“How can we, as medium-to-large cities, publicly attack power in a way that makes us stronger rather than weaker?…rather than trapping ourselves in a cycle of low-level vandalism…how can we sustain combative momentum without becoming more marginalized and disconnected, let alone more specialized and irrelevant?” – Atlanta report-back, 2012.
We see the attack on Workers Tap and its accompanying communique as a counterproductive way of spurring conversation about disability, accessibility and covid. We wish to engage with these questions seriously despite the manner in which they were posed and the absolutist stance the author of the communique took on what are, in our view, issues with some nuance. By taking these questions seriously, we want to demonstrate the kind of constructive debate and criticism we’d like to see far more of within anarchist and leftist circles in Portland.
If the goal is to make plain and clear the very true reality of how fucked society’s contempt for disabled folks is, attacking a leftist space that’s raising money toward the family of a murdered forest defender is a shitty choice of targets. If the issue is mass groups of unmasked people, why aren’t the windows of music venues like Crystal Ballroom or Dante’s getting smashed, or the brunch staples of PDX with two hour waits every Sunday? If the primary goal of your action is to spark a conversation, in particular about anarchists / leftists, there’s endless ways to do that without harming those who support us and share similar goals.
To be clear, we fully support masked, well-ventilated events with adequate outdoor spaces available. However, these conversations require a nuanced approach. Events and fundraiser spaces have been consciously chosen with disability needs in mind. They provide access to people with mobility issues, and offer outdoor spaces if they’re not strictly an outdoor space. One of the event organizers for the fundraiser at Worker’s Tap even used their own money to purchase two outdoor heaters for both the front and back outdoor areas specifically for the event, so that people not comfortable to be inside could still be comfortable outside. The concerns about masking and the COVID genocide are completely real and valid. But directing that resentment of society toward small events raising money for comrades who desperately need it is misguided and harmful. This is true especially when it’s people consenting to share space together–all while in a place that typically asks for proof of vaccination.
This response is being written by a few of us who knew Tort personally. Tort was our friend and our comrade. One of us also suffers from a life-long health condition predisposing them to an increased likelhood of serious complications from COVID. Worker’s Tap offered us a place to heal with comrades, and to celebrate Tortuguita. The irony of saying an action wouldn’t have happened without Tort’s inspiring militancy–when the place being attacked is willing to openly and financially support their family–is seriously offensive. Why not focus the energy and anger toward finding other methods of helping their family, loved ones, and all other forest defenders facing charges? Or at least release that fucking anger on something more meaningful than a bus stop or other leftists and anarchists.
** cop city will never be built! **
** if you build it, we will burn it!! **
** fuck 12! **
*** avenge tortuguita!! ***
–some anarchists
submitted anonymously