COPING WITH
SNITCH CULTURE:
HISTORICAL
EXAMPLES
and
CURRENT

PROPOSALS
Got the Hollow Points for
the Snitches

Coping with Snitch Culture: Historical Examples and
Current Proposals

“Homeboy was lking 1 the po-po,we had tolteverybody
i 4707, he Bhought ho was o he ow Iow and wes
surprised when | i i with the ou(4)-Lon(4)" Uncle Musd,
Bl Bulle”

i he growing weveof repression byt sste
fowads direct acton oiesied siraggies,radicals have been.
borbrded with he shameta con.

cern ol stches s iformants.in 8
sruggie wich i purely of choics and
individualrealisation,as opposed 08
rich caltral oty eriage, s valor
Gcicaton 1 ooescomumaniy has
‘baen shamefuly nogiocted by some.
The lollowing aice providos & brel
ook o how radical commaniios of
tho past v approsched s o
ho commuity,whilea he s tine
propasing how more urique sruggies
Camlesrnromt,

‘Ra bt wo 5ght n the faceof
what appears o be nsurmouniabie
‘odds; iz project o iberation s e
ratualenary o the ulursof audor.
ity and capialiss we now ive under.
(Conuidarng that our rvolt sgaint he
{nstiutions of dominaton a7 not 50
lated pocktsof essance, and that we
do not v separiely rom the ool
sociey ourcommnties re ineviably
tfoctad ~and perhaps idecied~ by
ho e wo e aiing t sty
Snich Cutue i ot excsiv 10
Commanises i Resistance, o ov0
ead o conzln h lrger social h
abric of America Thoss n power wast

pocpla o smitch on sach okt eope-
Gy hose from commaniios hat .
{argated inparicalas by the government and ars Berelors
mors vinaribl o Sieh Cultur- because siching works
1o cusl 4 climats o ear snd misrat Bl can ragment he
Popuiaiors ht hevsten thesiructres of powes.
Forexample, i he war aginat the poor an people of color
—ihose hat il he prisons of Ameria-.he Stat promotes
nitching 1 means (o perpetute crime by caating o
olring doot i which low-tevl drug desiers,addics, and.
iner peryolendars av asrsted an reioased with oxders
1o povide more normation i order 1 crate moro arests
order 1ol more prscna. The etiects o s cycleof smch
ncprison a1 (hat enie communiies are torn spar, amilies
brokan up,nd the Urited Sates hashe largestprison pops:-
aton s he work.

1 Anarchi cclos everyone knows thatSitch Clrs ol
scicuity among aciviss and parwiyaes our bl o wage

be arrested

800

T

Al grouns of teeaagers weariay
baggy clothing aftor 10pm will

10 rEuort NS having tun cal

etocive resistance. Though thar o mach complaining and
handwringing o he viive e iches sy in oor
‘comanuritieswe have sngagedin very il constuctive c-
o about i secioss and persisent problem. Thiazie a a1
atompt o sducate nd fostr diakoge n out Communites i
order o develop efectvesrtegiesff dealing wih aiches
o forge esisance (hat can withstand the aack of
2

power.
o tart, wo mst roaasthat Sitch Culus s it a now
phanomanon or nly particula t Anurchist,and hat mary
Commaniies of Rsinance i North Americs nd Bxrope hve
com up wih namber o diferet ways some mro fle-
v han otbers1o daa withSrtch Ol while maintaining
eiscoro vanes.
Ther i hros componeris —parhaps of unequa imperance-
- that eisance groups nd others have adiionaly used o
sering i responsat amiches: pracicaly he agree.
ity o e core vahes of e
roup and acical benet.
oo i miltant Rod Azmy Pacton
RAP) i Vst Gorary red o oe
somathing caled "Revolionary
Discipline™to respond to 8 growing
uriser ofmiches, Tisdiscipiae
drew haavily on the promise of
mclate personal eprisaiaor
aniching Sritches bot n Jai nd
ot were subject o vicious e
e in one case, sitch mas
blinded. Thiatype of eponss s
practca fo e FAF because oy
Bada mumber of sspporters boh
i and otside of . Most
snitches cold be easly located
and jumpad b supporters or
ctua RAP mambera i was agree-
e to e RAF bocasse £t it
el concepts of o Revoluaon.
sry Discipline and a lorsheatin of
ialance: Howevor i dd it prove
1o'be an efoctive et o rodse.
ing th impact of iiche. Y ha
endof he TAPS exisence, niches
o anamportant part of the Stes
atora o ot enly st bt 0
Seron mumesous membars of e
AR incluing i leadership.
e racica ey empioyed didnot
svern 0 rodsc Snich Ctarewitin theiz o ks o7 f
‘thascontemporazy mlant adica) oranieaionsin WostGor-
‘many.Tha Woathor Undorground (WU) tlao had n extrems
ot somewtal ifirent sategy when corfroning he probiem.
ol itchas, Tha WU asd tzor a0 & why 1o sop the sfecte-
Reas ol sichos.They required sl mermbers 1 give he rafes
o addrosses ofclos iends and larily and e explicly
arnod “sometimes while on prychedelic drage- tha i Bey.
iichad, hey nd thi oy would b subject o viler
roprisaa. I one ubling message fom the WU —writen
o n AIM aifch took e sand again formes comradir-
pubished inradical periodical e imo and believed o
heve boen writen b Bernacine Dorn,sated tht tho WU was
ot a1 sapport e {Chati] Manson approach” when
came " holl n Bart o pig-anichas. lwot ko
e ot how vilendy the WY wossd doal with iiches

D)

for gang acthvity

BGE-PICS
and i randaand frly. Thi approach ended up being
‘Completly impractical {oe e WU bocause hey had nether
h membersnor tho support o pul of such grandiose plans.
By th nato of being undesground, hey were marginalsed
nd hac it abily 1 stk ov at siches n any way I ct,
o ia o evidence thatany nich o the WU was eve aven
bothored by the roup. Whetha s approsch o feror wis
geeablet he core valves o ha WU 1y hard o ay snce he
WU position on vclence and accepiabla vioence seemed o
‘hango consanly. It was howeror, consisent withthe uza-
it szoak nthecors loadership ofthe group. A3 8 tactc
s was courer-prodciv-. ¢ cassed considarable debale
racialcrclos and mos of it was rgatve. The cops aleo had
Tt troubl rning ok associated with (e WU, and -
b o the ot hetcricalyviolen marbersofhe leadership
itho turned thamssives i o cot des.
Noresstance group in recent imes can compaze 10 the Black
Punhor Paty (BPP) ~and s acions- inter o being com-
Flatly inated by sritchs s wel s v endorcerment!
7R the popular i, s asociated with viclance and -
liancy.Toe mage of s tough loater-cad Back Panther car-
7ing o hotgen n ever pegentpart o
o conegrapky o e adicl e One
would thiak hat the BPP' approach o
riches would be il 1o e RAF nd
50 W however, they took complataly
‘iflernt spprosch snd rlied on com-
ity shame 2. machariem for doui-
g withsmches.
T was somewha praceica spprosch
becas By had a ramber ofwidely
Gircalating puslcations ed outets o
ot nlormaton about niches ot They
o wore ollowed cosely by he adicul
1o anchad sccess 0 s staggering -
e of medisma o oport 0 th broader
Culiresof resistance 1 s coraely
Sammasbia o he desi o e PR, which
Chimed 1 be the voice of pecilc com-
iios and saw el aa & commariy.
based organisation Tacical, the ecord
speaks o sl Thers were 1rgo.
ember of miches, mary who wem 1ot
Paimed unel wel s he full ofhe 37,
i tho govarnment which was pr-
asy broaland roprosatve n doning
wih tho BPP— vt ha ki g membersafated
vih tho BPP agina he orgarisation. I Chicage,for example.
o mmier o nitches was neadly epidemic.
‘While he sbove examplos s ot pariculaly posite, ey
astrte sorns ofthe cffculios wefaco in dading with
ritchastoday n 0wt v commanities -and thus the ned
o Giatoga.Homever, groupe s th rah Rapubican Acy
), the Basqus Soparuists (STA), an ramaly the WWT
Fronch Resisano Fightes (The Maqui), s positiv ex-
‘mplosof Commies i Resstance it dalt saccasstilly
vih S Cultarn The Macus, according 1 Gestapo/Vichy
vcotds, o that et 5% of l detinees wors“coop.
Crtive" Wias Voan, s N book. Riing Up and Riing
Do, shys ha he Spanish —anc French-- Govermenis ave
“neve bean successal in creaing s caltuzeof normasts
Tha oy 10 ki rom the istukes o he st and forge out
own raponse o niches hat i practcal, agraabl fo o
o vaues, an tacicaly benefca.

DI
! ‘

’ X
{)

STAY IN LINE

e iy B g8, T
e e oo o i
e g st B e vt 1
o v e Ty Ty
et o e o Dy Vs
e B e i e i i
e ey ot s Wy o
oo sty e mom i e,
sty o o gy e
e e et b S e s
e bt i et
ot vty e o e
i e o e e ot et
e et B e i S o
e i s syt g S
e e ot
R e oty s s
e ety Sore e sty
i ety sty o o e ety

whil st i sl T support s
oty dilued the bepetaof -
g a0 the consaquences (ofen
vioantroprisals) reatly cutmighed
ho bt The RA, moe thian any
othar grov, was successhl inrdic.
i the punsive raare ol ncarora-
on.

The Maquis used s combinaion of
vioent stacks o sichs as wel 2
Uisttaming” propagnda Ther s
mach writen s he beatings and.
hoctings crried ot by Macus,but
he vstric ecord sctualy hows
Bt e Macuis ably o eareyout
Foch aiacka wat extemely ted.
They mad use o very pablc repri
e no o due 1o e menpo-
Ty on v by he occupirs, which.
e, incroused thes fectveness
Howaver, ha o of vilance can
only be seen 1. parial explanation forthe succes of e
Maqie n ovsting Sich Coltre. The Mgl used an

tive propaganda thatwas based on he idea hat they scr
‘world b victorious, which made less atactive e cogpera-
Tion with Liegiimate suhorkies Bt wosld soon be removed.
Wt s surprising whon e reads (e memois f reaisance
ighier and he htorcalaccourisof everyday French iing
ndar sccupation s thei e and snshakoabe bei! 1l
ey would be Hberaied. I ac,most Prench ot oy
lioved they woeld b liberaed, but Lbersted by he comined.
Franch Resistance frces. Thi blie gavelegitimacy 10 he
Haquis and made crossing (e a more Gonsequanial pos-
pach since they beleved hey would coma fo power-- Wch

Eaaed sty of argunising e corainly benafical i ighting
Sritch e, That said, e fow epprokches we heve wsod
doling dreciy with eiches have no besn vy ecestfl.
Wi saer 10 maily oparsi erdersome ooss coc sememhal

sk o e’ ‘Dicipline”l the RAF The ca
i Sritches ot Stiches s prvalert and agrosable to our
poltc, however it impracical I ha wo ack th shesr
‘Fumbers — both inside and outside of e s~ fomaks this &
alty. Sitches ot Siches funclions e ks the WU ides
ofterorand with he exac s roslt i provensing S
Coltue: abaclately none.Knowing s communities havo
e e BPP modalof shase, b with th focent ovidance of
government fiaton of rdical grovpe and orgurisations,
s comrades turning o colkboraors wihwirlaps.
a0 randa acrstod o undet Grand Jry subposnas e
5 names and coopersing with sihoriien Chere i vl
eridence tha s 10 s inaflctve and el o stem e
Contnuing e of sichen,

i aary 1 look a al of his and grow desperate: Stch Cu-
5m i 2t problem thatcan be ey soved snd th very
{arnena he ore of i un ight thzough th hear ofevery
hing a aterapiing.And perhaps i s qusston and
Ssawer o thia e what are e aterpig? Wh sessome
roupa,lim ETA,the A, o Tho Macrie abist succassily
deny atempt by hose in power 0 fucuze nd bresk theix
culture of rsisunce? Why do Asarchists,with the goss of
destroying power 4nd craating new worid o Evedom and.
mataa i, o ‘cooperating witnesser an sacriics
Dot jut i oo drarma i thowe ofthe commerities ey
belong 167

Thase s the uosions we mustask usseivs f we wasi 10
1l Cormmustion of Resistance (at wil nopaly,one day,
i o ik of ways o stengthn ous commritiesof
autonomonsinividaale and buld esaance it s aiec
i and ustainableinthe ong-ter, instesd ofthe et
aphazazd nd aciv scrambting o each and overy blow of
gorement repression.

ke o can loar ro, the Comananites o Resistance
Bat o successal n dofeating Stch Culur s tha hey
‘baloved wholahesredlyinthots sruggle. Those hat wera
sctivel 6ghting, as wlla howe who sepporiod . di ot
300y choice bt 10 berate herselves o dlegitimate
sthorit 4nd Garsors e theraeives incivicualy s part of

somehing arger T
thould ot be esd s
S call o incivicua
o sacrifice hom-
suives o the sl of
o Colieciv,ba
Dustcate tht people
who belleve n what
ey are ighting o,
sod ideniy thamn
v parscnally s
o sucoass o faurs
ofthat ight, ae o
iy o botray tat
srugele bocause that
srugeie S them.
Howorert mastba
o ot iprob
bl aasir for poogle
o dently intimaiely
with sl ibers.
o sraggies tat have i sanse-— il g han
b bomething 8 complx nd far reaching s Ankschy:
Tha Macus wabted o cverthzow the Nasi-collsborator Viby
gorernment snd 1o oust the German cocupirs fom Prance,
Tha IRA wanis o ik th English out of Ulster ETA wanis
auionomy tom Span and Pance nd t preserv the Basqe
anguage and cultir. Thess groupe ae Sghting agains one
pariculs source of power, whereas Anarchits s SaGGHG
o destoy al power

‘Considaring th fcttatAnarchy s more than st the ibers-
ton fom one pacaar lgiimate suhorty and there s 45
‘many batlefields sy hars are sars i the sy cn bacame
aytofo] diilusioned o netectve. Ahe sl suhority s
Caplais sl exist and we are oo i the propagancs
hat o havo reached the End o Hory: it he Way Things
Aew il coninie wabaied, loveve Stches in Comimaniies
ofRassance ae oftn peopl whose dentiy wi he sty
glefo loal Lberaion as bocom factred, o those who
T fae ofthe represive power of the e, betrey i co-
maitos becassa thy fol e i il chance (s conimi-
s canwin

o a1 defeat S Cultre i osr Comumuniiesof
Rosistnce,wo must el e popagund of tose in pees.
i mean eaing up he istory bosks bacease the end e

ot prodotarmined by snyone batus The ways and masna
ol biilding & reisance hatcan et thes ity snd an
i¢1n staina b snd long term sicuggte o readom,
v 0 13m0 ones neded o give St Culrre the fnal
Blow. Clacy the sluton i ot 8 simple 5 he mggeston
Seiches gt Stches; bt s complex and ke a 8 may
aimctons.

A dotaled oasie, hars ave b plasty o aed sxper
menis i déling wih s sse ofsichs snd the curran
epideric of siching cannot b sopped teough random
beatings o theough ampry thsesis Waile vielence aguns!
niches o colboraors may be necessary (or exaipl, he
‘ery pablic targeding of miches uilaed by he Macriscould
Prov useful) t s fen hardal o usless i ending S
‘Culur, Not ony can th Sate cutmach v n e f the
vilance f can expend, endaring oot wholsstle campaigr.
ol iclnt rprisala —u nth case of e RAF-- o seams
counter o 0 poliics o fmedor 1o ws e iden oftrzot 1o
Caerce people o lne nd could pu off smpathei x ner-
st indiidual —msch o the WU dic Thi should ot be
T an s demiaeal of to tacic o violence i out resisance,
bt s strong crktqe o violence 8 sseful ool i combatiog.
Snitch Gl

What has e Gratest possbilty of working —although s
curretly not pracied o the exent hat it Reeds o -~ o
Commaniy shama coupled wil pisoner support Comenaniy
Shamo has the beneltof no being irevocable —how can you
ks amends ot shooting o boating somaone teribly it
T ou hey were weonly socused? - well a providing 8

aborators back a, long with prisones support in which he
‘benebte ol no nlching far ouwaigh any Teeass put (rth
o the Sat, sorma o be the best coure o aton. Prosnty.
‘meve, hase tactics ave proved inatlctve i the preven-
o of St Cuirre,Sitohen knom hat thoy will b poviled
by some,be (hey can remata nous comminies by movng
10 whers thy may be snorymaus o becauss har a1 people
‘who wil ot esracias them and llow her o retun. A even
hough ous prisoner support s one of cr sionges tibuls,
a1 be he lnchpin ht prevents Snkch Caltre, mainly
‘because i i inited in cope.

What s Joacsua baci o s e i ofblding songer
communites capable ol ong-term rosatance o (he pomers
of e tae. Comumarity shame and prisonaz supportlck.
heisnecestary bite prcissly becuuse our Communities of
Resstance are ractered, with no eal Communication of trust
emongt grocpe.Inighly ki societios ke (he Baaque.
richas Rave powehere 1 Go becatse word il rave and they
ol ace social saton wharerer they G5

‘Shame ory worka when commrties can Commasicate 13
ra hat i orratve 4 rstworthy Wikt ilormaton
out miches, commitios caznot (aks siep o slae of
Shame Gt erson: ind with-

vt rus,comamunites v
o des i e information s
olable or that other will iso
ik stepe 0 ceracian it
I tacra of prisoner rapport,
u currnt Commariten of
Rosistance ofer ahesrelt
‘pport howeve, due 0 our
ackof nrastructure snd.
spportcutide of raditonal
Aozt cclos we caroot
‘rovide the all encompasang.
prisoner spportof e A
For natance, i most cases,
e cannot ol jobs, money
10 famlienor pay ot logal
represeniaion. Most prison:
‘o areshaniod from public
view and orly fow e known
‘o atonal o nermationa
‘asia On the contray, B
prisoners wersglorified nd
&t ha height o he Teoubles,
he majoiy ofthe muralein

RA neighborhoods wers dedicated o celebrating prisoners
and thisdasda.Tho cultce of pisoner support i the A
Totored anamvizonment tha mad desizible to not srch,
dosics s on ttal commanity suppor ot e prisoner
‘i {amy. Wit s excoptions, i s something that wo
‘ot currnty provide, Wharo this exves u s on the bink
1 sluton, Whie we do soem 1 uliza h efecive tacics i
Comibaing nitch Culra —prisoner supportand comsmanity
Shamo-- ey arenot actualy ffectve i sopping i. Snifch
‘Culture i ot an olated probler, s mentioned sarler bt
niterrlato e with ot problems facing our Comm-
itesof Resstanc. 1 comes a o shock o heat (hat ourcom-
maniies s ragmeniod and hat thar o Ll commaricaion
sl s batwoen ther. Tho same also goesfor e ack
St inutrsctu o support of eople not radtenaly dent-
o with Rnarchist o oher adical groupa, Wo rust seriously
nd crtcally examing our communiies and seach fr ways
hat we cando thinga better, ot Just 0 defeat Snitch Cultrs,
bt wisd

The way 0 ssengihen our commarities snd increase out rois-
tance 1 Sich Cultur would begia by pracicing eal el
S Vory few guoups scraby wock logetner & way haia
{nteraisted snd that would ctolly hip buld ous Courer.
{ntrstructue.For intance, peopl i ciies who want 1 Grow
heis v food and hose who iredy lveon e could
perticipae in projcts ke e Victory Gardens n Athers,
Hain,which helps diserirancised people in both wrbin and
rura) mumarities develop thei own sources ofcrganicood:
‘Groupe i iflerunt s coud pool money and have benefa
1o fo theloga costs of prisoners i oer placen; axd
Thoss choosing 7ot o work could help provids daycaso or

pecpleinprison that would acaaly inction a3 deterrent o
Eeiehing Fo nstance, we cannol ey give people o —if
hey wani thern— when they axsou, o providefor people
Tarmbis i ey a0 putawey. The countr-infrasructure we do
v s argey basad on amirtanert, and while i s 3 pos-
tve thing n oz commarites, we mast move beyond thisnto
othertriory.For many obrious reaon, reating rks-
ircrur tha dogs oty on capitalsm, bt i our very ovn,
it ot iy 14 wag alloctivs rossance, s who aro bebind b Wo heed 10 ma Good o e -
o ina ek of support o o resitance n _ing: theyare i har ot 55,50 s e uthere Lo hel

e o asaide of Anarhiet circie. One way other Com. 1 thoul bo clear hatter i o simple solnon o th
SoinienofResisapce have beon effecive s hat hey had s iance o Commariien ol %
Tazge network of spport i s ol 1 bogin & g on b
{nlargo socery Beaides e ey e o s s~
e bious, i arger et s

support ancioned 18 i e
vy o propel eistance =

nd croved chimate commanity sipport T

ofhape —4 climate tat
Sritch Cuure dosa ot
ncion very weln This
lackof sspportmay be
e o fat that our

Lhould eve, ever condone scHG.
Sritching represents e ms vle b
raye f ana el and ones commanty
0 skhorgh we may ot be abie 1o
provent Stch Culur now, i doss ot
et it we shosld not contine i e
et rimovs of s rom ou o~
mniiosat prosent and withdraw -
madisiy.

‘umalvesupon th task of bulding
ot essance Bt can wiltand.
o attacks of power 0d that il e
proclian i and s It o hard work W must
Zhoud siso move beyord. craa saiogios hat ook beyond lodey
e and show o mazy 8ces:young and old, quees 40 will o s o proacively deal wihtal ropresion ol
nsrigh,crsty and sl showered- only o et Srtch Caue, bt 1o craie world made ol our

o Svioy, o st prisaner suppor must contine desies.
Bt increase e wosking on (e ong term projects o
‘g inrusructurs and widening ouscirces of upport Excerpled trom: i o the Prscrs #4.

—Brisonet sepport neod t become somathing thateveryore.

A taste of my rage

By Diego Hemandez

e e oy G s, Ao K Qs WhaTTrage aboul T your
Iogi.You dispute people’s oriesofhae,prefudice s aciam, because you|

aon live 4, fo i, soe 1, expetience it Ofcousve ' mad, because | ar fcking

“sac 1 am rrational 10 you because yourrtionule i se o leave your passion out |
st going o 3ol out,my biss malees me me and kncw you can see. Because what
o 00 i wha hey wanted you o 808,50 you would't b fee. 50 don' fick with me
it say T sfuck on race, bt that skt always in my face. | gt gy when you iy
o rase,withtha smea look on yourface, the pain that runs hrough ry veind, | wazi
o got ot of thwe facking chaina. | curse o | can deal withthe cse ofseeing my
paopla cry and setie.What do you know abost pain whan your ptof e dominant
e you ol know the cllersnce between ghatios, Teservatons, barros, and.
[projocs 8o here sy racil projoct,my short oy, not meant or the overprivilegod|
Fajority and 1 ain't goa' 10 sugat coatehit, s yoa can understand what comes ot of
e, there’s a resson why you dostundarsand, and | don't give afuck i you domit

and ma ' not heret cater fof you o he.

The Panther in his desperate boldness
Wears no disguise

Motivated by the truest

Of the oldest.

Lics:

- from Black Panther
Langston Hughes