From protest to resistance?

[RASH chris]

What does everybody think about what happend at Seattle in 99? Or in Genoa, or any of the other classic examples of riotous behavior. When the protest becomes a riot does that fall under the category of insurrection and resistance, or is it just stupid?

Do such actions benefit the movement or do harm to it? Should such actions be strived for or discouraged? Is property destruction "non-violent" protest as long as nobody gets hurt?

In summation...if every protest here in the states was Seattle 99 would we be closer of further from our goals?


Please justify your answers and contribute w/e else you feel is realevant to this discussion.

[RockinTheLxSxDx2]

When protests goes violent then it gets the point across, think about it you don’t hear about peaceful protests on the news or anywhere for that matter. But when you start striking back that’s a story and there’s bound to be much more attention though this is risky because the media could make it look like it was only a bunch of hooligans smashing windows and so on. None violence on the other hand, though also works quite well if used right blocking off major traffic hub’s and political buildings making it real hard for the police to break it up.

[RASH chris]

Originally posted by [email protected] 16 2005, 09:52 PM
When protests goes violent then it gets the point across, think about it you don’t hear about peaceful protests on the news or anywhere for that matter. But when you start striking back that’s a story and there’s bound to be much more attention though this is risky because the media could make it look like it was only a bunch of hooligans smashing windows and so on. None violence on the other hand, though also works quite well if used right blocking off major traffic hub’s and political buildings making it real hard for the police to break it up.
But the riot in itself is not violent. Smashing windows and that kind of stuff doesn't do any physical harm to anybody, so it is technically non-violent. Now, of course, no riotous activity remains non-violent for long because the police have to contain the situation.

But that doesn't really adress the question of if rioting is truely insurrection or if it is just hooliganism? And it also doesn't adress if it's a tactic we on the left should endorse (as we have in the past) or not.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 16 2005, 07:52 PM
When the protest becomes a riot does that fall under the category of insurrection and resistance, or is it just stupid?
It's not stupid no. I think it could be defined as resistance, and I think it's an important part of being an anti-capitalist.


Do such actions benefit the movement or do harm to it?

Which movement are you talking about? The anti-capitalist movement?

It does have a negative effect in the media, because they can portray us as bad people, but to be honest they will do that anyway. It doesn't mean you should stop resisting these things.


Should such actions be strived for or discouraged?

In any analysis it's important that you come to the conclusion that these things are symbolic and that they will not actually create the change we desire. There always has to be the argument along with these things what exactly they're for.

I don't think we should strive for them in terms of making them our main or only priority, but I think they are a very important part of fighting for change. They create confrontation and they put revolutionary and militant politics on the table.


Is property destruction "non-violent" protest as long as nobody gets hurt?

No.


if every protest here in the states was Seattle 99 would we be closer of further from our goals?

It would depend on the reaction of the workers. I think that the more these things happen, the more people begin to question why and provided that organsiations continue to propogandise the reasons and necessities for these kinds of things people will begin to see the benefits of things like this.


Please justify your answers and contribute w/e else you feel is realevant to this discussion.

Everyone should come to the G8 in Gleneagles on July 6th.

[bunk]

I can't, but there's nothing groups are doing to mark the event in other cities that i know of for people who can't go or don't want to. If the G8 could be the start of a campaign of anti-capitalist movements then it would be better. I think if some following actions could be presented anti-capitalism could draw on the mass convergeance more than just for the G8.

[RASH chris]

Which movement are you talking about? The anti-capitalist movement?

Yes.


It does have a negative effect in the media, because they can portray us as bad people, but to be honest they will do that anyway.

Could one also argue that it has a positive effect in that it demonstrates our militancy and our devotion, taking it beyond theory and into action?


It would depend on the reaction of the workers.

haha, duh. I was kind of hoping for speculation as to how the workers normally recieve it.

To pose yet another question in the discussion: Are such riotous actions comprable to propaganda of the deed? (on a much lesser scale of course)

[Anarchist Freedom]

Yes and No. Its good in the sense that people start saying why do these people care so damn much? But then there is the media who demonizes us for acting the way we do and we all know the power of media.