May Day Riot at Santa Cruz, CA

[Kléber]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14998618


SANTA CRUZ - A large group of protesters demonstrating at a May Day rally for worker's and immigrant rights downtown broke off into a riot vandalizing about a dozen businesses around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Many in the group were carrying makeshift torches as they marched, breaking storefront windows and writing "anarchist graffiti" on buildings, according to Capt. Steve Clark. Many businesses sustained multiple broken windows including very large storefront windows at Urban Outfitters and The Rittenhouse building. Police believe at least 15 businesses suffered damage.
The violence was initiated from a group holding a rally at the town clock for May Day. Windows at Jamba Juice and Velvet Underground were left shattered and graffiti including anarchy signs were tagged onto buildings.
Because of the size and violent demeanor of the crowd, Santa Cruz police asked for help from all agencies in the county to break up the riot. At one point, protesters lit a fire on the porch of Caffe Pergolesi and blocked access to firefighters, officers said. Police were able to clear out the demonstrators before more damage was caused.
A large rock sat outside Verizon Wireless on the 100 block of Cooper Street, where vandals tried to break the window twice, according to Clark.
"The damage that was caused was without purpose," Clark said. "It was senseless violence that victimized a community who cannot afford to be victimized in this manner. This did nothing to add credit to whatever they believed their cause was."
One person, 24-year-old Jimi Haynes, a transient from Fresno County, was arrested for felony vandalism for damaging a window. Haynes is also wanted on a parole violation, Clark said. Police are searching for others responsible for the damage. Protesters cleared the downtown area around midnight.
"Our entire team of investigators are processing the scene of violence for evidence," Clark said. "We will be looking at video available to try to ID who's responsible."
Haynes was observed traveling with this group and breaking windows at the Dell Williams Jewelry store. Haynes broke two large display windows in the front of the store. The witnesses followed him and called police. Haynes was located by arriving Watsonville PD officers who detained Haynes, Clark said.
Haynes is on parole out of Fresno County for burglary. He has been in Santa Cruz for the past several weeks where he has established an arrest history, Clark said. Haynes admitted to participating in the rally after receiving a flyer at a local anarchist café. Haynes was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail.
Once order was restored, police detectives worked throughout the night to collect evidence and document the damage to each of the businesses, Clark said. The police department guarded exposed storefronts, and arranged for private security to watch the businesses until windows could be boarded, and responsible persons contacted.
The police department encourages anyone with information (include any photos or video footage) to make contact and report the information. The police department will be working to identify and prosecute additional individuals involved in the march and subsequent violence.
Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the investigations department at 420-5820.Now for my jab at (A): so the Mercury News is giving a one-sided account, and as a Leninist, I'll even concede that back in the day, anarchist predictions about Bolshevism came true... but how does this adventurist TCI crap bring the revolution any closer? The only class consciousness this generated was turning a dozen petty bourgeois into teabaggers.

[S.Artesian]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14998618

Now for my jab at (A): so the Mercury News is giving a one-sided account, and as a Leninist, I'll even concede that back in the day, anarchist predictions about Bolshevism came true... but how does this adventurist TCI crap bring the revolution any closer? The only class consciousness this generated was turning a dozen petty bourgeois into teabaggers.

It doesn't, but neither does condemning these actions as "adventurist crap." Those who are "shocked" and "appalled" or driven to the "teabaggers" by these absolutely insignificant displays of frustration and anger generally have had no problem tolerating, excusing, justifying those far more massive and violent actions of the bourgeoisie.

We need to keep a bit of perspective on this, comrade and not reflexively react.

[Chimurenga.]

I'm sure breaking out windows at an Urban Outfitters will bring about more jobs, immigrant rights, and higher wages. :rolleyes:

[Kléber]

I meant the small businesspeople whose stores got fucked up, not random reactionaries for whom this was their latest reason to hate "the left," but I still think it hurts the appeal of communism to workers.

The story said 15 businesses were damaged, and lists more chain stores than local businesses, but some chains include stores that are independently owned; there was also an attempt to burn down a decent coffee shop, apparently as some sort of sectarian inter-café rivalry.

The official excuse is "Several expensive 'hipster' stores, corporate chain stores, and bourgeois shops that cater to tourists had their windows smashed."

Of course I would defend the rioters against anyone who said the inconvenience to some shopkeepers, most of whom will probably get insurance money eventually, was a bigger issue than police brutality or the ongoing imperialist wars and occupations. Perhaps I am overreacting but it is precisely because, as a communist who lives in this place, I find myself in the position of defending such behavior in conversations with the general population who is at best alienated by it, that I have chosen to whine about it on an online forum.

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site568/2010/0502/20100502__riot%7E3_GALLERY.JPG
^Is this supposed to be dialogue with the working class?

Other graffiti included:
“Brick by brick we will bring it down”; “Destruction is the New Pink”; “Destroy the Destroyers”

And yes, as this YouTube video proves, for the most part it was a symbolic protest and I doubt most people there had wrecking in mind, so I regret referring to it as a "riot," which it was not, and have tried to change the thread title accordingly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPqPjVJlhzE

[S.Artesian]

I'm sure breaking out windows at an Urban Outfitters will bring about more jobs, immigrant rights, and higher wages. :rolleyes:

Nope, no more than not breaking windows at Urban Outfitters will bring about more jobs, immigrant rights and higher wages.

What's the BFD? Why do these minor displays of such minor violence bother some individuals and organizations so much?

What would you like to do, create your own police force to arrest these people? That might be interesting because some of them are probably paid police provocateurs. SFW?

The problem with creating a police force is exactly that. Back in the day, in the US, the "Mobe" committee against the Vietnam War was very worried about "Red Flag" contingents who wouldn't abide by the "Bring Our Troops Home" bullshit, but actually insisted on calling the struggle in Vietnam a revolution, and linking opposition to the war to the support for that revolution. So worried that the Mobe trained "marshalls" to try and keep the Red Flag contingents contained and separated from the body of the marches and demonstrations.

These clowns made a few mistakes, like laying their hands on some members of the Red Flag contingent who weren't about to tolerate being segregated from the march. Big mistake.

But anyway, you don't know who did what in Santa Cruz, and as long as we don't know, why would you jump up and swallow the journalistic bait that's thrown into the water. You like chum?

[S.Artesian]

And yes, as this YouTube video indicates, for the most part it was a symbolic protest and I doubt most people there had wrecking in mind, so I regret referring to it as a "riot"


OK, that's much more reasonable. I certainly like the graffiti.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I don't really care about the shop owners, but I do have a problem with this action (as described in the news report anyway - which could be a misrepresentation) considering that many immigrants are already (understandably) afraid of police crack-downs and may not want to organize with radicals or even come to marches if they feel like someone venting some frustration will end up getting them arrested and possibly separated from their family.

Because these immigrant workers are facing repression, it is really important that we build trust when organizing with people who would bear the brunt of any crackdown. Many working class people are already suspicious of the left and susceptible to claims that radicals "use" workers and have their own separate agenda. That's why it's more the secrecy and undemocratic organizing of things like this that are troubling to me.

If people wanted to make an insurrectionist statement or whatever, they should have organized their own separate "may day" not connected to the immigrant rights actions. I mean it doesn't even seem like they targeted businesses that had anything to do with immigrant scapegoating, so what is this action saying about radicals to people in the larger movement who are not yet radical? Is it helping to win people to seeing how worker's power and revolution are ultimately necessary to win civil and labor rights as well as creating a better and more democratic world? No, it's basically saying, we think smashing a window of a chain-store is more important that organizing a fightback against organized racism in Arizona and the rest of the US.

[chegitz guevara]

Nope, no more than not breaking windows at Urban Outfitters will bring about more jobs, immigrant rights and higher wages.

What's the BFD? Why do these minor displays of such minor violence bother some individuals and organizations so much?


Because they alienate the vast majority of people, and only serve to give angsty anarchists some wank material, that's why.

[Proletarian Ultra]

A methodological point: The dominant assumption here is that the only valid point of protest actions is to convince potential allies to join us.


"Dear Fellow workers, Wake up! You are totally oppressed 'n shit. We are nice people who want to help. Be socialists! Please?"

If that's the case, nearly 100% of protest actions are total failures. Fortunately, there are other kinds of message a protest action can send, and other audiences it can be directed toward. For example:


"Dear Ruling Class, You know all that state terror you're doing against brown workers? Well, it's about to get more expensive. kthxbai"

[Rusty Shackleford]

In SF, there were some counter protesting Teabaggers. Me and 2 friends (one in the PSL) were tasked with getting garbage bags for clean up so we went off to find a store. on our way back we came across 10-15 cops surrounding maybe 5-10 people rougly my age, under 20, all in black, one girl with a bloodshot eye and all in cuffs.

i have yet to find a report on these people and why they were arrested. i hope they were just BANA idiots. Even if it wasnt BANA, and it was just some anarchist group that did this, there is no reason to start shit with the police. Berlin and Athens may be different but in CA, were not here to bring attention to any possible undocumented people at a pro-immigrant anti-sb1070 rally.


also, the teabaggers did get chased off :D

EDIT: just found a report of a black bloc that took place a while after the rally i was at. they ended up occupying an abandoned school. (http://www.examiner.com/x-32279-SF-Crime-Examiner%7Ey2010m5d2-Anarchists-occupy-abandoned-school-for-May-Day-11-arrested-say-police) that i can support so long as the anarchists all knew each other and were not endangering anyone else.

[S.Artesian]

I don't really care about the shop owners, but I do have a problem with this action (as described in the news report anyway - which could be a misrepresentation) considering that many immigrants are already (understandably) afraid of police crack-downs and may not want to organize with radicals or even come to marches if they feel like someone venting some frustration will end up getting them arrested and possibly separated from their family.

Because these immigrant workers are facing repression, it is really important that we build trust when organizing with people who would bear the brunt of any crackdown. Many working class people are already suspicious of the left and susceptible to claims that radicals "use" workers and have their own separate agenda. That's why it's more the secrecy and undemocratic organizing of things like this that are troubling to me.

If people wanted to make an insurrectionist statement or whatever, they should have organized their own separate "may day" not connected to the immigrant rights actions.


I think the above by comrade Higgins is totally legit and correct. That's the argument to make, not that it "alienates" shopkeepers, or gives the cops excuses, but that it places immigrants in danger of being picked off in the demonstrations.

I would recommend that leaflets for the demonstration itself stress the importance of not engaging in certain acts for the reason of not exposing migrant workers to retaliation.

[S.Artesian]

In SF, there were some counter protesting Teabaggers. Me and 2 friends (one in the PSL) were tasked with getting garbage bags for clean up so we went off to find a store. on our way back we came across 10-15 cops surrounding maybe 5-10 people rougly my age, under 20, all in black, one girl with a bloodshot eye and all in cuffs.

i have yet to find a report on these people and why they were arrested. i hope they were just BANA idiots. Even if it wasnt BANA, and it was just some anarchist group that did this, there is no reason to start shit with the police. Berlin and Athens may be different but in CA, were not here to bring attention to any possible undocumented people at a pro-immigrant anti-sb1070 rally.


also, the teabaggers did get chased off :D

EDIT: just found a report of a black bloc that took place a while after the rally i was at. they ended up occupying an abandoned school. (http://www.examiner.com/x-32279-SF-Crime-Examiner%7Ey2010m5d2-Anarchists-occupy-abandoned-school-for-May-Day-11-arrested-say-police) that i can support so long as the anarchists all knew each other and were not endangering anyone else.


OK, so the concern is tactical. I agree with that, too. Can you do it and strengthen the movement, and not get participants picked off by the cops. Sometimes it's the right thing to do, tactically; sometimes it's not.

Sometimes it's even the right thing to do strategically when you don't stand a chance of tactical success-- like fighting off the cops in August 68 in Chicago-- showing my age, ain't I? How's that for a blast from the past?

[Rusty Shackleford]

OK, so the concern is tactical. I agree with that, too. Can you do it and strengthen the movement, and not get participants picked off by the cops. Sometimes it's the right thing to do, tactically; sometimes it's not.

Sometimes it's even the right thing to do strategically when you don't stand a chance of tactical success-- like fighting off the cops in August 68 in Chicago-- showing my age, ain't I? How's that for a blast from the past?
tactically and strategically there is a difference. i have no probelm with anarchists at all its just a bit of a problem with strat and tac. i dont think i saw any red and black flags though. but the IWW was there which was nice to see.

now, '68 may have been an appropriate time, and '92 in LA may have been an appropriate time, but right now, its not.

[Agnapostate]

Entirely aside from the morality of bloc tactics and sporadic outbursts against business buildings, it's simply not the most practical approach when there are widespread misconceptions of anarchism being nothing more than promotion of chaos and disorder.

[bcbm]

adventurist TCI crapwhat does this have to do with tci?


If people wanted to make an insurrectionist statement or whatever, they should have organized their own separate "may day" not connected to the immigrant rights actions.

this action happened separately from the immigrants march, as far as i can tell.

[What Would Durruti Do?]

I expect the bourgeois media to get upset about some broken windows, but revolutionary leftists?

For the record I don't think destroying property gets us anywhere either but I'm not about to complain about broken windows when capitalism and the state violently destroy the lives of HUMAN victims. Lets keep our priorities straight. People are always going to be pissed off and I think they have pretty good reason to be.

[bcbm]

i don't think its a matter of being upset over the windows, but rather upset over the seeming lack of any strategy involved in these actions. attacking capital in this manner certainly shouldn't be removed from the tools we have available, but i think it should be undertaken with a bit more consideration.

[S.Artesian]

i don't think its a matter of being upset over the windows, but rather upset over the seeming lack of any strategy involved in these actions. attacking capital in this manner certainly shouldn't be removed from the tools we have available, but i think it should be undertaken with a bit more consideration.

I don't think it's the lack of strategy that triggered the criticism. The initial post did not comment upon, nor even cite this event as an example of, the overall lack of strategy.

It appeared to be dismay and exasperation at the untidiness of actual protest and struggle, explained with the usual "it alienates people," "it turns people off," "it turns people off who might be our friends," etc. etc. etc.

If the issue is protecting those in the demonstrations from retaliation that will do far more damage than any benefit that can achieved from the tactics being employed, I can understand and support that.

But if the argument is--"Oh this won't help us. It will turn people away from us"-- I think that's really wrong. The material economic conditions underlying and driving the protests will become more acute. People will forget all about the broken windows and move toward us as long as we can articulate and demonstrate a strategy and a program in opposition to the bourgeoisie.

If anybody would bring up the broken windows of a local coffee house as a reason to reject the substance of the demonstration, I think all you have to do is ask him or her how that damage compares to the 100s, 1000s, killed by predator drones.

[bcbm]

It appeared to be dismay and exasperation at the untidiness of actual protest and struggle, explained with the usual "it alienates people," "it turns people off," "it turns people off who might be our friends," etc. etc. etc.

i think this is a strategic concern.



But if the argument is--"Oh this won't help us. It will turn people away from us"-- I think that's really wrong. The material economic conditions underlying and driving the protests will become more acute. People will forget all about the broken windows and move toward us as long as we can articulate and demonstrate a strategy and a program in opposition to the bourgeoisie.

i think it would be a stretch to say it is material economic conditions driving anarchists to break windows and even more of a stretch to say that anarchist actions in most of the country demonstrate anything like a strategy or program.


If anybody would bring up the broken windows of a local coffee house as a reason to reject the substance of the demonstration, I think all you have to do is ask him or her how that damage compares to the 100s, 1000s, killed by predator drones.

the broken windows are the substance.

[S.Artesian]

i think it would be a stretch to say it is material economic conditions driving anarchists to break windows and even more of a stretch to say that anarchist actions in most of the country demonstrate anything like a strategy or program.

the broken windows are the substance.

The demonstrations on May Day were obviously given greater life and vigor by the current economic distress, no?

The substance of those demonstrations wasn't about trashing BoA, Wells Fargo, Starbucks, Raffetto's or Joe's Dairy-- and let me tell you, anyone who ever lift's a rock against either of those last two will have to answer to me and the rest of lower Manhattan-- but about migrant labor, unemployment, war, etc.

Not all attending these demonstrations were anarchists; not all anarchists attending these demonstrations trashed buildings, cars, etc; the demonstrations themselves were not demonstrations of anarchism.

[Rusty Shackleford]

The demonstrations on May Day were obviously given greater life and vigor by the current economic distress, no?

that and SB1070 in Arizona


The substance of those demonstrations wasn't about trashing BoA, Wells Fargo, Starbucks, Raffetto's or Joe's Dairy-- and let me tell you, anyone who ever lift's a rock against either of those last two will have to answer to me and the rest of lower Manhattan-- but about migrant labor, unemployment, war, etc.

The substance of the demonstrations 3 days ago was about labor, and immigrants rights(i dont think there was much of an anti-war focus).


Not all attending these demonstrations were anarchists; not all anarchists attending these demonstrations trashed buildings, cars, etc; the demonstrations themselves were not demonstrations of anarchism.

absolutely.

i have no problem with damaged windows or occupied buildings, but i do have a problem with people jumping the "revolutionary" gun when its not right to "shoot" yet.

[S.Artesian]

Comrade Vacant wrote:

"i have no problem with damaged windows or occupied buildings, but i do have a problem with people jumping the "revolutionary" gun when its not right to "shoot" yet."

Perfectly put.

[this is an invasion]

There are plenty of legitimate critiques that can be aimed at the people in Santa Cruz ( I personally hate everything that has to do with santa cruz because of how subcultural they are), however, no one, I repeat, no one, is claiming that this action was revolutionary or is going to bring us any closer to an insurrection or revoltution. This is simply an act of rage at this current world. I think this is the misunderstanding (sometimes deliberate) that Leninists have with anarchists, especially insurrectionists.

This also sets a precedant for future actions whevenever something happens in that area.

[this is an invasion]

Comrade Vacant wrote:

"i have no problem with damaged windows or occupied buildings, but i do have a problem with people jumping the "revolutionary" gun when its not right to "shoot" yet."

Perfectly put.
Fuck you guys. If this is the case, who gets to decide when the "time is right?" This idea of "waiting" is the most counter-revolutionary thing ever. Fuck you.

[S.Artesian]

Fuck you guys. If this is the case, who gets to decide when the "time is right?" This idea of "waiting" is the most counter-revolutionary thing ever. Fuck you.


Well, that's helpful. Thank you for your input. I will certainly give it the proper consideration.

Who gets to make those decisions-- well, hopefully it's a collective recognition by those participating-- on the tactical assessment of forces, and the strategic issues at stake.... if you just want to immediately bare your breast and run chest first into a bayonet, please feel free to do so, just don't push others onto the bayonet point ahead of you. Lead by example.

You get right out there in front of everybody and lead the way, regardless of whether you've got 50 people with you or 50,000.

Sometimes though, and for some others, we like to pick our spots when we can that is. Recognizing that sometimes we can't.

My guess is that Mr. This Is An Invasion has never actually been in a real firefight, in combat, and so doesn't know the first fucking thing about reducing profiles when necessary to avoid unnecessary casualties, "passing" your enemy, flanking, or the most important part, breaking contact and staging an orderly withdrawal.

You need to know, as counterrevolutionary a thing as that might be, when it's better to not fight... and even better-- to win by not fighting. Sometimes.

But thanks for the kind remarks. Go fuck yourself. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. Should I put a smiley face here, or have I made myself perfectly clear?

[What Would Durruti Do?]

i have no problem with damaged windows or occupied buildings, but i do have a problem with people jumping the "revolutionary" gun when its not right to "shoot" yet.

who is shooting? people being upset with capitalism/the state and trashing things in retaliation is not a revolutionary activity. it's just anger

[Saorsa]

I think 'this is an invasion' would be happier somewhere like this. (http://anarchistnews.org/)

[punisa]

This is simply an act of rage at this current world.
It looks to me as an act of people who have too much time on their hands.


Why do these minor displays of such minor violence bother some individuals and organizations so much?

Because its minor.
There is large gap that divides vandalism and political messages.
Couple of windows being smashed - vandalism.
Riots in Greece - political message.
I'm CON first and PRO second.

[Rusty Shackleford]

who is shooting? people being upset with capitalism/the state and trashing things in retaliation is not a revolutionary activity. it's just anger


i hope you know that i mean shooting as a metaphor.

There must be some discipline when fighting capitalism though. and its not like im going to go out and referee a fight between anti-caps and cappies. shit happens. but if you are absolutely serious, you have to look at things on the macro as well on the micro, and look at the conditions around you.

Situation:
"You are in a crowd of oppressed nationalities protesting against racism and for workers' rights"
What do you do?
A: Throw brick at cop and play mirrors edge trying to run away?
B: Tolerate the police for the time being as to not threaten the demonstration or participants.

Correct Answer: B, "Tolerate the police for the time being as to not threaten the demonstration or participants."

EDIT: Saw Punisias post


There is large gap that divides vandalism and political messages.
Couple of windows being smashed - vandalism.
Riots in Greece - political message.
I'm CON first and PRO second.

USA: currently not a place to riot and start shit.
Greece: burn a flag, occupy a building, occupy acropolis!


EDIT removed last edit due to it being rather sectarian and derailing. i apologize.

[S.Artesian]

they better have a good reason for attacking a social or potentially social system in canada.


Kind of thought the same thing. I mean when the system is being used to transport counterrevolutionary troops, that's fine. But commuter lines? Time to get a bit more perspective on "revolutionary" means. You have to know what you're doing here. Fucking around with the wayside electronic circuitry means damaging the way the signal system detects train occupancy, and detecting train occupancy is the way the system keeps trains apart, prevents them from smacking into each other, maintains safe separation of trains.

Not very revolutionary to make commuter trains collide if you get my point. I'd hate to have that on my conscience. I know what I'm talking about. Safe separation of trains is what we, railroad operators, do. It's what makes us wake up in the middle of the night, recalculating stopping distances, braking rates, overspeed margins, etc. etc.

I do not know how those poor bastards at Washington Metro live with themselves after that collision in DC last summer, when there were previous indications that their signal system was failing to detect occupancy and maintain safe separation of trains and they did not take the proper precautions. I know I couldn't live with myself.


Personal favorite story, having worked on railroads for more years than I will admit to anyone but the US Railroad Retirement Board--

The penultimate battle of the Cuban Revolution-- the battle of Santa Clara
with Che in overall command of the rebel brigades.

Batista had dispatched an armored train to reinforce troops in Santa Clara. The rebels, after the train arrived, removed the rails and undermined the tracks behind, to the rear of, the train. Then they attacked. The train attempted to back up, to unload troops and materiel clear of the firefight zone.

In so doing, the train of course derailed, with some cars turning on their sides, splitting open and disgorging.... cases of Coca Cola and Hatuey beer.

When the rebels saw the Coke and the beer, they redoubled their efforts to take the train. Revolution is a thirsty business, a mighty thirsty business.

And that, BTW, was the last good derailment in railroad history.

[bcbm]

The demonstrations on May Day were obviously given greater life and vigor by the current economic distress, no?

depends on which demonstrations we are talking about. i think the vandalism in santa cruz, denver, asheville, etc would have happened regardless of the economic crisis, if it can be seen as a part in the upsurge of anarchist smashy smashy (among other activities) that started around 2008.


The substance of those demonstrations wasn't about trashing BoA, Wells Fargo, Starbucks, Raffetto's or Joe's Dairy-- and let me tell you, anyone who ever lift's a rock against either of those last two will have to answer to me and the rest of lower Manhattan-- but about migrant labor, unemployment, war, etc.they were probably concerned about those issues, but the reason they went out en masse dressed in black and armed with hammers and crowbars was to smash windows. and while i understand the connection between capital in general and all of the issues you name, i think breaking a bunch of windows of completely random targets doesn't really convey any substance.


Not all attending these demonstrations were anarchists; not all anarchists attending these demonstrations trashed buildings, cars, etc; the demonstrations themselves were not demonstrations of anarchism.i don't think its too far fetched to suggest anarchists were the organizers and primary participants in these events... the black bloc, the communiques and pleas for donations on anarchist news and so on.

------


however, no one, I repeat, no one, is claiming that this action was revolutionary or is going to bring us any closer to an insurrection or revoltution. This is simply an act of rage at this current world. I think this is the misunderstanding (sometimes deliberate) that Leninists have with anarchists, especially insurrectionists. i understand all of that, but i still don't see much of a reason for what happened. even as "an act of rage" it seems poorly planned and executed, though i suppose i should admit i think such acts of rage should be part of a larger strategy and not just a way for people to get their rocks off and get some street cred, or funnel another couple hundred thousand dollars to the state for legal fees or whatever.


This also sets a precedant for future actions whevenever something happens in that area.i think "random kids will smash random things for some reason almost no one but them understands" is not a good precedent to set.


christ when did i become so bitter

[What Would Durruti Do?]

i hope you know that i mean shooting as a metaphor.

There must be some discipline when fighting capitalism though. and its not like im going to go out and referee a fight between anti-caps and cappies. shit happens. but if you are absolutely serious, you have to look at things on the macro as well on the micro, and look at the conditions around you.

Situation:
"You are in a crowd of oppressed nationalities protesting against racism and for workers' rights"
What do you do?
A: Throw brick at cop and play mirrors edge trying to run away?
B: Tolerate the police for the time being as to not threaten the demonstration or participants.

Correct Answer: B, "Tolerate the police for the time being as to not threaten the demonstration or participants."

EDIT: Saw Punisias post

I know you didn't mean literally. I meant shooting metaphorically too. Nobody is taking it upon themselves to start the revolution by smashing windows. It is just anger and it should be expected when people are protesting something so evil as capitalism or the state.

But I agree that it is best to keep your cool. I'm just saying that I can understand others actions even if I don't necessarily support them.