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They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me!
By x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, September 25, 2014
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.
On Monday, September 22, 2014, over 2,500 demonstrators punctuated the 400,000 strong People's Climate March, with a more in-your-face, anti-capitalist protest called "Flood Wall Street". Channeling the IWW soapboxers of the Pacific Northwest during the lumber strikes of the late 1910s, IWW EUC member and cofounder Morgen Hughes was the first to engage in civil disobedience (and the first arrestee). Thanks to one of the demonstrators we have ample, albeit very muddy, video and audio footage of the instance. here (as best we can manage) is a transcript of the audio (the video is imbedded below). Fellow Worker Hughes begins soapboxing at 4:48 into the video:
Mic Check!!! (mic check!)
I'm doing a civil disobedience right now! (etc.)
I'm a member of the Industrial Workers of the World!
We want all workers to rise up!
Take control of all industry!
(inaudible)
And dismantle anything that is unsustainable!
And through Workers' power
(inaudible)
We need to dismantle all forms of oppression!
Including sexism...racism...homophobia...transphobia...speciesism...
Together, we can build, an ecological, general strike!
To take over, all industries, and dismantle capitalism once and for all!
(inaudible)...indigenous people, who are on the front line, and join in the struggle against capitalism!
Utilize your privilege, and support (those on) the front lines!
...at this point (7:43) Fellow Worker Hughes began leading the crowd in a chant. After about a minute, the police began demanding that Morgen step down. At approximately 9:49 into the video, having committed no significant crime, FW Hughes stepped down, where police were waiting to detain her.
Hughes quickly raced away from the unsuspecting officers, who gave chase, evenetaully caught her, and then placed her in (an illegal) chokehold (at which point the crowd began chanting "shame!").
Morgen was arrested, but has since been released upon bail (which was raised thanks to the efforts of fellow IWW EUC members and supporters).
In honor of our intrepid fellow worker, we offer the following rendition of IWW troubador T-Bone Slim's "the Popular Wobbly" as performed by IWW folksinger Utah Phillips:
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