September 5 will mark 100 years since Chicago police officers and federal agents raided and pillaged the offices of the Industrial Workers of the World on West Madison Street. The CPD seized everything from political pamphlets to personal love letters as possible evidence of the Wobblies’ attempts to sabotage American participation in World War I. In leftist circles, the fishing expedition for “evidence” of treasonous activities was seen as a pretext for dismantling an organization that was successfully unionizing workers around the country and threatening government and business interests. And the police were, as always, serving to protect those interests.
“Do Not Resist?” extends the work of abolitionist artists and organizers who for years have sparked community conversations on alternatives to policing. Last year a group of activists, including members of FTP, camped out for more than a month on a vacant lot across the street from CPD’s Homan Square facility to demonstrate abolitionist ideas in practice.
