The black clad activists have a lot to answer for – they provide the cover for the provocateurs and they are totally responsible for the media frenzy about the damage to a few shops. Perhaps next time the real social activists should swarm these people and stop them if the police refuse. They are the enemies of social change – we should treat all of them as agents provocateurs and plan to deal with them accordingly. In the process we might catch a few more cops in the act. - Murray Dobbin
A lot of reactionary letter writers to our nations newspapers are making similar suggestions - from the perspective that all the peaceful protesters deserved everything they got from the police for not stopping the Black Bloc vandals among them.
In fact there are lots of photos from the weekend of peaceful demonstrators, remonstrating, attempting to restrain and in the process being threatened by these black clad so-called 'anarchists' but that's hardly the point.
It's interesting how the the Black Bloc folks are so scary and violent and dangerous that they require a massive police over-reaction, tactical armor, sci fi sonic weaponry and the suspension of basic human rights for the police to deal with them, but pacifist demonstrators are irresponsible and culpable for not tackling these ogres themselves.
Of course, attack a Black Bloc anarchist and you might be charged with assaulting a police officer...
3 comments:
Research "diversity of tactics" and find out the hidden rot in the grassroots.
I like the part about the African American activists in Philadelphia considering those using destructive or violent tactics as self indulgent. Spoiled middle class kids who can count on Mommy and Daddy to bail them out.
I understand the frustration about seeing a huge spectrum of cultural argument deliberately suppressed in the media, but just because the black bloc stuff brings attention doesn't mean its helpful.
And then I decided to actually link to what I was blurbling about
Post a Comment