Anarchism is beautiful.

The most similar thing I've seen recently published in media along those lines came from a pastor. Unfortunately he also condemned the destruction on Locke Street while forgetting to include that Jesus whipped bankers and threw a mini riot of his own back in the day.

But yes; anarchism and the way it plays out in my life is beautiful. It's not what media says it is; it's not all black masks, smashing windows and "f" the police. Of course it is some "FTP" because we do hate hierarchical, dominant and abusive systems of control — but also it's about supporting and building friendship and community. It's about love — for each other and for what this world could be instead of what it is now, and fighting for that better thing.

Anarchism is beautiful.

I saw it the other night when someone's dog got spooked and ran away. I saw it in the 20-plus people who immediately took the care and initiative to mobilize for that dog. We stayed out all night looking on foot, in car and by bicycle. Not because of a reward or because we all knew this dog or their person very well. Not even because we had the feeling that we'd succeed. We did it because we believe in care and collective action, having both the hope and a willingness to work and fight for the very best resolutions. We stand with each other in the hard times, trusting we too will be held when needed.

I saw how beautiful anarchism is when we organized legal support or our friend Cedar — arrested after police carrying assault rifles broke down their front door and threw concussion grenades. I saw how beautiful it was as we spontaneously gathered after that spectacularly unnecessary use of force, unintimidated and ready to reassemble demolished rooms and feed each other, for each other. I saw it when we picked feminist postcards out of the toilet that had been intentionally put there by police. Again as we filled the body of the court with 50 people to show our friend she's loved and would be taken care of. And again when we collected 57 letters from academics, community leaders and professionals who couldn't attend the hearing, encouraging justice of the peace Barbara Waugh to grant our friend bail.

Waugh denied Cedar bail regardless, stating in her decision that all anarchists belong in jail for even being anarchists. She then went on to talk about social media campaigns, dismissing the need for anything beyond them as a way to dismiss over a decade of Cedar's work in the community.

It's absurd that neutrality could be expected with her presiding, and ridiculous bail was denied to appease the public's blood lust over the broken windows of a doughnut shop and some Audis.

Indeed, the response to the Locke Street "riot" has been downright ugly. Shops have socially and monetarily capitalized on the event but continue to paint themselves as victims while retaining the power and behaviour of a perpetrator. They continue to push agendas that support displacement of the poor instead of being accountable for creating at least some of the anger and frustration behind such vandalism. They've even received the support of racist, misogynistic white nationalists during the "patriot walk" because the more support the better, right?

But if you're not denouncing white nationalists, you're supporting them.

If you haven't gotten there yet, I'll spell it out: I, in the fine words of The Tower, have no tears for Locke Street. I have no tears because I can understand, empathize and even support property destruction and violence used to escape or fight oppression and death. What I don't endorse is violence when it's used from a position of power as the police, courts and jails use it — which unfortunately happens to be the type most people celebrate, including our fine city councillors.

Breaking windows on Locke was just as much an act of defence as it was an attack. Just as much a symbol of love for people as an act against capitalism and gentrification. Anarchism is beautiful in its kindness and gentleness and care — and in its visceral hurt and rage and intensity. I say these things to balance the narratives being presented by police and media — not to feed or form a divide between smashing and building or good anarchism vs. bad anarchism. I think that's a false dichotomy we're often presented with as a means of undercutting each other. We need the tearing down of harmful institutions just as much as we need the building up of ourselves and community.

Anarchism is beautiful even when it's ugly because we're not fighting for ourselves; we're fighting for each other.

Trish Mills is a Hamilton resident

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