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Colorado Springs Socialists
Founded2016
Dissolved2020
Merged intoDemocratic Socialists of America
HeadquartersColorado Springs, Co
NewspaperRocky Mountain Revolution
IdeologyMarxism
Socialism
Non-Tendency
Political positionFar-left
Website
cssocialists.com
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Colorado Springs Socialists was a small organization located in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

History

The CSS was initially founded as a Marxist reading group in the Autumn of 2016, before developing into a formal political organization in 2017. By late 2018, the group exceeded 100 members,[citation needed] operating on two university campuses and in the city of Pueblo, Colorado.[1] In January 2020 the group announced on their Facebook page that they would be dissolving and merging into the DSA Communist Caucus.[2]

Ideology

The CSS was an organization that holds the position that capitalism must be abolished and replaced with a socialist based political and economic structure. The organization took a non-tendency position on Marxism and Socialism, accepting Democratic Socialists, Anarchists, Libertarian socialists, Left Communists, Maoists and Trotskyists.[1] The CSS was involved in a project called the Marxist Center, an attempt to unite other non-tendency revolutionary socialist organizations across the United States into "the first nation-wide, non-tendency Marxist organization."[3]

Police infiltration and arrests

In March 2017, four members of the CSS were arrested during "March Against Imperialism" protest in downtown Colorado Springs, on charges of obstructing traffic ways, a misdemeanor crime in Colorado.[4][5] The CSS referred to these arrests as the "Trial of the Socialist Six", alleging The Colorado Springs Police Department took part in outrageous conduct, endangering of protesters,[6] and frequently participating in arbitrary arrests.[7] On August 2, 2017 Colorado Springs Independent writer Nat Stein uncovered body-camera footage of Colorado Springs officers discussing the infiltration of the organization.[8] The Colorado Springs Police Force placed two undercover officers, under the aliases of "Mark" and "Amy", into the CSS as part of a surveillance of the organization.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "About - Colorado Springs Socialists". cssocialists.com. Archived from the original on 2018-11-30. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  2. ^ "Colorado Springs Socialists". facebook.com.
  3. ^ "About | Colorado Springs Socialists". cssocialists.com. Archived from the original on 2018-11-30. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
  4. ^ Benzel, Lance (24 May 2018). "4 members of socialist group dodge jail time after arrests at Colorado Springs protest march". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  5. ^ Benzel, Lance (30 March 2018). "Jury: Colorado Springs protesters infiltrated by undercover officers guilty of blocking traffic". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  6. ^ Stein, Nat. "Socialists get arrested for marching in the streets". Colorado Springs Independent.
  7. ^ "Trial of the Socialist Six - Rocky Mountain Revolution". cssocialists.com. Archived from the original on 2018-11-30. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
  8. ^ Stein, Nat. "Jaywalking case exposes law enforcement embedded in far-left group". Colorado Springs Independent.
  9. ^ Stein, Nat. "Undercover officers take the stand to explain infiltration of local Socialists". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
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