A-Infos (en) Aotearoa (New Zealand), Auckland, A Space Inside #1 - Interview with a Russian Anarchist

Omar: How would you describe the anarchist movement in Russia?
Goren: It's hard to describe it briefly. The Russian Anarchist movement, despite 
being comparatively low in numbers, is very different and there're a lot of 
fields of action. There're some anarchist federations united by common documents 
and agreements, that act as common platforms for different anarchist groups and 
individuals. The biggest of them are AD (Avtonomnoe deystvie - Autonomous 
Action) and ADA (Assotsiatsia Dvizheniy Anarkhistov - Association of Anarchist 
Movements). AD is bigger than ADA and is present in a greater number of 
different cities and places of Russia, but it has more narrow platform, being 
mainly anarcho-communist and occasionally syndicalist. AD's platform is very 
much similar to that of traditional European leftist movement - i.e. secular, 
feminist, anti-property, anti-market, environmentalist etc. ADA is much wider 
and allows a lot of different anarchist ideologies to communicate and work 
together effectively. Since 2004 ADA is a member of IFA (International of 
Anarchist Federations). Both ADA and AD are sort of loose affiliations of groups 
and individuals that can differ a lot from place to place. Also, communications
between members of organisations from different cities is difficult as
Russia's enormous territory and poor transportation system makes it
extremely difficult and expensive to travel and the Internet infrastucture isn't
very much developed in Russia as well. There're also some organized
groups that are independent from federations and usually are present in one
particular place and focused on one particular project. Examples are the
Indymedia collectives, Rainbow Keepers (radical ecologists), punk groups,
radical art groups, syndicalist unions and antifascist battle groups (the latter
are very important, because neo-nazis and fascists are becoming more
numerous and powerful in Russia). Siberia has its own syndicalist federation
called Sibirskaya Konfederacia Truda (Siberian Confederation of Labor),
that has little contact with AD or ADA.
Typically, every city would have an organized group that's involved in
actions and act as a core for local movement and some people that
sometimes take part in any activities but most often are just attracted
by the atmosphere and don't treat it seriously. Also it's important to note,
that there're quite a lot of people that, although having essentially anarchist
views and life styles and acting actively together with anarchists, wouldn't
call themselves with that term and would rather refer to themselves as "left
libertarians", "libertarian socialists", "radical liberals" etc.
Omar: What happened during the G8 summit in Russia in 2006?
Goren: The G8 summit was very important for the Russian state and its
"international prestige", so all possible repressive methods were used to stop
anybody from making any effective protests. Police and State Security
forces from pretty much all European parts of Russia were drawn to St.
Petersburg. Transport routes were nearly completely cut, the police regime
was incredibly strengthened and a lot of people were arrested for no reason.
According to information that was spreading around as rumors, the cops
created lists of so-called "risk groups" and arrested everybody from that lists
that happened to be in the city during the summit. Those included
anarchists, left activists, liberals, Muslims, ethnic minorities and homeless
people. I was arrested in my flat along with my comrades from different
cities and 3 German activists that bicycled across Europe to express their
protest against globalisation. Everybody was sent to prison after a mock
court or without any at all. We had to spend 10 to 15 days in prison and
were eventually let go after the summit ended. The bad thing about it is that
the cops collected data that is now being used to push further charges
and repressions.
Also, to maintain the image of "democratic country", the St. Petersburg
administration allowed a legal way of expressing protest by taking part
in so called "Social Forum" during the summit. A whole stadium was
offered for that occasion. Effectively, it was a trap - ones who entered
the stadium couldn't leave it until the summit ends and spent all the
time there, locked away from journalists, politicians and simple people,
in other words they were in a hardly much better position than arrested
comrades. Nevertheless, some comrades managed to stay free and made
several very colourful protest actions and flash-mobs, including one just
under the windows of hotel where all the foreign VIPs stayed. Police reacted
rapidly, brutally beating and arresting the protesters, but some still
managed to escape and, what's more important, the information of
protests spread worldwide.
Omar: What is the state of the anarchist movement in Russia?
Goren: Well, it must take a bit of history to answer that question. I think we
all know that anarchist movement in Soviet Union was impossible. Of
course, there were some people with anarchist views and ideas, those
naturally appear in any society and even the Soviet system couldn't totally
destroy them, but should anybody actually proclaim themselves as an
anarchist and begin to act in that manner, their end would be fast and,
most often, terrible. First actually acting anarchist groups appeared in
late 1980-s during so-called Perestroika. At first they were very
closely related with liberal democratic movement and other groups that
fought Soviet system. A lot of people that appeared in the movement at
that time had hardly a clue about what anarchism is and had nothing to
do with it - they were just attracted by the (in) famous brand. Vast
majority of them have left the movement when they got tired of playing
games. Some later become communists, capitalists, fascists or "legal"
politicians. There are at least 2 neo-nazi leaders that once belonged to
the anarchist movement and one of those ex-"anarchists" is president
Putin's official advisor by now.
So, as we can see, the scum eventually filtered out from the anarchist
movement, but some really determined comrades stayed. Those are now
forming the "first generation" of Russian anarchists, aging from 40 to
50 and having 15-20 years of experience in the movement. Eventually,
they attracted younger comrades and formed groups and organisations
Their experience and connections is often an invaluable aid to
younger comrades, but being in politics for so long also often means
developing some personal conflicts and prejudices that have become
unnecessary obstacles for mutual aid and common action of different
groups.
Many Russian anarchist groups already have existed for over 10 years and
have developed some traditions, but also some totally new groups of new
people are formed. New people appear all the time. Many of them later find
themselves unready and unaware that anarchism is no game, especially in a
police state like Russia. Some are incapable of working within the
movement and fighting repressive state disappear from the movement, but
some rest and continue the fight. Lately, state repression against anarchists
has grown and become unprecedented. The movement, however, persists
and even grows in numbers. Thus, I can describe the state of today's Russian
anarchist movement as mature, stable and slowly, steadily growing. Of
course, it cannot be compared with the movements in Europe that count
hundreds of years of uninterrupted history, but it must be seen in
perspective.
Omar: What projects, groups or campaigns were you involved in, in
Russia?
Goren: I joined the movement sometime in 2003 or 2004. I met the St.
Petersburg Anarchist League at a picket against the war in Chechnya, that
goes on regularly and weekly in St. Petersburg center. After getting to know
the people I decided to join them. Thus I've become a member of an
organisation that's part of the ADA. During those years I took part in
numerous actions, discussions and educational projects, I also took part in
publishing of anarchist papers, internet activity and several squatting
projects. The most important campaigns were anti-war protests (Chechnya
and Iraq), worker solidarity actions, ecological protests and antifascist
activity. The latter is nearly a civil war in Russia these days, as a lot of
fascist and antifascist groups appeared and are very active; street
fights already have taken away dozens of lives.
Omar: What are some of your personal experiences in the anarchist
movement that you found inspiring?
Goren: Actually, pretty much all the actions I took part in were in some
sense inspiring, especially when I felt that simple people are actually getting
interested in anarchism. Anti-war and worker solidarity movements attracted
some public attention, but the most vital problem of today's Russia is, by
popular opinion, fascism. Many people actually joined us at first just to fight
nazis and only then began to seriously think about anarchism and to
consider it may be a good idea. And as far as cultural projects are concerned
 I have to mention the most long-living squat in St. Petersburg. It was called
Klizma (the Enema) and was run by local punks. It happened so, that that
project attracted the most politically active punks, hippies, artists and
musicians of St. Peterburg. Despite numerous attempts to destroy it, it
persisted for nearly two years and formed the basis of St. Petersburg
anarcho- and antifa-punk movement, as well as RASH and SHARP [Radical
anti-racist skinhead federations] groups in the city. It took united forces of
nazis, cops and local bandits to raid the squat and destroy it. The whole
building was burned, so that it became unsuitable for living. The later
attempts of squatting were also cool, but not even remotely as successful.
Also there're some projects I took part in when I was in Russia and, as
far as I know, they still go on in St. Petersburg. Those are the agricultural
commune Novyi Put' (New Way) in rural area north of the city, "Free
University" - a discussion club for students, run mostly by anarchists, Food
Not Bombs groups that are getting very popular among the homeless, Legal
Team - a project for helping people struggle against state repressions by
legal means, working very closely together with the international Anarchist
Black Cross and some journalist projects.
Omar: How does the anarchist movement in Russia differ to the anti-
capitalist movement in Auckland?
Goren: The Russian anarchist movement is very different in itself and
essentially not anti-capitalist - i.e. capitalism and capitalists are not viewed
as the most important enemies or obstacles. Anarchist movement in Russia
is focused against state power, imperialism and discrimination and only
occasionally acts against commerce and business. Nevertheless, surprisingly
I found the anarchists I happened to meet in Auckland more ideologically
similar to anarchists in Russia than to ones in Eastern or Western Europe.
ASI
 Goren is an anarchist from Russia currently residing in Auckland and
is an active member of A Space Inside.
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