lol @ anarchists/blac block upset they are being monitored by law enforcement

[Earth_First]

http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2012/03/14/oakland-police-keep-track-anarchists

[saras]

1. So is violating everyone's right s funny, or just protesters?

I just don't see the humor.

[randome]

2. I guess the implication is that anarchists...

...aren't TRUE OWS supporters. They are black bloc.

[EFerrari]

4. AKA, divide and conquer. n/t

[applegrove]

6. The OWS people worked very hard to keep black blocs from ruining everything this past fall.

In Toronto whenever a black bloc was spotted putting on a mask the people were told to point and scream "black bloc" all the while moving away from them. It is the peaceful nature of the OWS demonstrations that allowed their messages of creativity and equality to get across to the public.

[Tunkamerica]

11. When did black bloc get such a bad rep.?

When I was in school they were the ones who pulled the cops off of protesters.

[applegrove]

12. They provoque the police. They mess things up. Occupy wanted to build tent villages and

stay. They somehow managed to control/stop the black bloc. OWS was a success around the world. They got support of many people in the middle for their message on inequality. They became quite a story. When the black bloc is involved they become the story.

[backscatter712]

19. That's the key. They get demonized, but again, as I said below, it's a tactic, not a group.

Blac bloc is simply the use of masks to protect people's identities, since police use surveillance, single people out, and harass them with repeat-arrests, beatings, frivolous criminal charges, etc. just for expressing their first amendment rights.

[Chan790]

20. It's an unwelcome tactic.

There's a reason why just about every Occupy site has devised a strategy to oust participants in bb tactics, gone out of their way to make clear that those people are not part of Occupy and in many cases have assisted law enforcement in IDing and removing them.

It's because they're not welcome unless they leave the black-masks at home and eschew black-bloc tactics. They're not being demonized, they're legitimately and conscientiously being excluded intentionally and for-cause based on the behavior of those that have adopted the tactic previously.

[Tunkamerica]

21. I just remember a time not so long ago that black bloc were not demonized by other protesters

but were actually saving them

Also, who made it against the law to wear a mask?

Facial recognition makes it an even better idea.

[EFerrari]

3. Sorry but lol @you if you think police won't designate you

anarchist / black block to justify their thuggery.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. The law enforcement officials are the ones that need to be monitored

Not black bloc.

[tpsbmam]

7. How do you know they're not monitoring you because you post here.....

not so funny now, is it?

[DonCoquixote]

8. does any of this give black bloc

The excuse to break windows and beat people up?

[EFerrari]

9. Police brutality -- oh, no, look over there!

BLACK BLOC!11

[DonCoquixote]

10. so you say

Black Bloc does not beat people up?

[backscatter712]

18. See post 13. I hate repeating myself more than I have to. nt

[backscatter712]

13. Fact clarification time:

BLAC BLOC IS A TACTIC, NOT A GROUP!!!

So quit spreading misinformation, propaganda and demonization.

Blac bloc is the tactic of wearing masks and concealing faces for the purpose of protecting protesters who have been targeted for police harassment from being identified, grabbed by snatch-squads, arrested, charge-stacked with frivolous felony charges, railroaded into prison, etc.

And yes, police do this. They specifically target specific persons for harassment, beating and frivolous arrests & criminal prosecutions. I've seen it first-hand.

Stop confusing tactics with groups.

There is no eeeeeeeeevil "Blac Bloc" organization. No lodge pins, no secret handshakes, no clubhouses.

Any group of activists at any time can decide to wear masks, either to protect targeted protesters from police snatch squads, or as a political statement and expression of free speech.

I can't believe some DUers are so thick that I have to keep repeating this.

[Earth_First]

15. ...and how many times do I have to repeat

That I am just as targeted in the streets as well as anyone else with an activist history...

The difference is, I'm not there to 'smash the state'

I've done this conversation too many times...

If you feel I support blanlet surviellence, nuts to you!

But if you think I'm gonna lose sleep over law enforcement keeping an eye on smash and dash 'tactics'...

:cue: "it's agent provocateur soundtrack:

[backscatter712]

17. Again, you're spreading lies.

How many anarchists do you actually know?

Not just ones you saw on a random Youtube video or on corporate news.

How many do you personally know?

I know quite a few. And they're not "smash-and-dashers".

And I've had this conversation enough times that I damned well am going to call out people advocating Gestapo-style surveillance and repression by demonizing people they don't agree with.

And if you think agent provocateurs don't exist, either you're naive or a liar. Which one are you?

[Tunkamerica]

22. You're the only one so far who has put to words what my understanding of what black bloc was

before this most recent round of large-scale protests.

I'll say this: you'll either appreciate the black bloc or miss the black bloc if you ever need them.

[backscatter712]

14. Thanks, Earth_First, for clarifying you're in favor of Stasi-style surveillance of "undesirables"...