brixton Cats sadly did *not* play at the Revolutionary 1st of May demonstration in Berlin due to an illness in the band. But they will be releasing their long awaited second album probably sometime this month or next. More news as it comes.

Speaking of releasing…Patchankas newest album is being released on June 22nd, with a big CD release concert party in Copenhagen. On this date, Fire and Flames will also be at the event, presenting Patchankas new merchandise. As with Konecho, again designed by „Corte“ and powered by Fire and Flames. Here is a small preview of whats coming musically…

And while on the subject of Copenhagen… Wasted Youth, who in the last few days were to be found on stage at the RASH festival in Stuttgart and the 1st of May concert in Nurnberg, will be touring Northern Germany and Denmark this mid-May. You can see the exact tourdates here. Highlight of this mini-tour is of course, at least for us, the „Room Show“ concert they will be playing on Monday May 14th at „Flaming Star“ in Goettingen. This will also be a chance to have a look at the new shirts we produced for the band (which should be online in the coming days).

Hopefully, for the sake of the shop, this room show will be a little calmer than last years one with The Class War Kids…

The show also represents the first part of the „1 Year of Flaming Star Celebrations,“ the second part of course being this…

Continuing on to Opcio K-95….they will be playing later this month in Hamburg. And thats really pretty much all we know.

Last but certainly not least, the Argies are on tour. Which wouldnt even really be much for news, since they are usually on tour. But this time, they are embarking on a 14 show tour of China, followed by concerts in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia! No worries though, once thats over they are back in Europe for another three month tour! You can see the complete tourdates here.