COPS, MERCENARIES AND INFAMY

Dignity is not for sale. This is something that the cops of every order and rank will never be able to understand. Mercenaries by profession, accustomed to lowering the head at a mere nod from the superior, they think that obedience is always a virtue. Faithful throughout the centuries, from the monarchy to the republic, from fascism to democracy, they think that money is always stronger than ideas, that blackmail is always stronger than freedom. Collaborationists with all tyranny and domination, they think that the world is populated only by collaborators. It is enough to use the club.

So a few days ago, our comrade was summoned on a pretext into the police commissioner’s office by vice-chief Giansante Tognarelli. Waiting for him was an unlikely Dr. Franchi from the Ministry of the Interior, just arrived from Rome. With what goal? Simple: to push our comrade, through hateful extortion, to collaborate; in short, to do something detestable. Half phrases, insinuations, veiled threats, in perfect mafia style. Then, the indecent proposal: to furnish information on comrades and situations of the movement, in exchange for favors. Obviously, our comrade told them all to stick it up their ass, the vile wretches.

This is not an isolated incident. These “proposals are made more and more often throughout Italy, particularly to anyone who is considered blackmailable (those with suspended or unexpected sentences, those with economic difficulties, etc.) In the face of the spread of the practice of individual and social revolt, the cops don’t know which fish to catch. Their sophisticated technological means of control are not enough. Repression is not enough. They want us to be informers, collaborators, detestable people. And isn’t the detestable person (the “penitent”, as both religious and juridical language say) now the leading pillar of the state. The judiciary system travels increasingly in the direction of offering rewards: “If you collaborate with us, we will reduce your punishment; otherwise, you rot in prison.” A system desired by the right and the left, in the name of “anti-mafia” and “anti-terrorism”. It’s enough to consider the prison Reform of ’75, the law about dissociation, the logic of favors on the basis of conduct, the increasingly institutionalized role of collaborators with justice. The economic law of exchange has conquered every space. If you sell out others you can avoid or reduce your prison sentence. That the concept of reward is the exact opposite of right, certainly doesn’t scandalize anyone who knows far too well that the most powerful establish the Right for their own use and consumption. Through war, when necessary. Without the figure of the “penitent” a huge number of trials would not even be able to be set up; Justice itself would collapse. There are no illusions on our part. There is no oppression without collaboration. There is no collaboration without oppression.

But this time they knocked at the wrong door.

Those who sow anger, reap revolt.