Blac Bloc vs Occupy at Large

Yesterday OccupyIcon content editor commented on cyberguerrilla.org to a post entitled, An Anonymous plea to BlackBloc. The comment is excerpted here:

February 2, 2012                            OccupyIcon says:          

I do not live in Oakland; however I grew up 20 minutes from Detroit. As a child I remember eating dinner while my Dad watched the news every night. I remember civil rights marches giving way to anti-war demonstrations and barking police dogs working point pushing the crowds back at the end of strained leashes. I remember police opening up high pressure fire hydrants and using them as water cannons, tear gas, beatings, shootings and mass arrests.
   [cut for brevity] . . . Now we see some of the same mistakes being made as were made back then. Our pleas for a different tactic seem to fall on deaf ears as a small contingent of Oaklanders put #OccupyOakland at risk for police brutality again and again. Not limited to Occupy Oakland, we have seen blac bloc tacticians in New York at key demonstrations.

If the blac block tacticians really want to play a meaningful role, then let them keep their shields and their high level of motivation; let them be the ones first into the fray when someone is being shot at. Let them stand between police and peaceful protesters and be shields around their colleagues. Let them be the ones who find or make escape routes from these heinous kettles which escalate panic and reduce thinking people to a frightened herd.

And finally, let these blac bloc tacticians demonstrate their bravery and righteousness of their cause by shielding independent journalist protecting them from harm by thieves of expensive equipment and the padded, helmeted, projectile wielding members of the 99%. Everything else is agent provocateur at best and hijacking attention away from the beneficial impact of Occupy at large, at worst. Then and only then will their tactics earn them the respect Occupy medics and media have earned.

Probably should have had morning coffee before writing; however upon reflection the comment contains the essence of what the editor tried to communicate to a local occupy at GA on more than one occasion. If we boil it down, the essential proactive points emerge;

• The Occupy movement at large is still a peaceful protest
• Confrontation with police using military and intimidation tactics requires a level of evasive and/or disbursal action to safeguard vulnerable protesters
• When protesters are injured or incapacitated, defensive action is required to shield them and Medics from further harm

What are the roles which play into these observations?  

• Route spotters a coordinated team to observe potential kettling choke points and communicate information regarding potential hazards
• Medics an already honorable bunch well established and well trained
• Witnesses observers who do not participate, physically or verbally; similar to the National Lawyers Guild role and working in concert with NLG

The last point this author would like to drive home is to restate the kernel thoughts in the last two paragraphs in the comment. So called "Blac Bloc, Black Block & Black Flag" is defined as a tactic, not an organization by their own definition; so be it. Let us then call them what they are, tacticians. If Blac Bloc tacticians insist on remaining as they are, a disruptive element, let them do so without the aid, comfort or financial resources of Occupy at large. This author condemns their actions and leaves them to the consequences thereof, including prosecution if apprehended.

If however, any or all of them wish to engage in a proactive, honorable effort, let them become the courageous protectors of Occupiers, including Medics and Media. As stated above;

Then, and only then will their tactics earn them the respect Occupy medics and media have earned.

Editors note: at no time does the author imply these roles are not employed on the local level by individual Occupations. 

Related Ted Morgan commondreams.org OccupyChicago in 2012 Not 1968

Occupy!con; Icons of the movement 2011

Dori Rainey via the Guardian January 13, 2012

Christmas 2010 seems like a decade ago, yet it was just one year. In this article we will highlight those who have contributed to the Occupy movement in interesting ways over the past year.

Wikipedia.org

The first highlight is tragic, only the aftereffects can be characterized as interesting. An article by CBSNews entitled How a slap sparked Tunisia's revolution published February 20, 2011, recounts the plight of a Tunisian fruit vendor who had had enough. On December 17, 2010, 26-yr.-old Mohammed Bouazizi set himself ablaze in the square where he sold fruit. The act of despair, over police confiscating a scale Bouzizi would need ten days wages to replace, evoked sympathy in his village and sparked events that led to the Arab Spring. Mohammed Bouazizi died from his injuries on January 4th of this year. Ten days later the city of Tunis was brought to a halt by mass protests.

We will leave the civil unrest overseas and turn to our own home for the remainder of our Icons. However, if you are interested in the development of the Arabic uprisings, the Guardian UK has produced a timeline with a dizzying resemblance to a roller-coaster; perhaps not an inappropriate comparison.

Adbusters

Based in Vancouver British Columbia, Adbusters published a blog post on February 2, 2011 entitled A Million Man March on Wall Street. The culture-jamming association of artists, writers,  educators and students is credited with sparking demonstrations in North America. In another post on July 13, 2011 entitled #OCCUPYWALLSTREET, A shift in revolutionary tactics we first see the now iconic bull-dancer. It appeared on the web as the icon for that days blog post.

Photo: Joshua Trujillo

From here on the images multiply exponentially. We chose Dori Rainey, the 84 year old who was pepper sprayed during the Tuesday, November 15, 2011 OccupySeattle protest. Occupy Seattle was marching in support of Occupy WallSt. In an interview with Seattle Times she is quoted,

"I don't want to be the 'hero' of this thing. I want to be able to be a person that speaks to the issues," Rainey said to the Times. "It's easy for people to see the picture and say, 'Cops stink.' There's a reason why we
are where we are right now, and that needs to be discussed."

Even if Mrs. Rainey does not wish to be a hero, she exemplifies courage at a time in her life when she could be lunching with friends and bouncing grandchildren on her knee, which we suspect she does anyway.

Photo credit: Tim Pool, TheOther99

We also chose the independent journalist, specifically Tim Pool and Henry Ferry of TheOther99; they are simply the best of the best. To date we have seen them broadcast 19 hours straight and Tim has been shoved around by police at least twice.

Two different styles; Tim looks like what he is, a skater. Henry looks like well a reporter, actually. One overriding ethic, good journalism. Tim is sympathetic to the angst that motivates the Occupy movement, however he is clear about his role, he reports what he sees. To quote Tim, "If you are making a decision that will effect someone else's life, prepare for public scrutiny."

Finally, we chose the Veterans. Those who having done a tour, two, some three overseas and then come home to renew their oaths again by protecting their fellow citizens. Sgt Thomas became the face of the Occupy movement on the east coast, when he put himself between protesters and thirty New York police officers.

Scott Olsen became the face of the Occupy movement on the west coast after being hit in the head with a projectile during an OccupyOakland march gone very wrong. It is good to see him up and around. It is difficult to hear him speak; brain damage has affected his speech for now; however, a full recovery seems to be possible.

• Scale photo credit: affordablescales.com

The Curious Lyrics and a Venn Diagram

There are curious parallels between the Talking Heads hit "Burning Down the House" and world-wide unrest. As yet these parallels have gone unnoticed. However, if you take a second look at the gripes of the former Tea Party and the Occupy movement in light of the lyrics - well let us just do that.

Talking Heads "Burning Down The House"

Songwriters: BYRNE, DAVID / WEYMOUTH, TINA / FRANTZ, CHRIS / HARRISON, JERRY HARRISON

Watch out, you might get what you're after
Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
I'm an ordinary guy
Burning down the house

Hold tight, wait 'till the party's over
Hold tight, we're in for nasty weather
There has got to be a way
Burning down the house

Here's your ticket, pack your bags, time for jumpin' overboard
Transportation is here
Close enough but not too far, maybe you know where you are
Fightin' fire with fire

All wet, hey you might need a raincoat
Shakedown, dreams walking in broad daylight
Three hundred sixty five degrees
Burning down the house

It was once upon a place, sometimes I listen to myself
Gonna come in first place
People on their way to work said, "Baby what did you except?"
Gonna burst into flame, go ahead
Burning down the house

My house is out of the ordinary
That's right, don't want to hurt nobody
Some things sure can sweep me off my feet
Burning down the house

No visible means of support and you have not seen nothin' yet
Everything's stuck together
I don't know what you expect staring into the TV set
Fighting fire with fire

Burning down the house
Burning down the house
Burning down the house

found at www.songmeanings.net

The forum on the source site debates nuclear war as the inspiration; however the writer David Byrne tells a much simpler tale. Nevertheless, the content in each couplet could just as easily apply to the twin gripes of the two movements; big government and corporate greed.

From the British Guardian via 
kasamaproject.org. Photos by Jay Finneburgh.

Add to the mix the outcry against police in half a dozen cities for brutal crowd handling and the imminent mobilization of 20,000 troops on American soil by the Commander-in-Chief, President Obama and a very volital mix is brewing that winter may not quell. Sadly, this last bit is old news from the previous administration. While we were distracted and sleeping two administrations have slipped this one in under our noses.

In no way are the comparisons meant to motivate escalation on any side of the equation; however it is something to think about.

Related articles

• That Tea Party-Occupy Wall Street Venn Diagram (businessinsider.com)

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