Sedition Books burns, prepares to rise from the ashes : Houston Indymedia

Just hours after a fire burned off its backside and damaged its lending library, Sedition Books Infoshop is still bustling with radical energy. In front of the community run space, someone has spread a blanket on the sidewalk and laid out smokey smelling books for sale, including an out-of-print copy of Class War.

“Damn, this was such a nice place,” commented one of the many activists who stopped by to check on Ben and Nik, the two collective members who lived in the space,and woke up to find their home full of smoke around 3 a.m. Monday morning.

The fire seems to have started on the outside wall of the house's back room that was used for band practice. The ball of flames spread quickly through the side of the house and into the attic, reaching the front of the building. Parts of the ceiling are burned away in most of the rooms and soot covers everything. Outlines of books are silhouetted in black dust on the library's shelves. The floors are covered with damp piles of sheetrock and posters from Anti-Racist Action protests. Firefighers left a plastic sheet over a pile of Indymedia computer equipment in the corner.

Ben and Nik already removed the personal belongings they could salvage (not much) and plan to put more than a dozen boxes of books and propaganda into storage until they find a new space. Estimates for Sedition's resurrection vary from one to five months. Several empty storefronts beckon from nearby, but they'll soon be replaced by town homes or strip malls.

I saw at least one developer stop and walk around Sedition Books during my hour long visit. But, its mostly anarchists who stop by today to check on Ben and Nick and trade theories of who started the fire.

Houston Fire Department investigators told them the fire was deliberately set and “looks like arson.” Some people say the KKK – who reportedly harassed the immigrant day labor center a few blocks down the street - may have set the fire. The lack of any obvious incendiary device causes some to doubt this theory. Nick says Sedition has received death threats before, and could have been the target of racist skinheads, disgruntled former patrons, or maybe a local drug addict paid off by a developer. An accidental inflammation from a cigarette butt seems unlikely since recent rains have left the area pretty wet.

No matter who burned Sedition, the bookstore will rise again. Ben points out they would have had to move soon, anyway, as its owner may sell the property. Collective members will meet in the coming days to establish a paypal account for donations. They called AK press and asked them to put on hold an order placed yesterday. Ben says the silver lining of all this may be a huge windfall of funds to open a bigger and better space.

Less than a month after the infoshop celebrated its one year anniversary, Anarchist Black Cross movie screenings and Indymedia meetings will have to search for a new home. But, their ideas and message – the substance of the Sedition Books project – are no stranger to struggle.