Seattle FRSO hosts panel on fighting state repression

Seattle, WA – On May 31, members of the Seattle district of Freedom Road Socialist Organization hosted “Fighting Repression: How We Fight Back – And Win!,” a panel discussion with local organizers which explored ways that the peoples’ movements can withstand the enemy’s attacks. Twenty members of the local community attended, filling up the public library branch’s meeting room.

After a brief introductory speech given by FRSO member and anti-intervention activist Dre Say, panelists and fellow activists Clio Jensen and Rob Engel took the stage to share their stories, drawing on experience with union work, the student encampments of last year, and police accountability activism.

Both panelists stressed the need to work publicly, citing the recent success of the nationwide mobilization to defend the Tampa 5, a group of student protesters from the University of South Florida who faced potential jail time for standing up to far-right Governor Ron DeSantis’ attacks on DEI at Florida universities.

“We need to fight back publicly against attacks on our movements,” said Jensen. “One of the biggest things keeping more action from happening is fear. The more that we can show that we’re not afraid, that we trust the movement to protect us, the more other people will see that.”

Had the identity of the Tampa 5 not been public, the panelists argued, it would have been impossible to mount a broad defense campaign demanding the dropping of their charges. By doing their work in the open and forging connections with their community, the Tampa 5 were able to call upon public support when they needed it most.

“Maintain close ties with the people,” Engel said. “You can’t ask people to defend you if they don’t know who you are, what you’ve done, or what you’re about. When people know those things, they can talk about you. They can talk to their friends about you.”

The speakers explained how forging community ties allowed them to remain prepared to mount broad, public defense campaigns in case of repression. In each case, the relationships and connections which gave their movements strength could not have been maintained if the work was done in secret.

“We have to be bold and brave,” said Jensen.

Dre Say added, “You can feel afraid, but when you know we have your back, your coworkers have your back, the people have your back, then you know you are powerful, and you can win.”

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