Seattle’s brand-new General Defense Committee now has a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter feed. Check them out!
The aim of the Greater Seattle GDC is, among other things, to provide defense and relief to members of the working class who are being persecuted for their activity in the class struggle–in keeping with the IWW motto:
“An Injury to One is an Injury to All!”
The Greater Seattle GDC has its own charter, part of the IWW but independent of the Seattle General Membership Branch (GMB). It is following in the footsteps of the antifascist elements of the Twin Cities GDC, which began its activities with picket training — specifically because members of their branch had been hit by delivery trucks during pickets — and out of a concern that fascists were videotaping immigrant rights marches in 2007. (Read more about the Twin Cities GDC here.)
The IWW’s union-wide GDC came to the aid of a fellow worker who was shot at a University of Washington protest that took place on January 20th, quickly organizing a fundraiser.
The first action of the Greater Seattle GDC will take place on Friday, March 31st at the UW’s Red Square: “All out Against Fascism and Hate.” Details from their website:
The Greater Seattle General Defense Committee calls upon the UW campus and community beyond to join us at Red Square on Friday, March 31st at 12PM in declaring that we will not be intimidated by the violence of the far-right! This includes the near-fatal shooting of one of our members at University of Washington on January 20th as well as the others who are currently facing attacks and harassment.
Through their inaction before and after the shooting on January 20th, the police and campus administration at UW have proven themselves unwilling and incapable of actually creating a safe and secure environment on campus. We hope to use this as an opportunity to show that despite this violence, we will continue to organize in our communities and build power to develop a united front against the rise of fascism. This includes organizing to develop alternatives to law enforcement, the criminal legal system, and the administrations which place a far higher value on profit than they do safety. These institutions can not and will not protect us; we must organize to protect ourselves and each other!
This action will begin at 12PM and will involve a brief walk between several locations around campus. Please share this event throughout your networks!
Welcome to the Greater Seattle General Defense Committee!
Seattle Industrial Workers of the World 