From August 15 to 19, the police and military exercis „Fides“ (trust) will take place in Bern. Using the scenario of a „long-lasting terrorist threat“, the aim of the exercise is to train the protection of the „critical infrastructure“, such as major energy, transportation and government centers.

This exercise is far more than the unrealistic fantasies of a few security fanatics. At a time when wars and crises of capitalism have become a permanent state and when climate catastrophe has become a reality already, it is inevitable for the leaders to ensure their profits and power. The various uprisings and protests are evidence of how many people around the world are fighting for a better life and are no longer willing to accept exploitation and the destruction of their livelihoods.

With „Fides“, the Swiss military and police are preparing themselves for a possible future. In the guise of ensuring security for the population, they are actually training counterinsurgency operations to protect the general power relations and property situations as well as „the business location Switzerland“.

The fact that the scenario of a „terrorist threat“ is being rehearsed only recently after the new anti-terrorism laws came into force is not at all surprising. The buzzword „terrorism“ doesnt only stir up a diffuse fear of an invisible enemy in order to justify more control. At the same time, it has always served governments to discredit as „terrorists“ all those who radically question them and fight for social change.

Being the armed arms of a patriarchal and racist system, the army and police are also necessarily patriarchal and racist. This is evident, for example, in the military assault on migration at Europe’s external and internal borders. It is evident in the image of the common soldier: a white, right-wing conservative, armed man – not necessarily a reassuring image in a society where a feminicide occurs on average every two weeks.

The army and the police do not protect us, but a world based on domination and exploitation – with deadly force, if necessary. Let’s fight against it with our values of solidarity and mutual help! Let’s sabotage and disrupt „Fides“ in many ways!

Stay tuned!