On Wednesday, August 26th, the US government’s executive branch sanctioned Autistici/Inventati, a small, Italian, volunteer-run activist Internet provider, for allegedly giving services to terrorist organizations (see the State Department press release and Treasury Department press release).
May First emphatically condemns this designation and opposes any effort by the US government to silence political speech by attacking Internet providers.
This designation is familiar to May First – it is the same method used against former May First member Samidoun. As we noted in our email last year, the US government can effectively isolate any organization without presenting evidence or trial by simply alleging that they support terrorism.
When an organization is placed on Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, it becomes illegal for any US individual or organization to provide services to or collaborate with them in any way. That can mean losing access to bank accounts, financial services, the ability to receive donations and any other services you receive from any businesses who are based or have a presence in the US. Even discussing the situation with your comrades puts them at risk of being accused of collusion. Within two days of this designation, Autistici’s domain name (autistici.org) was already dropped by their registrar. It’s a powerful tool of repression designed to cut people off from the networks and communities that sustain them.
What is Autistici/Inventati?
We encourage everyone to read A/I’s own statement regarding the designation as well as a long form article providing some history and context for their contribution to the movement in general and specifically their contribution to the network of global activist providers that made May First possible.
In short: A/I is one of the first autonomous, anti-capitalist and anti-fascist hosting projects in the world. They have been an inspiration to May First and a source of continuous knowledge about how to setup servers and support movement activists and organizations. Additionally we have worked together in coalition over the last 10 years.
We encourage our members to spread the word and speak out against this designation—in solidarity with Autistici and against the dangerous, unchecked power of U.S. sanctions.
Defend Independent Movement Technology
Autistici, like May First, is a small, autonomous internet provider with a tiny fraction of the resources of corporate Big Tech. Targeting them with U.S. sanctions is excessive and vindictive: an attempt to punish a movement-aligned technology provider for its political commitments and intimidate the rest of us.
The fascists in power want to make examples of projects like Autistici. They want autonomous infrastructure that refuses corporate surveillance and control to disappear. We can’t let that happen. Speak out. Support Autistici. Support independent, movement-aligned technology—and defend our ability to communicate, organize, and build community power outside the claws of Big Tech.