Having just returned from the protests is Brussels, I have the following to say:

Firstly, the news media in this country is now under total censorship. The main TV channels and print media have barely mentioned the D14 protests, but have given loads of airtime to Blair and friends plotting their EU police state.

The Black Bloc was well and truly active in Brussels, smashing up banks and a police station and provoking the police into using water-cannon and (allegedly) tear gas. However (unlike Genoa and Gothenburg), the cops did not rise to the bait and there was very little overt repression.

The Black Bloc is used to criticism and personal abuse from people both inside and outside the anti-capitalist community. Some of this criticism is justified, and some of it is simply snobbery or an attempt to discredit what is after all the only part of the movement that is actually risking their lives and liberty to get something done. Taking part in boring trade union marches that achieve precisely nothing may make some "activists" feel better, but really isn't much of a threat to global capitalism. Now, if everyone were in the Black Bloc, we might actually be able to start a revolution (oops, I think I've gone and done it now).

On Saturday afternoon, the Black Bloc marched through a working-class neighbourhood in the south of Brussels. Many local residents stood on their balconies and cheered. Some even threw flowers and confetti. These people are not naive. They know who we are. We are the so-called "violent" anarchists who march on the city centres of Europe's squeaky-clean capitals and smash up their networks of oppression. We realise that our actions are largely symbolic. However, symbolic protest is better than no protest at all. When these Algerian "illegals" vote for social change, they will be voting for the Black Bloc. As for the rest of the anti-capitalist movement, much of it is little more than a middle-class ghetto. Karl Marx knew who these people were - he called them "bourgeois socialists" - the folks who want "a bourgeoisie without a proletariat". You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.

PS: On Thursday's trade union march, it was members of the Globalise Resistancee/SWP contingent who were shouting pro-Bin Laden slogans, not the Black Bloc. So who are the real terrorists?

There are just a couple of points I would like to make. First, if everyone were in the Black Bloc then yes, you're right, we probably would have a revolution (at an immense cost in lives and material objects). And maybe it would end in something you might call a utopia - swarms of bloody minded people intent on destruction - but most wouldn't. What are you rebelling against man? Do you think freedom is only possible in a world of rabid mobs? Do you think freedom to riot is a valid freedom to fight for?
Second. A little clue about the world's perception of anarchists and anti-capitalists. We are a lot of right minded, some would say misguided or naive, but generally decent people with ideals who also attract a violent fringe. When people cheer us, they cheer our ideals, not our ability to cause damage, and not you. Ever seen anyone cheering rampaging football hooligans?
Finally, and please correct me if I'm wrong, I've not read the manifesto (why you would idealise a communist of all things is beyond me - they're more in to state control than the capitalists) but the bourgoisie are like, the ones who do a skilled job and get paid an unfair and disproportionately large amount compared to the unskilled proletariat who basically work to support the bourgois and the rulers, right? If a society is possible where virtually no one has to do meaningless, repetitive jobs and get paid a pittance for it, this is not a good thing? What do you think you are, the fucking anti-christ?
WHAT...ARE...YOU...FIGHTING...FOR???

Master MacTier,

Your comments were based on a naive misunderstanding of the preceding comments, of politics, of theory, of everything. Likewise your article on GLAN. Please wait a while and tyry to learn something about the world before slagging off people who actually get out and try to subvert the dominant paradigms of our technocratic society. Got out of your bedroom much recently?

The people shouting pro-Bin Laden slogans were probably either-
a) police/pro-capitalist infiltrators- similar to the infiltration of recent pro-capitalism marches in an attempt to discredit the marchers.
b) those whose hatred of the state has led them to idolise Bin Laden for his struggle against the west, and to forget that the alternative he offers (A Fundamentalist Dictatorship) is no better (and possibly worse), and that he supports the killing of innocent civilians. These delusions have caused the recent terror attacks, and also cause irrational support for him.

These slogans were probably not shouted from the black bloc because-
a) the infiltrators were too busy causing damage to worker's property and provoking (or excusing) police action.
b) The balck blocers are more able to vent their anger and hatred, and so do not need to turn to figures such as Bin Laden.

Yes, I totally understand that direct action operates in a grey area. A "riotous mob" smashing up an Esso petrol station (Genoa) or a police station (Brussels) represents legitimate action in the context of a European Union quasi-fascist bureuacracy that wishes to stifle democracy and stamp on our basic rights and freedoms.

Throwing rocks and molotov cocktails at cops is not however a very good idea. I have personally had to intervene in riots several times in the past few years to prevent hot-headed activists from lynching unfortunate journos and policemen who have found themselves on the receiving end of some action. I must make my position clear - I do not condone or endorse personal violence, even against riot cops (unless it is in explicit self-defence).

However, I understand that violence occurs in a social context - in this case, boredom, frustration and exclusion. Rather than mindlessly criticise the Black Bloc (who are not football thugs, but generally intelligent guys), I decided to get out there and try to influence things for myself.

And I wasn't endorsing the views of Karl Marx either - I just used this quote to illustrate that some people's commitment to anti-capitalism is rather nebulous. Stop moaning and do something to make the world a better place!

Poor old resident of P street - what worse than reading and seeing liberation in action, regardless of the fact that he seems to regard police baton attacks as freedom. I mean, having to read "Rise Up" every morning must seem pretty ironic.

Crappy article really. Not sure why it was posted. Why not post every conservative/liberal boureoise letter published in the corporate media? We really do need to lose the liberal-ethos of pacifism. Non-violence is a far better strategy IMHO. Anyway, nice report back from Brussels - thought the replies were far were far better than the original 'article'.

I restrained myself from replying to your article posting, but feel I have no choice this time.

apart from your obviously non-existant understanding of Marx, and concepts such as the proletariat and the bourgeoisie (who do "a skilled job" my arse!), most of what you've written is just your preconceptions based on corporate media bollocks.

It appears that you have never *actually* seen the black bloc in action - a "rabid mob" is certainly not even an approximation to reality.
Also, I was present in the BB in brussels over the weekend, and witnessed the great reception we got from the local, predominantly working class and immigrant, community (it would appear, however, that you did not and are just spouting typical "liberal" pants) - and it was quite clear what they supported.
When I went round the area the week before the demo, it was filled with graffitied palestinian flags and anti-police slogans ("un bon flic, c'est un flic mort" - the only good cop is a dead cop, and the usual "fuck the police" - no translation necessary).
The people knew exactly what they were supporting - and many of them were obviously delighted at the cop shops that got smashed up on the friday (I know because I spoke with some of them. i don't suppose you did, did you?)

Your comparison between the BB and football hooligans is so typically bourgeois as to not even merit comment.

I know I've covered some of the points already mentioned by @tpot, but I got very annoyed.

Why not wait until the movement has the strength of numbers to smash up ALL the cop shops at the same time?

Otherwise, I don't think it's a very good tactic - detremental, in fact. I, personally, delight in hearing of cop shops being smashed up, but I don't enjoy seeing the mainstream media depiction of the actions. The black bloc should listen to the rest of the movement, who are probably glad to have people on a march who are prepared to defend the front line when the police wade in without just cause, but who don't want a front line that invites police violence, however uncalled for.
Tactics, Mr Rioter.
Why not send a special ops group to trash some road-building plant machinery as a simultaneous action at the time of the demo - when the nation's police force is concentrated in one place, while still keeping a show of force at the demo itself in order to protect the body of protest?

Thats such a Hollywood portrayal of anarchy, isn't it? Like something from 'Mad Max'! Yes, we'll have a just society when everyone is full of hate and anger and random violence... well I hate to tell you, Mr Mcthingy, but thats pretty close to life under capitalism! (though probably not in your neighbourhood!)

Anarchists need organisation. It is not, and has never been a contradiction. I hope more coordination at such demos develops, but it is noteworthy that the lessons of agents provocateurs was learnt from Genoa and the police were stopped immediately in Brussels, with noone rising to the bait. Only symbolic targets were attacked; no residential homes or local businesses.

With a pre-revolutionary society, hopefully we'd have community organisations based around food coops, housing co-ops and so on. The police would still exist, but gradually become even more separated from the community as we learn to solve our own problems.

Then comes the day, when our forces are massed and deeply integrated into the communities we live in, and we can just turn around and say 'who the fuck are you with a baton and CS gas? Defender of liberty? To us you look like a common criminal!' The capitalist police force could then be disbanded by mass pickets and replaced by a democratic civilian organisation to 'keep the peace' (though not to protect the interests of the ruling class as the current police force does).

Not a drop of blood need be spilled.

Though at this stage the capitalists may well turn around and declare war with every weapon they have; they are the violent ones in the last analysis... they may fight tooth and nail for the old system... whose side will you be on then? The bosses or the people?

First of all, whoever it was that said it, you're absolutely right that I have never seen the black bloc in action, in fact I wasn't even aware of their existance until I signed onto IndyMedia for the first time, which was yesterday morning. So now you have some idea of the level of my ignorance. I was very tired when I was writing that and when that happens my head has a tendancy to swell up in rightious indignation. I think I finished building my opinion of the black bloc during the third paragraph of your comment, you just seemed so proud if yourself for smashing things up and managing to provoke the police. I can of course see the symbolism of damaging banks and police stations but some see the practicality as well - see "what tactics are efficient" and "smashing windows..." in the replies to "Black Bloc is not Violent" for a few good reasons not to riot on anti-capitalism marches.

You seem to be proud of yourselves and think you're obviously the ones that care the most because it's the BB that risk their health and freedom. If you'll permit me an analogy, we both want to get rid of the walls, but while some try and get the message across to the wall-builders and planners, the BB steam in and try to punch the wall to the ground, or at least show you're trying.

You might say that the reason you launch in is for that precise reason; to get the message across. While it certainly does let everyone know your opinions, it also denigrates them. How many of us bourgoisie give a toss about the opinions of what we (victims of the media) perceive to be thugs. It makes them think that the only people that think the system needs changing, are prepared to take it in their hands and change it which, if you'll excuse my hypocrisy, seems to most as extraordinarily arrogant. How important do you think your opinions, as a minority of a minority, are? Believe; the opinions of those in power carry more sway, make more difference and have convinced a lot more people than yours have and they will... not... change unless we can reach them, and we can't reach them directly - they're too far away. It is a fact (whether due to biased media or not) that the black bloc keep people on the edge of anarchism. These are our nearest targets, those who we want to persuade first. They pretty much believe in anarchy but are pissed off by the negativity. If we could get them the next step would be those who acknowledge that capitalism is far from perfect, and needs changing, they just don't think about what those changes could or should be. And they make up a large proportion of the peole I know. You? After that if we could demonstrate some kind of working organisation, where our people are better off than the capitalists, then we who believe in Anarchy, could start to say that we know in it, and those who believe they know in capitalism, would begin realising that maybe they only believed in it after all. And then (<-bold), we could challenge the leaders.

@TPot. If you want to correct my naive misconceptions on anything, as you are clearly blessed with a complete understanding of everything, I mean it when I say I would appreciate you doing so. I am the only person I know with anarchist tendancies of any kind so have no one to argue with, learn from, or conform to. Otherwise I'll probably continue expressing my valueless opinions until someone does explain my errors to me. If you don't want to teach me something about why you do what you do the way you do it, kindly don't bother saying anything.

Pissed off anarcho. The communist manifesto was written about an eon ago about a system that has changed so much as to be almost unrecognizable. I frankly don't care if you know more about it than I do. Perhaps I should have said a job with responsibilities (an 'in charge' job) rather than a skilled job but either way it makes no difference to the point I was making. I know that it is a fact that the world could feed itself with almost no one doing any work whatsoever if it just learnt to share. If you're for or against technology you can't argue with the fact that machines can do a lot of drudgery for us that they couldn't last time we lived in anarchy, before feudalism, as hunter-gatherers. The more progress we make, the richer the world becomes except that, instead of becoming tangible wealth (which is good <- italicise the good), it becomes numbers in a fat man's bank account. If a classes very identity is that it does the shit work, isn't the elimination of that class (not the people in it, of course) a good ideal?
No I didn't speak to the immigrant population of Brussels. I have however lived and worked in a parisien banlieu called Noisy on the RER A for about 2 years. I know nothing about why you think you understand these people but question your assumption that I don't. I don't know why you quoted their "a good cop is a dead cop" banners, as if their desire to kill all police makes your breaking of police station windows an act of heroism. The fact is they (of course there are real haters in any group, but the majority of them) don't want to kill all police, it is just a just expression of the fact that police can be cunts. As a foreigner in a parisien banlieu, I'm first and second hand witness to the truth of that. So yeah they probably were cheering your actions and don't in fact give a shit about your ideals or even know what they are, feel better?
I didn't actually compare the BB to football hooligans. BB at least know that they are reacting, football hooligans think they are acting. What do you (BB) do though? De-arresting I'm all for and I'm sure you wouldn't find many disagreeing. Apart from that though, it's vandalism and picking a fight with your rivals (again, correct me if I'm wrong but try not to condescend, I really am new to this). Does the fact that you acknowledge a reason for your malaise make it more valid?
My last request to you, pissed off anarcho; if you have a specific objection to the article I posted, please don't restrain yourself any further, let it all out. I welcome that shit - if I'm all fucked up I'd rather know about it. If you don't then, well, shut the fuck up?

GAIA. I don't know why you're addressing yourself to me. I totally agree with everything you wrote. Anarchist rioter had said that there would be a revolution if everyone was in the black bloc and I said yeah but it wouldn't achieve anything, just fuck things up. I was, admittedly exaggerating (and insulting the guy for which I apologise) when I suggested that he might call that a utopia but I certainly wasn't barracking for a violent and immediate revolution. Wanna read back over that and see where you went wrong?

And finally to the anarchist rioter himself. Thanks for your sober reply to my up-on-my-high-horse, ill-informed rant. I don't take issue with anything you said in "oh dear", and I agree, it was pretty mindless... stirred things up a little though ay? :0)

Later peeps, keep it flowing.

Well, it seems to have finally happened . . . a reasonable debate about tactics & organisation on the pages of Indymedia . . . I've only waited years for this moment!

Genoa was a very depressing time to be a Black Block activist. There WAS a great deal of pointless destruction, and a young man lost his life for absolutely no good reason. We then had to witness the unedifying spectacle of the anarchist movement being taken apart by every Stalinist and Trotskyist in the anti-capitalist struggle - people who feel threatened by the Black Block because it exposes their politics for the hollow sham that it is.

Since Genoa, a very real debate has gone on within the Black Block. We personally want to take the struggle forward into 2002. We don't want to offend anyone (let alone smash up their neighborhood), but we do want to send a message to our rulers that the movement is still vibrant and above all, militant. So expect there to be more argy-bargy on the way.

I think the anti-capitalist movement still has a long way to go before we begin to accept our place in the world. I have always said that only 1% of the population are ready to fight alongside us in the rich world, and only about 1% of those are willing to join in with the Black Block. So I do appreciate that we are not necessarily representing the *democratic majority* (whatever that is).

That said, there is a "silent majority" of people, young and old, who cheer whenever a police station is looted or a bank is smashed up. Call it what you will, but I guess this is just human nature. The answer is to respect a diversity of tactics - we will do our thing, the pacifists will do theirs - and we shall see who gets there first!