From Environmentalist to “Domestic Terrorist” with former Earth Liberation member Daniel McGowan

In the past ten years, we’ve also seen state repression of movements coming out of Occupy Wall Street, the Ferguson uprising, Standing Rock, Line 3 and various anti-Trump movements. Green and Red has had numerous episodes on radical movements and state repression of political movements from antifascists in Portland and Austin to water protectors at Line 3 to DAPL saboteur Jessica Reznicek.

Listen to our latest episode: apple.co/3nvkrqk

But, before that, we had the era known as the “Green Scare,” where radical environmental and animal rights activists were targeted by the “state” (corporations, politicians, law enforcement) for its anti-capitalist politics and escalating tactics that included sabotage, animal liberation, property destruction and arson. The FBI called their operation to stop these radical movements “Operation Backfire.” After 911, they labeled people taking action “domestic terrorists.” Congress passed corporate lobbyist written legislation, such as the Animal Enterprise Terror Act and the Patriot Act, to stop them.

Cascadia Forest Defense and the Climate Crisis

pic via Cascadia Forest Defenders

“There is new crop of forest defense climate activists feeling a new sense of urgency that the traditional environmental advocacy isn’t doing it…”

— Daniel with Cascadia Forest Defenders

The Pacific Northwest has a long history of organizing and direct action around logging and timber industries. From the Wobblies trying to organize the logging sector in the early twentieth century to Earth First!’s campaigns to stop old growth logging to the new generation of forest defenders linking the struggle for wild places and communities to the climate crisis, direct action has always tried to get the goods.

Resisting the Police State in Portland

For over 90 days, since the murder of George Floyd, anti-police brutality and Black Lives Matter movements in Portland, OR have faced down the Portland Police Bureau, the Dept. of Homeland Security and various right wing racist militias.

Listen to “Revolt in Portland” on Green and Red Podcast.

The Trump administration attempted to crack down on protests in an unprecedented show of aggression by putting federal agents on the street, kidnapping protestors off the street and responding with mass violence. The entire city rose up against the federal government’s intervention, prompting a pull back by the feds. But since then the Portland Police have continued the violence against protests.