On Sunday, September 4th, police arrested Lukáš, an anarchist who has lived in underground for about a year, due to previous intense surveillance. He was acquitted.

This is a translation of an open letter sent by Lukas from his prison
cell. He tells more about his case and what the accusations against him
are about and explains his point of view over the circumstances of his
arrest, emotional state of one living in underground:

On Sunday, September 4th, 2016, I was arrested by police in Most and
then taken to the remand prison in Litomerice. Unfortunately happened,
what I did not want to, but knew all along that this may occur at any
time. Fortunately, I have mentally prepared myself for such situation so
it allows me to deal calmly with this kind of unpleasant reality, which
I’m and apparently people close to me are exposed to now.

I was captured by those who defend the rule of capital over our lives.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t change anything on my will to continue along
the path that I have chosen. I will continue to destroy and create. To
fight and love. I remain an anarchist with everything that belongs to
it. I decided for now to write a few paragraphs about my imprisonment.
Surely I will soon express my opinion to other issues, that I consider
important.

Before the arrest

It’s no secret that at a certain moment I decided to “disappear”, in
worry that the police was planning my arrest. I have expressed my
reasons in the text “Disappearance of supervision of state power”, which
is published various sites of the anarchist movement. The choice I made,
allowed me to live hidden and quite happily for months. I freely moved
and ate a good food. Whole world became home for me, and I was able to
find havens for cultural and social existence in it. Because of
emotional and material support I had enough energy to keep fighting for
emancipation. I knew about the risks associated with it, but I have
never thought about to finish with that and I do not think of it even
now. To brake free from dictatorship of the state and capitalism is
enough attractive aim, that it is impossible to turn away my attention
from it. Even the fact that the power is threatening me with finger,
baton or prison … Being an anarchist means to me, to understand such
threats as an inevitable consequence of my expressed desire for freedom.
It is connected with daily rebel life. Fact that I can not avoided, but
I can defy it. What I do and I will keep doing.

The circumstances of my arrest

Police arrested me in Most, a small city where I was born and lived for
a long time. I have part of my family and many friends there. In Most
with some people we run a community center “Ateneo” and organized a long
series of events associated with the anarchist movement. In short, in
this city I’m quite known person, both to the population and the police
and bureaucrats.

For some people it will be a manifestation of “stupidity” that I had
decided to come into the city, where in the same time I was the subject
of a European arrest warrant. Even if my closest people would think so,
I will not blame them. Because they look at the matter from a different
position than I do. So I do understand that some people don’t find a
comprehension for the thoughts and actions of a person who is in the
underground for longer time. The life of person on the run is connected
with the separation from the people who he/she loves and whom previously
had been in close and frequent contact with. It’s one of the hardest
thing, that a person in such a situation has to deal with. Fundraising,
food, shelter or providing security in contrast, are relatively easy
tasks. There are two ways how to deal with such separation. Either
accept it passively, which also means expose yourself to the suffering
and unending frustration. Or try to overcome the separation with
occasional contacts, which of course greatly increases the risk of
getting caught by the police. I “instinctively” chose the second option.
I knew what I was risking and what I could lose. But, I also knew, that
in isolation I can lose something, what is very important to me –
contacts with people I care about and who care about me. That’s why I
decided to come to Most, knowing the risks.
Everything could go smoothly and soon I would move to a safer place, it
was not a difficult task, and I had carefully prepared for it. But as
everyone surely knows, into our lives, sometimes enter unexpected
events, which can not be predicted, nor reversed. In such cases does not
help the preparation nor the will or abilities. We are dragged by events
without being able to prevent them or change them. That’s exactly what
happened in my case. As a result, I not only failed to make contact, but
also I was arrested. I will not explaine now, why and how it happened.
Perhaps I will do so later.

Police resolution

Shortly after the arrest, was presented to me a resolution to initiate
criminal prosecution. During the whole process, I decided to exercise
the right to remain silent. The case is investigated by the police
department for Combating Organized Crime (ÚOOZ). They accuse me for the
foundation, supporting and promoting a movement aimed at suppressing
human rights and freedoms. According ÚOOZ I founded a Network of
revolutionary cells (SRB), participated in some SRB’s events and I wrote
some SRB’s communiqués and published them on the “Asociace Alerta”
website. Further they claim that I have committed violation of
possession, damaging property of another, 4 times. Twice during an arson
attack on a police car. Once during an arson attack on a shop door. And
once by spraying on the wall of Prague prison Ruzyne. Finally I am also
accused by ÚOOZ for blackmailing the owner of steak restaurant “Řízkárna”.

I carefully studied all acusitions to find out on what bases ÚOOZ
beliefs that I committed those acts. Honestly, it really calmed me down,
because those “proofs” are a mixture of speculation and evaluation of
the “trails”, which in fact doesn’t prove my involvement in those acts.

Defense

I have no sympathies for judicial system. I consider it as part of the
repressive instruments of capitalism, of which I am an opponent.
Nevertheless, I decided to try to defend myself in court regarding the
weak “evidences” that the ÚOOZ presents against me. I realize that this
election means fight on the enemy’s territory with limited resources.
That’s the reason why I don’t have exaggerated expectations or
illusions, that the court would be an independent institution that could
serve to emancipation struggle.

I will defend myself in court, but I still stand behind that the
anarchist struggle must be based primarily on the subversive logic of
direct action rather than relying on institutional instruments of the
state and indirect (representatives mediated) forms of action. From what
I have been saying and doing since years, it’s clear what kind of
struggle I prefer. I will keep acting according to that and I want the
same from the people who is in solidarity with me.

Still armed and dangerous

During my hiding period, the police and the media denominated me as
dangerous and armed. I confirmed it in a text -Lukáš Borl v hledáčku
policie. ( Lukas Borl in viewfinder of the police.) After the arrest,
the police take away from me my defensive pepper spray, knuckleduster, a
gas pistol with two magazines and 23 rounds (ed. These weapons are in
the Czech Republic legally available without a gun license). Now they
keep me in jail. I stand by the fact that I’m still armed and dangerous.
Dangerous (to capitalism), because, even behind the bars I refuse to
adapt to the conditions of exploitation and encourages the others to
rebel against them. I’m still armed because of my willingness to be
solidary. Up to this moment they weren’t able to take it away from me
and recorded it as a matter of importance for criminal proceedings.
Solidarity and rebelliousness are weapons that I still have on me and
I’m ready to use it. I have done that already, I do that now and I will
keep doing it.

Ground of fighting

As an anarchist, I was always aware of the possibility to be arrest.
Every regime after all, suppress its opposition in such a manner. Now I
am in pre-trial detention jail, but do not consider it as the end of the
anarchist path. Jail is just one of many phases of that revolutionary
may (but need not) go through. It’s not the end. Only a change of
circumstances and ground where I will now struggle against the
perpetrators of oppression. I am pleased that I can keep fighting
together with other anarchists. With those, who understand that
collective struggle is the only way out of capitalist mud.

Solidarity actions

Anyone who feels the need to support me can choose own way and timing
according to own considerations. I will not tell anyone what to do and
how. But I explicitly don’t want to see anyone, without my consent, to
disclame direct actions done in my support. If I don’t agree with any
action, I will express that by myself, if I consider it important.

An advice for those who doubt about what action would be welcome: get
information about my past, to understand what ideological positions I
stand for. If this is understandable for you. Then it will make you lose
any doubts about what action I would welcome and which not. No time to lose.
No social peace with those who oppress and exploit us. The struggle
continues!

The anarchist greetings from prison!
Your brother, friend, comrade Lukáš Borl – 11.9.2016, Litoměřice