Summer of Rage

[Pogue]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7905172.stm?lss

Those darn pesky provocative reds!

[jake williams]

This is very interesting for several reasons.

[Greenman]

The consensus on some UK left discussion boards this morning is that the way this story is being pitched is designed to try and put off people attending the forthcoming G20 and other protests - to avoid "ordinary folk" coming into contact with radicals and their ideas and being "contaminated".
However, the way things are at the moment, and the way a lot of people feel, that strategy may backfire.:)

[Bitter Ashes]

Intresting. Worth bearing in mind it probably pushes both ways though. People will be looking to the far right for support in the crisis too by the sounds of things. :(

[Pogue]

Intresting. Worth bearing in mind it probably pushes both ways though. People will be looking to the far right for support in the crisis too by the sounds of things. :(

The BNP wont be on the G20 protest.

[Killfacer]

I am raging already. Im all raged up, ready for a summer of even more rage.

[ComradeOm]

The consensus on some UK left discussion boards this morning is that the way this story is being pitched is designed to try and put off people attending the forthcoming G20 and other protests - to avoid "ordinary folk" coming into contact with radicals and their ideas and being "contaminated"Which is something that everybody should bear in mind. Governments will inevitably use such propaganda but we must be extremely careful not to give them any further ammunition. Riots, terrorism, etc, by a radical minority only tend to alienate the majority who are not yet ready for such 'rage'. That's the difference between a mass movement and the isolated extremists that governments will portray

[Nils T.]

How could you have a mass movement if you refuse to start one ?

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

Gonna be a good one!

[ComradeOm]

How could you have a mass movement if you refuse to start one ?There is a world of difference between contributing to a mass movement and smashing some shop windows in a 'fit of rage'

[Pogue]

Smashing a shop window on demo is more detrimental to the movement than beneficial - in the least its an irrelevant act, and my opinion of the people who do it is that they'r ein the whole 'revolutionary' thing for fun, not class struggle or real change.

[Some Red Guy]

I've been seeing references to this a lot on different forums today, very interesting indeed. I wonder if it will be limited to Britain.

[Dóchas]

thats prety sweet no im really looking forward to the summer :D

[StalinFanboy]

"That police have identified attempts to exploit the current economic downturn is not a surprise and they will undoubtedly be arguing for greater resources to counter a potential threat to public order."

ROFL. Hey let's use even more tax dollars to combat people mad about the failing economy.

Do they think when they say things?




I am raging already. Im all raged up, ready for a summer of even more rage.
Roids is bad son.

[Pirate turtle the 11th]

Raaaaaaaageeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jake williams]

I would at very least hope comrades notice the use of the term "Known activists". This refers to conscious, active police efforts against, well, folks like us. We should be aware of that.

That said, "Summer of Rage" is a better catchphrase than any of us could come with - and on the UK taxpayer's dollar! I say we take full advantage of it.

[Mindtoaster]

"That police have identified attempts to exploit the current economic downturn is not a surprise and they will undoubtedly be arguing for greater resources to counter a potential threat to public order."


They have sooooo been monitoring Revleft

[Pirate Utopian]

Rage on people!

[RedScare]

Hullo UK police!

In any case, UK comrades should go for it. Protest like there's no tomorrow, because the way the economy is going they just might not be.

[Matty_UK]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5793087.ece



Thousands of police to lose jobs as forces feel the pinch

Chief constables fear crimewave as recession bites


Large numbers of police forces are planning to cut thousands of officers despite the threat of a recession-driven surge in crime and disorder.
Representatives from dozens of police forces contacted by The Times last night gave a grim picture of falling numbers and “significant and painful” cuts.
One of Britain’s most experienced chief constables said that forces were being dangerously weakened at a time when a strong police force could be essential to “hold the line”. Timothy Brain, Chief Constable of Gloucestershire since 2001, said: “There is a risk of increased crime and disorder as a result of the effect of recession and many police forces will be made weaker as a result of the latest grant and council tax settlements.”


LOL, capitalism is in such a state it can't even pay for it's police force.... :laugh:

Has this happened before? I've never heard of pigs losing their jobs during recession before. There's been a couple of things like this lately suggesting even capital's most essential institution is becoming unreliable; police and prison guards trying to join the TUC is historically unprecedented (AFAIK) and there was that interesting event in Brazil a few months back when fighting broke out between striking police and riot police.
Who knows, maybe the pigs will join us in our summer of rage? :thumbup:

[Killfacer]

Raaaaaaaageeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comrade Joe is feeling the rage

[JohannGE]

I got the impression that it was more of a threat about police intentions for dealing with any increase in protests. In other words they are themselves planning a "summer of rage" against protesters. Time will tell.

The stuff about the revolting middle classes was amusing, I supose they might get their au-pairs to do an hour or so rioting for them. If they can fit it in between wiping their bosses arses for them, ironing the torygraph and poping down to matalan. ;)

The same head of the met, Paul Stephenson also said that pockets of "stupidity and bigotry" remain in the police. They do have very large and deep pockets don't they.

[ComradeLands]

There has been a very positive shift in political activism which seems to be coming out. We are seeing a move away from the wanky liberal SWP A-B marches which have plagued Britian with their uselessness.

We have started to see University occupations, young people trying to get to the Israeli embassy and in Leeds we broke police lines to occupying a street before a fascist group got there.

I would never hae imagined this a couple of years ago. The police have a reason to be scared for two reasons, the crisis is seriously pissing people off, and the SWP are shrinking so they can't fuck up campaigns as well as they used to.

Hopefully the G20 demos start something new!

[bellyscratch]

I cant wait for the G20 protests now. Hopefully they'll be as good as the big Gaza one I went to down there. I'm starting to realise more and more that we are in very important times now. Its quite exciting :w00t:

[jake williams]

Blow. Now I wish I was on that side of the Atlantic. This country sucks. Canada would have a Summer of Indignant Acceptance.

[bcbm]

Smashing a shop window on demo is more detrimental to the movement than beneficial - in the least its an irrelevant act, and my opinion of the people who do it is that they'r ein the whole 'revolutionary' thing for fun, not class struggle or real change.

Cuz real workers never riot and break shit? Gimme a fucking break. LA 1992.

[scarletghoul]

Summer of Rage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is so cool. We have a duty to make sure that the Summer Of Rage becomes one of the great events of British history.

[The Feral Underclass]

Hopefully it will be better than the winter of discontent.

There is speculation that all this has come about because the public order division of the Met has had to justify their budget and so is doing so by overblowing the significance of the actual movement. Could be true I suppose.

I love the reference to "foot soldiers" and "known activists returning to the streets". I think they're worried that we might have a repeat of Greece in the UK and perhaps that's possible? I think it is more difficult due to the fact the UK has a strong and established liberal tradition which seems to always evaporate more militant tendencies.

But it is true that they are stepping up their surveillance. What with the counter terrorism act being amended to prevent people from photographing the police it seems they are getting more serious about undermining the protest movement. Especially the environmental movement, which is probably their biggest cause for concern.

Incidentally, a group of us were followed by FIT during a demo in London on Wednesday. We overheard an officer saying that they had been ordered to stop and contain anyone carrying or red and black flags. They followed us to the pub and stood outside until they got very bored and realised we weren't going to start smashing up starbucks.

[Sasha]

Blow. Now I wish I was on that side of the Atlantic. This country sucks. Canada would have a Summer of Indignant Acceptance.

:lol:

[bcbm]

Blow. Now I wish I was on that side of the Atlantic. This country sucks. Canada would have a Summer of Indignant Acceptance.

There is a lot going on in Canada with the Olympics, the indigenous movements and so on.

[Pogue]

Britain ahas a rpeutation for being generally quite dry in terms of protests actually. Although in fairness that changed after the Poll Tax riots and some the anti-NF actions of the 70s.

[jake williams]

There is a lot going on in Canada with the Olympics, the indigenous movements and so on.
Well sort of, but I'm talking about the sort of mass movement stuff the article references. As far as I know the Olympics stuff is still pretty marginal, and it's all out west anyway.

[bcbm]

Well sort of, but I'm talking about the sort of mass movement stuff the article references. As far as I know the Olympics stuff is still pretty marginal, and it's all out west anyway.

The article is clearly hyping shit up.

You say you're from Geulph, wasn't there some riots there in the past bit? The struggle is there if you make it happen; you can't just wait for it to drop in your lap... though at this point is has, you just have to start acting.

[jake williams]

The article is clearly hyping shit up.

You say you're from Geulph, wasn't there some riots there in the past bit? The struggle is there if you make it happen; you can't just wait for it to drop in your lap... though at this point is has, you just have to start acting.
You probably aren't thinking Guelph, this is the tamest place I know. The last major demonstration I was at, at the end one of the organizers thanked the cops. At any rate, I do what I can, but as far as the general attitude of the people, Canada is generally a less active place. I was just taking the piss anyway, I don't know how it's turned into this long a discussion.