Black Blocs

[Counter-Corporate Jujitsu]

What do you guys think of [violent] black blocs? My personal opinion is that they give the anarchist movement a bad name because people see them on TV and they say, "all anarchists are stupid destructive people" and then when an anarchist tries to debate them they assume that anarchism is chaos and they refuse to listen to anything the anarchist has to say. I've run into this many times before and it took me almost three hours to convince someone that anarchism ISN'T chaos.

[PRC-UTE]

The media will say whatever they want. People will draw the conclusions that they will because they're ignorant, too lazy to double check, or they're sympathetic or sketpical. Can't be helped. The BB were successful in bringing attention to meetings that were intended to be quiet and secretive. If nothing else, it shined a light on the cockroaches at the WTO.

As a tactic, I think that Black Blocs are basically over. The authorities have already analyzed them, know how to surround and isolate them, and that's it.

I'm hoping that people can up the ante and break out something the pigs aren't expecting. :ph34r: ;)

[STI]

What do you guys think of [violent] black blocs?

I was in one. It rocked (though it wasn't an exclusively "black" bloc).


My personal opinion is that they give the anarchist movement a bad name because people see them on TV and they say, "all anarchists are stupid destructive people"

That's fine. Violence and destruction are necessary if we're to be rid of capitalism. I don't want the reputation of being some wussy liberal non-violentist.


and then when an anarchist tries to debate them they assume that anarchism is chaos and they refuse to listen to anything the anarchist has to say

It'd happen anyway. I used to be a wank-off pacifist. I actually get less shit like that now than I used to.


I've run into this many times before and it took me almost three hours to convince someone that anarchism ISN'T chaos.

Really? I'm openly in favour of violent revolution, and that's never happened (even on the internet, and I regularily go to a "Teen/student" forum comprised cheifly of 14-to-16 year-old "liberals" or "conservatives" from the states).


As a tactic, I think that Black Blocs are basically over. The authorities have already analyzed them, know how to surround and isolate them, and that's it.


Pretty much true. In Ottawa, we had to disperse and re-gather at another point because the popos were on their way down the street behind us (or to our side, don't remember).


I'm hoping that people can up the ante and break out something the pigs aren't expecting

Thinking about tactics is fun. Tough, but fun. Especially if your friends are a bunch of gamer nerds. They know a lot more than I expected. :ph34r:

[Saint-Just]

I read a book that dealt almost exclusively with this issue: On Fire The Battle of Genoa and the Anti-Capitalist Movement

The Black Blocks appeal to me as a violent rejection of corporate values, capitalist society and consumerism. Although authorities have become more adept at dealing with them I think the black blocks are still effective and that the black blocks can develop new tactics by which to use violence. In past movements, there has been a lack of organisation amongst Black Blocks, as such rather than become less effective they could become more effective.

[Djehuti]

There are some advantages with the black blocks, but generally I think they are passé.
We have had some debates on this in Sweden lately, and most have started to abandon the black block-outfit for some more casual clothing.

[Guest1]

It isn't the outfit that's important :P

It's the concept.

And the concept goes to the core of what you believe in. Black bloc are those who are ready to put themselves in the front lines when the police come in. And by putting themselves up there, they force people to reconsider whether they're going to abandon their comrades or not.

I've seen videos of the South Korean black bloc, and what we have seen in the west is child's play! In south korea, the black bloc had these pikes, and were moving in lock-step, pushing these pikes 1-2-1-2 into the line of cops, that was breaking up in chaos. Behind that wall, was a line of people with molotov cocktails, throwing them over.

It was amazing. The police were disorganized and confused, and the bloc was tight and cohesive.

As for CCJ, who cares what the media think, they will always say we are violent. If you accept that, you pander to them. You are legitimizing the violence of the bourgeoisie, and their agent the state, and saying that violence used to defend against that is worse than the violence they put the working class through.

[SonofRage]

I've seen some interesting Black Bloc type footage from Mexico as well. I think as a tactic is can still be effectively used, but it seems to end up being nothing more than street theater lately.

[Counter-Corporate Jujitsu]

I think it would be really funny if there were Black Blocs that wore all bright pink, or something strange like that. Someone should try that sometime.

[Discarded Wobbly Pop]

Originally posted by Che y [email protected] 31 2004, 05:21 PM
I've seen videos of the South Korean black bloc, and what we have seen in the west is child's play! In south korea, the black bloc had these pikes, and were moving in lock-step, pushing these pikes 1-2-1-2 into the line of cops, that was breaking up in chaos. Behind that wall, was a line of people with molotov cocktails, throwing them over.

It was amazing. The police were disorganized and confused, and the bloc was tight and cohesive.
Yeah, I saw that on the news aswell. It would be cool to meet some of them and learn their tactics specifically.

[Blackberry]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2004, 08:08 PM
We have had some debates on this in Sweden lately, and most have started to abandon the black block-outfit for some more casual clothing.
As I understand it, clothing was never the mark of the black bloc, though. It was always a personal preference.

Wearing black clothing (including masks) is popular because it provides anonymity (from police and agents).

As Counter-Corporate Jujitsu pointed, wearing bright pink would be a valid option. :D

[STI]

In Ottawa, somebody suggested that some affinity groups wear clown suits with those huge pants, and hide sledgehammers in the pants.