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With love from a Black Block activist...

we are not innocent | 03.06.2003 22:44 | Evian G8 | Oxford

In support of the solidarity messages from the blockaders in Lausanne because solidarity is our strength, and my thoughts about chosing to run with the Black Blockade on Sunday.

I participated in the Black Blockade in Lausanne on Sunday and in the non-violent resistance to the invasion of the Bourdenette camp. I have just read the messages of Solidarity posted by members of Pink and Silver (P&S) Blockade on Indymedia UK and was moved to tears. Solidarity is our strength. In the face of the massive repression going on now in Geneve, you make me feel strong again. I wanted to express my support for your views and to explain some of my personal reasons for chosing to run with the Black Blockade on Sunday.

I have, in my lifetime, participated in many different kinds of action. My experience has shown police repression and state violence is not a response to violent demonstrationse, but to effective ones. We have the right to ineffective protest, outside the "yellow zones" which protect the powerful and enable them to ignore us.

I took part along with millions of people world wide in the largely peaceful demonstrations on 15th February 2003. I watched as they ignored us, and went to war in the name of democracy. It made me sick and angry. It showed that the biggest demonstration in history will not change things if it just voices dissent. Direct action of all colours is the only way to make change.

All the blockades on Sunday took place in this spirit. They were NOT about expressing an opinion. The people's "opinion" of the fucked up system we live in has been voiced load and clear, time and time again. The blockades were about direct disruption of a high profile meeting of heads of state - to actively make the G8 face resistance.

Personally I felt that because our actions might be effective, we would certainly be attacked. I wanted to be able to defend myself and those around me. This was confirmed to me when the first police charges took place in Laussanne. The first charges were against the P&S carnival, not the Black Block. The two Blocks were clearly seperate, acting in different areas. The police fired gas into the peaceful carnival because it got too close to the delegates route: i.e. because it was effective.

Many of the P&S Block ran to behind the Black Block who were more prepared to defend against the attack. If it wasn't for the active resistance slowing the police advance the space we held would have been cleared much more quickly. If it wasn't for the music and energy of the P&S Block it would have been a very dark place to be. When the two blocks merged under police attack it gave the space life and refused to give it up without a fight.

Being attacked by heavily armed riot police is terrifying. It has happened to me many times now and I think you never get over the fear. But I have come to feel more and more like fighting back and I have come to understand more the value of the Black Block.

A "Black Block" is not the same as a riot. In the looting and street fighting I saw in Geneve the people were mostly local kids, some didn't even cover their faces. They broke any windows for the rush of it and threw anything at the police, in anger (launching plastic bottles at armoured riot police will not have much impact...) For me this popular anger is a response the result of alienation and the crushing of people's lives and spirits by wage slavery, media propaganda and consumerism. It is beatiful in its way but it is not the same as a Black Block.

A well organised Black Block (like we were on Sunday) is made of autonomous groups of friends who are well prepared and take the streets with some common tactical understanding of what we are there for. To take spacea and defend it with barricades and projectiles, to use the fleeting moment in which we control the space to destroy the property and symbols of the disgusting system we are all forced to live under. This property damage is NOT "random vandalism" it is highly political and usually carefully targetted. On Sunday I saw debates between different groups (and languages!) about the politics of different targets, stones in hand. Some targets were attacked, others left intact as a result of these discussions.

The smashing and burning created by the Black Block is as important as the music and colour created by the carnival. If we just fight and destroy we will create a very bleak new world, and Anti-capitalist movements are strong beacuse they are imaginative and diverse, but some messages are crystal clear:

Capitalism Kills. People suffer and die because of Capitalist exploitation and wars. The planet is being consumed by pollution and destruction. Millions are made refugees by economic, ecological and military abuses. They are persecuted, detained and deported. The way of life in the G8 countries is based on this suffering and persecution...

If we really mean this then to just go into the streets and party is an entirely inadequate response. It is right to respond to overwhelming injustice with anger and entirely appropriate to leave Lausanne and Geneve looking like a war zone for a short while. If these sumits take place to the sound of helicopter blades amid burning barricades and tear gas it unmasks the real violence hidden by the slick corporate show. And it makes people sit up and take notice in a way that marching peacefully cannot achieve. It gets noticed and opens political space for ideas to break through and grow.

George Orwell once commented that a society in which it is a crime to kill one person but not to drop 10,000 tonnes of high explosive on a residential area sometimes made him feel that this planet is an insane asylum made use of by other planets. I feel the same way when I see the scandal raised in the media about a few broken windows when our western way of life is so dependent on abuse, terror, poverty and exploitation. The hysterical condemnation of Black Block "violence" is, to me, slightly insane.

I think this view may have been shared by the genuinely surprising number of residents of Lausanne who came out into the street and onto their balconies to wave at the masked up black block and accept the free food and cigarettes, liberated from the looted shops, with a little smile. Those people were not threatened by the black block's clearly targetted attacks. The parents and children were caught in the indescriminate police gas attacks in the park were terrified, but not of the masked up Black Block activists who helped them to safety. One small girl gave me a kiss in thanks. Everone I know who was in the Black Block on Sunday really cares, that is why they are there.

This is just a stream of my thoughts and it is getting late so I stop now. There should also space for criticism of many of the ways we worked this weekend, but right now the battle is still going on and there is so much to do. I just wanted to add a Black Block voice to the celebrations of the co-operation and diversity of our movement posted here.

with love and solidarity
xxxx

we are not innocent

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

thank you

04.06.2003 02:34

thank you for writing this. it really helps those who weren't there when details are explained.

the impression the media over here in the us gives is that the black bloc was behind all acts of vandalism and aggression and everyone was terrified of the black bloc.

supporter


Taking the revolution to the culprits

04.06.2003 06:31

As a middle-aged "dissident" who has attended many protests and breathed too much gas, the ideas and clarifications in the memo above strike me as consistant with the black bloc actions I have witnessed.

Aside from responding to police repression with stones and the occasional Molotov (if, indeed they were Blocers) I've always seen the Bloc as protecting rather than harming and, yes, the property targets have usually been those of criminal corporations.

Speaking of which . . . Isn't it time to make the corporate Mafia direct recipients dissent, to put the fascist swine on notice that they will no longer be tolerated.

Say it was announced that on such and such a date, Bechtel's or Exxon Mobil's offices in whatever centre would be targeted -- just like a G8 summit or WTO meeting. What would the security apparatus do . . . build a fence and employ 15,000 paramilitary guards? Say we organized to blockade their headquarters for 40 days and 40 nights? Or simultaniously blockaded all a killer company's offices around the world?

Wouldn't these actions, coordinated with a massive information campaign (film, essay, leaflets, theatre) on the crimes of the corporate entity be more easily understood -- and supported -- by the general population, than random window smashing?

Time to get creative and take the fight right to the killers' doors.

What think ye, brothers and sisters?

Old Guy


heartfelt response from the beast's belly

04.06.2003 06:38

Wow, amazing article. Thanks.

There's a lot of shit-talking of the black bloc in the US -- "who are these hooligans?", yadda yadda, as well as a strong liberal tendency to run for cover when the very words "black" and "block" are used in the same sentance. Your words give live to the meaning and necessity of the kind of resistance that is utilized when individuals come together to rise up with fierce, focused abandon. Thanks again, with you in spirit on the front lines,

Blck blk bk bt

Black BLOC with a Back BEAT


thanx blackblockers

04.06.2003 10:50

thanx blackblockers
thanx blackblockers

just to add to the discussion...we were P&S blockers in lausanne...and yea the blackblockers demonstrated both focus and democracy...it was obvious to us that there was no random violence...it was focussed on the symbols of oppression...mainly petrol stations...and i can confirm that these comrades stepped in to help when P&S blockers were attacked...during the ilegal detention in the offical village balckblockers showed they are democrtaic and open to collective decsion making...refraining from and all out attack on the police (which could have been won...at laest within the first hour) and stood by the discision of the assembly to remain non violent...
lausanne was a wicked example of the effective use of the block tatctics and its democratic nature
viva la blackblock

muke


infiltrators

04.06.2003 11:00

thanks for writing the above piece, as supporter says, it helps to have details set straight amid media confusion, and to hear an opinion from the little understood black block. personally, i am a peaceful protester, though the diversity of our movement, with so many different groups united with a common goal of the smashing of the state, is one of our biggest strengths. i understand that the symbols of greed and capitalism are legitimate targets if that is how people wish to express their opinions, and certainly within the anti-capitalist movement there is room for everyone, but my main concern is that hooded and masked actions leave us all open to infiltration from police and fascists. police in demonstrators clothing were a common sight over the weekend in geneva, and their police armbands were never worn for long. i wonder if those police who were arresting protesters one minute, had happily been smashing banks with them before. i think discussion needs to be taken between those groups who wish to use violence, and those who do not, in order to find a way of these two forms of protest can exist together without one discrediting the other.

ian


Respect

04.06.2003 15:32

SO much respect for the black/dark grey bloc in Lausanne and to the pink and silver bloc. It warms my heart to see that the feeling of solidarity is not just felt among a few.

El pueblo unido jamas sara vencio!

pink and silver crusader


Back from Lausanne

04.06.2003 23:26

The solidarity between Pink Silver and Black/Anthrax blocs was amazing. The Black Bloc waited for an hour for us to turn up in the Pink Silver cos' we weren't as organised as they were at 6am in the morning, and then allowed us to proceed to the front in prearranged fashion. We then marched into town, PS set up many blockades that BB took over, and PS then moved on to get the final entrance to the port that delegates could safely use. When we were attacked by watercannon and tear gas, the two blocs ended up merging over a period of about half an hour as people regrouped.

The stories I have heard of BBers comming to the rescue of Pink Silver activsts is one that needs to be kept in mind. The bravery of a BB activst helping us defend the bloc from water cannon stood in sharp contrast to my own feelings of panic about being a mere 5 metres from two water cannon, firing directly at us a mixture of water and CS spray. Also to be kept in mind are that the tactical attacks on the symbols of capitalism were fully justified. Talk of a small shop being attacked is unfounded, as it is actually part of an expansionist cooperative, which forces farmers prices down - a bit like Sainsbury's or Tesco's but without shareholders; all the targets were carefully chosen.

When we were marched back into town, we were a single bloc - Pink Silver and Black, and there was no acrimony between the two groups. The only incident we experienced was a 16 yo girl who wouldn't get out of the way of our PS banner because she considered herself dressed in black - barely worth the mention.

The actions in Lausanne seem to open up a lot of avenues for debate, and also seem to clarify a number of issues that the movement has been getting into lately. It will be really interesting to see how this analysis pans out. For me, Lausannne has in many, many ways, left me with the feeling of massive hope, and renewed strength to fight against this ridiculous world system that ruins the world for all of us.

We are all wreckers now!

Krop


um,

05.06.2003 01:04

hey i know it's a little strange to do it this way, and i hope the uk indy collective will be gracious and not hide this post, ok?
i'm dying to get in touch with the person who wrote this black bloc declaration, because
it seems to have been written in direct response to my own ( http://www.uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=70740&group=webcast). strange things happen in the
aftermath of actions, and this solidarity is a flwer that needs to be nurtured.
would the person who wrote the bb declaration please get in touch? there's a lot i'd like to talk about with him/her and clearly s/he can communicate without disclosing his/her identity. i just want to discuss stuff. or, if anyone who reads this knows who it might be, could they give them this email address?
again sorry to use this venue for such a thing, but maybe the discussions that ensue will bear good fruit for us all...
love and destroy,
l.s.

Lausanne Solidarity
mail e-mail: lausanne_solidarity@yahoo.com


um 2

05.06.2003 18:26

Hi,
Thanks for writing this piece. It's both lucid and inspiring. I am a writer working on a novel set against the backdrop of the Genoa protests. In light of Genoa, I want to ensure that the Black Block's motivations are depicted clearly and fairly. It would be really helpful to ask you some more questions to better understand the Black Block. If you are open to this, please send me an email to the above address. And keep on writing. This kind of dialogue is indispensable.

Mariah
mail e-mail: aka_brigitta@hotmail.com


thank you from the belly of the beast

06.06.2003 00:03

as someone who has taken part in a number of black bloc protests here in the U.S., i am awed and inspired by the message above. at one point last month, here in san francisco, the black bloc contingent led a main protest down market street (the main street here) and it was so incredible to have the support of the main protest instead of the usual infighting! here's to more solidarity and the realization that it takes all sorts of different tactics to have a successful movement!!

thanks,
stephen

stephen


Caution

10.06.2003 17:26

Just emphasise an earlier point: the systematic destruction of a Geneva shopping street on Saturday evening was blamed on the Black Bloc. Myself and another protestor had walked down this road ten minutes before the supposed "riot", off looking for our friends. We came back to find no sign of any demonstrators - simply slightly bewildered residents, who said masked men had run through the street and done this - and no sign of any political intent, just randomly smashed shops. More suspiciously, whilst fire engines arrived on the scene within five minutes, it took the local police a good 30-40 minutes to turn up. It's possible they were tied down elsewhere, but not so much as one patrol car appeared for all of that time. Extremely odd, especially given the quick arrival of the fire brigade - the authorities obviously knew something had taken place - so we are left with either remarkable incompetence, or certainly the suggestion of collusion.

My point here is that it is exceptionally easy for police and others to disguise themselves as Black Block members and carry out what appear to be provocations. The Parliamentary enquiry into Genoa revealed that the police had around 500 "agents" operating in the city during the protests, and certainly fascists were known to be active and hidden amongst the demonstrators (one British Nazi, in an interview in La Repubblica shortly afterwards, told how the Italian "brothers" had invited his "crew" over for the G8 protests). Those in Genoa will remember the speed with which apparent Black Block members could move around the city - despite the road blocks and police presence - and, like in Geneva, undercover police were clearly operating.

This is why I have to ask for a bit of caution. Genuine Black Block members - who I know will always give their solidarity to other demonstrators - have too much to lose to let the authorities use them like this. The police lost it totally in Geneva when it was clear that - despite the demonisation and the provocations - the local residents were on our side; they pinned flags to their houses, they joined the demonstrations, and the local youth gave the cops a good hiding, three nights running. I don't want to build barriers between what we do and this kind of support. I think we have to address what we do with masks: we need to protect our identity, sure - but all the time? Should we start being a little more flexible about this?

gibbon77


Is Violence the best Strategy

26.06.2003 14:08

More discussion and perspective is needed concerning the blocks,objectives,coordination and tactics.

It was not as utopian as the article and responses suggest. Below I will try and highlight some of the problems as a balance to the views exprpressed that everything was great. It wasn't. We were not all working in solidarity in an effective response to the G8. I was in Lausanne for 9 days, attended all the meetings, observed the blocks and was on all the demos. People were at Lausanne for a variety of reasons. Some were there for a beach party, some as part of their self image, some for agro and some because of committed opposition to the G8. Most were there for a combination of these to varying degrees. Match this with a variety of languages and the likely problems with coordination are obvious.

I was at the upper camp which had most of the black block. There was at least on fight amoungst them after heavy drinking. Many drank for breakfast. Instead of writing meaningful slogans over the shower and toilet blocks most were just black marks. They atttended a camp meeting for coordination the day before the main demo and came masked up shouting and then sat seperately near the meeting rather than joining it. Their only contribtion to that meeting was to shout that police had surrounded by the police at the train station and we should all go and help. They dashed off with some others disrupting the meeting and two minutes later someone, after making a phone call, anounced that there was in fact no problem at the train station. The black blocks reaction was emotional, they did not check first or work out their aims. This seemed to be a general problem.

During demos most did not want to be near the black block because they disagreed with violence as a tactic or were afraid of the police violence in responce. We lost one main street junction as soon as black block tried to smash a hotel sign. The police responded with tear gas and we had to leave. Prior to that the police had not gased us and the junction was blocked. What was the aim in smashing the sign? If they wanted to use strategic violence then charging to the gates onto the red zone before the police could assemble and ripping the gates down would have been more effective if our objective was to disrupt the G8. After that we did not block any enterance to the red zone and the police herded us for most of the time.

It is true that the smashing of buildings was not random but targeted and am not too upset by ESSO being distroyed. Also black block members helped locals in a park that the police tear gased and used stun grenades in with disreguard to the safety of locals.Black Block washed tear gas out of the eyes of children. However, the question remains what are their aims and are they effectively achieving them. If the aim is to get media coverage they succeed but what is the aim of getting negative coverage that to the averaage person makes us all look like violent extremists. Do they intend to beat the police with violence? This is playing the police game and they have the training and equipment to win.Is it to highlight issues? The issues are actually hidden by the coverage of the violence. The average person does not know why we oppose the G8.

When surrounded at the camp members of the black block started throwing water bottles and food at the police. This could easily have given the police the excuse to gas everyone and attack. It took others 15 minutes to stop this and to use passive resistance sitting down linked arms in solidarity. This brought victory with the help also of a few people who managed to divert the city march to the camp. This is an example of the two main strategies or rather a stratagy and no stratagy and passive resistance won.

Martin Shaw and friends showed how non-violent direct action can be very effective. Non-violent direct actions blocking the main roads and the main routes into the port by groups of about 50 people and a large noisy, colourful march would have been far more effective in disrupting the G8. Non-violent direct action trainings on days prior to the main demo would have helped.

I think the black block need to retink their strategy. We all have to think about how we can work together with radically different methods or even if we can work together. We must have clear aims and formulate efficent strategy to reach then within our various beliefs. We must be realistic about what happened and do it better everytime. The arms fair in London in early September is our next chance. There will be non-violent direct action workshops on days running up to this. Lets do it better.

Stan