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G8 solidarity convergence SF, more pictures...
Here are just some more pictures of the G8 solidarity protest from July 8th SF, CA.
Although many saw last night as some kind of victory, others see it as another mentioned earlier, a setback. People need to step back and truly think about what was done, mission is a working class neighborhood...and change should come by helping people out not trashing their neighborhoods. Listen, you're all probably saying oh here's another fucker trying to force his agenda, or attempting to preach and criticize us! but no, though i'm providing you with a self constructive critique, i'm in no way or shape trying to force my agenda on you. If you all have the power to do that, how about using that power to going and volunteering at small local businesses, helping each other out, providing them with services you are best at, and truly building a community. Look I see a buncha of people coming to protests, simply for the rebelious feeling, chanting "build a community" and they're not working towards it other than building punk communities and getting wasted at shows (i'm not generalizing, i'm just clearly stating a fact of reality that many of you are well damn aware of but don't want to admit, i even encountered a young guy saying, that everyone was invited to his house to get drunk that night in the middle of the protest (i don't have a problem, i'm just stating a time/place manner issue)).
Moreover, I encountered some folks last night that did not know anything about the G8, and heard a lot of redundant, generic chants, that the community didnt comprehend. Remember this was a G8 solidarity march, what happend to the anti-capitalism, anti-globalization, anti-free trade chants? okay everyone got the idea you want to smash the state, and you have the conscious ability to spot the corporate elites exploiting the masses, and from that conclude a class war..but i did not see any speeches prior to the march in regards to the G8, i barely heard 1 or 2 G8 chants, and again encountered numerous people who did not know what the G8 was.
To stay on the positive side though, i saw the AA pamphlets being passed out, and enjoyed the zeal and effort placed into making them, and the great articles and ideological points inside of it. props go out to the people that put it together, and also i encountered many with great intelligence and awareness of what was going on, and how to organize a better more community based movement. Why is it that groups like NION and ANSWER can organize more masses? their coordinators are all working people, and yet they do a fantastic job organizing on their limited time (don't get into the whole fact that their maoists and stalinists because i saw some of their members at the march last night, and as much as you hate people generalizing you, then don't generalize them) perhaps learn from their organizing tactics.
In regards to what happend to a police officer, I did not see what happend, but heard an officer got hurt. Though some of you may have mixed feelings about it...remember that the cop also has a child sitting at home waiting for him, has a wife, and a middle class family...though you may not support his ideological stance, or what he's out there doing...you have to show some respect for human life (even though i know some of you may think differently).
Before i leave you to think on this issue, i wanted to bring up another point which was that there was a lack of democracy within the groups, they never voted or tried to reach consensus dealing with issues and what was happening, it seemed to be spontaneous action, plus the person with the megaphone tried to control a lot of times, saying what was happening.
PS: i have to give props to the man on the megaphone who warned everyone that they were in a working class neighborhood and should keep it down.
Anywho, this is just a self-constructive critique and i hope that you fellow activists take it as a friendly comrade advice and adapt for a better community based tommorow. Perhaps we can learn from some of the actions folks from green bloc have been involved in, and the earth activist trainings, and things from the GE Free sonoma initiative (site: http://www.gefreesonoma.org), there are all productive ways of building a better, healthier community...just be creative.
again, do not take this in an offensive manner, but an advice...as much as you criticize who you're against, it's always productive to criticize yourself. we're all humans, afterall.
-in solidarity
Moreover, I encountered some folks last night that did not know anything about the G8, and heard a lot of redundant, generic chants, that the community didnt comprehend. Remember this was a G8 solidarity march, what happend to the anti-capitalism, anti-globalization, anti-free trade chants? okay everyone got the idea you want to smash the state, and you have the conscious ability to spot the corporate elites exploiting the masses, and from that conclude a class war..but i did not see any speeches prior to the march in regards to the G8, i barely heard 1 or 2 G8 chants, and again encountered numerous people who did not know what the G8 was.
To stay on the positive side though, i saw the AA pamphlets being passed out, and enjoyed the zeal and effort placed into making them, and the great articles and ideological points inside of it. props go out to the people that put it together, and also i encountered many with great intelligence and awareness of what was going on, and how to organize a better more community based movement. Why is it that groups like NION and ANSWER can organize more masses? their coordinators are all working people, and yet they do a fantastic job organizing on their limited time (don't get into the whole fact that their maoists and stalinists because i saw some of their members at the march last night, and as much as you hate people generalizing you, then don't generalize them) perhaps learn from their organizing tactics.
In regards to what happend to a police officer, I did not see what happend, but heard an officer got hurt. Though some of you may have mixed feelings about it...remember that the cop also has a child sitting at home waiting for him, has a wife, and a middle class family...though you may not support his ideological stance, or what he's out there doing...you have to show some respect for human life (even though i know some of you may think differently).
Before i leave you to think on this issue, i wanted to bring up another point which was that there was a lack of democracy within the groups, they never voted or tried to reach consensus dealing with issues and what was happening, it seemed to be spontaneous action, plus the person with the megaphone tried to control a lot of times, saying what was happening.
PS: i have to give props to the man on the megaphone who warned everyone that they were in a working class neighborhood and should keep it down.
Anywho, this is just a self-constructive critique and i hope that you fellow activists take it as a friendly comrade advice and adapt for a better community based tommorow. Perhaps we can learn from some of the actions folks from green bloc have been involved in, and the earth activist trainings, and things from the GE Free sonoma initiative (site: http://www.gefreesonoma.org), there are all productive ways of building a better, healthier community...just be creative.
again, do not take this in an offensive manner, but an advice...as much as you criticize who you're against, it's always productive to criticize yourself. we're all humans, afterall.
-in solidarity
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that cop was one out of hundreds. most of those cops did NOT attack protesters. this one did so, and brutally, first with a car and then again with a baton. cops are people too, yes, but when one of them decides to take the law into his own hands and gets met with resistance you should treat him like the exceptional asshole he is, and not like some average working class joe.
I agree with a lot of what you said, but here are a few disagreements.
You mentioned first that people should channel their energy into volunteering at small businesses, and doing things in their community, and secondly, pointed out that ANSWER can turn out a lot more people from the community.
While I think class and hierarchy consciousness should be the groundwork for any project, movement, or in daily living, I think you will also agree that 92% of society could be perfect people, treating everyone equitably, with kindness and w/o prejudice, yet society would still remain about as unequal as it is today. This is because only a small fraction of people have property to rent out, are able to hire others to work for them etc. And the power pyramid is so stretched out, that most of the powerful people that the rest of us actually encounter such as your boss are typically lower hanging representatives of the upper hierarchy. The real power of society is held by less than 1%.
Don't take this personally - I always feel I have to bring this up when people start to say "I'm tired of these meaningless protests, we should all just go to our personal lives and make sure we buy organic, recycle, and put work into our community, like tutoring kids and providing child and eldercare". You should do those things anyway, but realize, this could almost be dangerous because it won't change the global system which will cause the mortality of many millions of people during our lifetimes - whether via warfare, starvation/disease from support of corrupt dictatorships, global warming causing Bangladesh and micronesia to go gurgling under.
San Francisco and Berkeley are big centers of liberals who were able to join the upper middle class (but they still don't have the real power), and they spend all their energy on figuring out precisely which brand of fair trade coffee and bananas to buy, and chastise other to join them until everything is finally good - but it won't. Yet you should still buy the coffee. Another example is my friend who was class president of Beverly Hills high and worked at Goldman sachs, and his father owned lots of apartment units, and he became some sort of communo-conspira-capitala antiwar activist after watching the Chomsky documentary. He feels he has no power, and so he stands with a sign on Rodeo drive, and tells me how I have no understanding of the type of people running Wall Street because I would think of him as having some influence.
You mentioned first that people should channel their energy into volunteering at small businesses, and doing things in their community, and secondly, pointed out that ANSWER can turn out a lot more people from the community.
While I think class and hierarchy consciousness should be the groundwork for any project, movement, or in daily living, I think you will also agree that 92% of society could be perfect people, treating everyone equitably, with kindness and w/o prejudice, yet society would still remain about as unequal as it is today. This is because only a small fraction of people have property to rent out, are able to hire others to work for them etc. And the power pyramid is so stretched out, that most of the powerful people that the rest of us actually encounter such as your boss are typically lower hanging representatives of the upper hierarchy. The real power of society is held by less than 1%.
Don't take this personally - I always feel I have to bring this up when people start to say "I'm tired of these meaningless protests, we should all just go to our personal lives and make sure we buy organic, recycle, and put work into our community, like tutoring kids and providing child and eldercare". You should do those things anyway, but realize, this could almost be dangerous because it won't change the global system which will cause the mortality of many millions of people during our lifetimes - whether via warfare, starvation/disease from support of corrupt dictatorships, global warming causing Bangladesh and micronesia to go gurgling under.
San Francisco and Berkeley are big centers of liberals who were able to join the upper middle class (but they still don't have the real power), and they spend all their energy on figuring out precisely which brand of fair trade coffee and bananas to buy, and chastise other to join them until everything is finally good - but it won't. Yet you should still buy the coffee. Another example is my friend who was class president of Beverly Hills high and worked at Goldman sachs, and his father owned lots of apartment units, and he became some sort of communo-conspira-capitala antiwar activist after watching the Chomsky documentary. He feels he has no power, and so he stands with a sign on Rodeo drive, and tells me how I have no understanding of the type of people running Wall Street because I would think of him as having some influence.
yah i totally agree with you, i hope that i didnt sound like one of those who claims that taking to the streets is pointless, cause that's not where i was going...i was rather pointing out that <b>more than</b> taking to the streets should be done, especially by those who engage themselves in protests such as the one witnessed. i actually think that by taking back the streets, the movement recieves a great amount of people's attention as to what exactly what <i>these anarchists, and anti-capitalists</i> stand for, and research it and it raises awareness within our communities.
thank you for your thoughts, totally agree with your points...just had to clarify :)
thank you for your thoughts, totally agree with your points...just had to clarify :)
ANSWER and NION are effective in organizing mass protests? Now that's a fucking laugh. ANSWER is universally reviled by activists for many reasons. They haven't achieved anything of importance int he past four years and it looks like they are quietly petering out.
Your comment about ANSWER organizers being working class people is also stupid. If anything, anarchist organizers are more rooted in the working class than the people who run ANSWER. We aren't typically people who have cushy NGO jobs like Chuck Kaufman or who get paid to be leaders like the Becker brothers and Ramsey Clark.
Your comment about ANSWER organizers being working class people is also stupid. If anything, anarchist organizers are more rooted in the working class than the people who run ANSWER. We aren't typically people who have cushy NGO jobs like Chuck Kaufman or who get paid to be leaders like the Becker brothers and Ramsey Clark.
well at least they know wtf they're protesting instead of going out and trashing a working class neighborhood, and half of em not knowing wtf the G8 is, or that kid with the fuckin no borders sign that didnt know wtf he was against borders. at least educate yourselfs instead of trying to get punk points. NOT GENERALIZING *directed at some, a good chunk of individuals*
he's got a point though answer marches usually involve thousands (sometimes hundreds of) of people out in the streets while ours are hundreds.
Its seems to me that this blac bloc window smashy tactic doesn't really work too well in this context.
Especially in the Bay Area we would be better served to focus on the love aspect of anarchism.
Think about the semiotics of it all.
Who wants to join a revolution whose symbol is a bratty black clad punk rock kid with a skateboard, a cell phone and a molotov cocktail?
The symbolism with all its jagged punk rockness kinda almost fits with the errant public notion that anarchism equals chaos.
What if anarchists became the beacons of hope in neighborhoods and places where the most marginalized peoples struggle everyday?
What if when a person had a problem they called their local anarchist group instead of jumping through the hoops that the state holds out there for us?
I would say as an Anarchist myself, I would rather have the people at large trust, respect and rely on me than fear, suspect and despise me.
And right now we are playing into the state devised negative image that society at large holds of anarchists.
The literature and media generated by anarchists are amazingly coherent, valid, sophisticated and beautiful. Now its time that our actions match the beauty of this anarchist notion.
Especially in the Bay Area we would be better served to focus on the love aspect of anarchism.
Think about the semiotics of it all.
Who wants to join a revolution whose symbol is a bratty black clad punk rock kid with a skateboard, a cell phone and a molotov cocktail?
The symbolism with all its jagged punk rockness kinda almost fits with the errant public notion that anarchism equals chaos.
What if anarchists became the beacons of hope in neighborhoods and places where the most marginalized peoples struggle everyday?
What if when a person had a problem they called their local anarchist group instead of jumping through the hoops that the state holds out there for us?
I would say as an Anarchist myself, I would rather have the people at large trust, respect and rely on me than fear, suspect and despise me.
And right now we are playing into the state devised negative image that society at large holds of anarchists.
The literature and media generated by anarchists are amazingly coherent, valid, sophisticated and beautiful. Now its time that our actions match the beauty of this anarchist notion.
It's about organization. Why would you want people who can't see past symbols to join? Why not people who can see past symbols and actually organize, not just ad hoc eruptions, but long term, stabile, self sustaining organizations and federations of organizations?
This is a response not to just this comment, but, as a whole to the folks who find it a great opporunity to talk down to each other and still call themselves anarchists.
::::Its seems to me that this blac bloc window smashy tactic doesn't really work too well in this context.
Especially in the Bay Area we would be better served to focus on the love aspect of anarchism.
Think about the semiotics of it all.
Who wants to join a revolution whose symbol is a bratty black clad punk rock kid with a skateboard, a cell phone and a molotov cocktail?
The symbolism with all its jagged punk rockness kinda almost fits with the errant public notion that anarchism equals chaos.::::
I think you a reading a little too much into these actions. In fact, I witnessed a large amount of solidarity with people in the mission. They know what we are doing. Please don't pander folks and make them out to be people who dont know what the fuck is going on.
::::What if anarchists became the beacons of hope in neighborhoods and places where the most marginalized peoples struggle everyday?::::
Um, ok... pretty lofty goals there in a society filled with dispair. How do you exactly think this would pan out in the reality of our neighborhoods?
::::What if when a person had a problem they called their local anarchist group instead of jumping through the hoops that the state holds out there for us?::::
We should not become a community service for the community, instead, I think it much more effective to focus on empowering ourselves and helping others do the same. There are alot of churches that do exactly what you are saying. Why not just volunteer at a soup kitchen? Is there something inherently different from a soup kitchen and what anarchists are trying to create in our communities? I think so.
::::I would say as an Anarchist myself, I would rather have the people at large trust, respect and rely on me than fear, suspect and despise me.::::
And there is space for that. Anarchist Action, from what I have seen, is involved in quite a few different community struggles. It's not all about the smashy smashy.
::::And right now we are playing into the state devised negative image that society at large holds of anarchists.:::::
Once again you are playing the stupid masses card. I've talked with alot of people since the actions and have told them what happened. Most everyone's response has been: "Ah, I thought what I saw on TV was bullshit" because most people, know that the media portrays everything in a spectacular way --when the reality of the situation was completely different.
While people's political perspectives might not be as developed as your own, I think it might surprise you that people arent stupid.
:::::The literature and media generated by anarchists are amazingly coherent, valid, sophisticated and beautiful. Now its time that our actions match the beauty of this anarchist notion.:::::
I was inspired by the energy and enthusiasm of folks who took part in Fridays action. Maybe, you should rethink that cynical attitude you and alot of folks have who look at everything in a negative light.
As an anarchist, I'm sure that you understand that not all anarchists speak for each other. If there's something you'd like to see happen, develop a strategy and do it. Don't complain when you sit back and watch from afar.
::::Its seems to me that this blac bloc window smashy tactic doesn't really work too well in this context.
Especially in the Bay Area we would be better served to focus on the love aspect of anarchism.
Think about the semiotics of it all.
Who wants to join a revolution whose symbol is a bratty black clad punk rock kid with a skateboard, a cell phone and a molotov cocktail?
The symbolism with all its jagged punk rockness kinda almost fits with the errant public notion that anarchism equals chaos.::::
I think you a reading a little too much into these actions. In fact, I witnessed a large amount of solidarity with people in the mission. They know what we are doing. Please don't pander folks and make them out to be people who dont know what the fuck is going on.
::::What if anarchists became the beacons of hope in neighborhoods and places where the most marginalized peoples struggle everyday?::::
Um, ok... pretty lofty goals there in a society filled with dispair. How do you exactly think this would pan out in the reality of our neighborhoods?
::::What if when a person had a problem they called their local anarchist group instead of jumping through the hoops that the state holds out there for us?::::
We should not become a community service for the community, instead, I think it much more effective to focus on empowering ourselves and helping others do the same. There are alot of churches that do exactly what you are saying. Why not just volunteer at a soup kitchen? Is there something inherently different from a soup kitchen and what anarchists are trying to create in our communities? I think so.
::::I would say as an Anarchist myself, I would rather have the people at large trust, respect and rely on me than fear, suspect and despise me.::::
And there is space for that. Anarchist Action, from what I have seen, is involved in quite a few different community struggles. It's not all about the smashy smashy.
::::And right now we are playing into the state devised negative image that society at large holds of anarchists.:::::
Once again you are playing the stupid masses card. I've talked with alot of people since the actions and have told them what happened. Most everyone's response has been: "Ah, I thought what I saw on TV was bullshit" because most people, know that the media portrays everything in a spectacular way --when the reality of the situation was completely different.
While people's political perspectives might not be as developed as your own, I think it might surprise you that people arent stupid.
:::::The literature and media generated by anarchists are amazingly coherent, valid, sophisticated and beautiful. Now its time that our actions match the beauty of this anarchist notion.:::::
I was inspired by the energy and enthusiasm of folks who took part in Fridays action. Maybe, you should rethink that cynical attitude you and alot of folks have who look at everything in a negative light.
As an anarchist, I'm sure that you understand that not all anarchists speak for each other. If there's something you'd like to see happen, develop a strategy and do it. Don't complain when you sit back and watch from afar.
Yes this was a protest of the G8 to show Global solidarity. I would just like to comment on the cops. For the most part the cops did their job, to protect and to serve. There were only a couple of over zealous police officers one of them being officer Kim at the new college with his jockish bully mentality when confronted about his actions on the arrest of the girl with the skateboard. The other two cops, the ones involved in the incident, which came barreling into the crowd almost running over the protesters. They put our lives in danger by doing that. When the Styrofoam barricade was dropped and the car ran up onto it, and the cops who just almost killed twenty pretty peaceful protesters jumped out of their car. That is when the anger erupted. The officers should have never gotten out of their car with only two officers. One they were either stupid or they thought guns and badges gave them super powers. Sorry guys, always wait for backup. You could see the fear in the blonde officers face when a group surrounded him chanting for the release of their comrade. The other officer instead of helping his partner out went charging into the crowd and when he pulled his club to make a blow he received one of his own. They are the ones who incited the tensions in this incident not the protestors. I wish I were more awake to make a more intelligible post but I just wanted to comment on the two officers. Both officers were injured one slightly kicked and bruised and the other hit with a foreign instrument. I feel for the officer's family and think it was a learning tool for him also. The police are there to serve and protect the community and the protesters are part of the community. When dealing with a crowd that size, wait for backup. Officer Kim needs to learn to deal with crowds, he almost incited a riot outside of the new college. He at least, had more officers to back up his provoking speech. I wish for a quick and full recovery of the officer with the 17 staples. Solidarity, to all of our comrades that came out. There were some overzealous protesters, ones who do not know what G8 is, and the ones that has no idea why borders are evil. That is why there is education. These young self proclaimed anarchists need to be educated. It was a terrible thing to see working class families having their stores vandalized. Education is the greatest tool we have. A march would have been sufficient I was having a nice time walking through the streets of the mission to protest the G8 conference.
"Learn Teach Respect and Peace"
Peace Anarchy –N- Equality
~Bobby C
"Learn Teach Respect and Peace"
Peace Anarchy –N- Equality
~Bobby C
It's a very minor skirmish in a war that has gone on for over a century. It's just on people's minds at the moment because it is current. In the Big Picture, it means very little.
I can't believe the defend attacking and attempting to murder two police officers by saying they should have waited for backup.
Let's see, the officers, responding to calls from local residents (they were not part of the crowd control, they were dispatched there respond to calls for help) arrived on the scene, and they should wait to arrest those breaking the law. The foam wasn't innocently place in front of the car, it was thrown there, then lit by your innocent protestors.
The officers were attacked. Pure and simple. You don't blame the guy getting his by the bar, and I didn't see any protestors shot. The only egos here were the protestors, thinking they are above the law. The protestors attacked the police, not the other way around.
I didn't see any protestors with their head split open. I didn't see any protestors beaten, and bleeding. Only cops. Not one picture of viciously attacked protestors has appeared. The one pic the protestors keep showing is an officer physically restraining one of the attackers. He isn't hitting him. He isn't abusing him. He is physically detaining one of the attackers. You know, one of the guys trying to burn the police car. One of the guys that beat his partner with a metal bar.
Let's see, the officers, responding to calls from local residents (they were not part of the crowd control, they were dispatched there respond to calls for help) arrived on the scene, and they should wait to arrest those breaking the law. The foam wasn't innocently place in front of the car, it was thrown there, then lit by your innocent protestors.
The officers were attacked. Pure and simple. You don't blame the guy getting his by the bar, and I didn't see any protestors shot. The only egos here were the protestors, thinking they are above the law. The protestors attacked the police, not the other way around.
I didn't see any protestors with their head split open. I didn't see any protestors beaten, and bleeding. Only cops. Not one picture of viciously attacked protestors has appeared. The one pic the protestors keep showing is an officer physically restraining one of the attackers. He isn't hitting him. He isn't abusing him. He is physically detaining one of the attackers. You know, one of the guys trying to burn the police car. One of the guys that beat his partner with a metal bar.
Not this time. But it happens a lot. This incident by no means evens the score.
The trouble with evening the score, is that we're not playing a game here. We're trying to accomplish something. What did this accomplish? Was it worth the cost?
The trouble with evening the score, is that we're not playing a game here. We're trying to accomplish something. What did this accomplish? Was it worth the cost?
folks should keep in mind that Anarchist Action itself didn't organize or take part in illegal actions, but simply organized the protest. If you are angry about a certain incident, we should probably keep in mind that it was the protestors who attended who made the decision to take certain actions.
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE SO HARD THAT YOU CAN BURN MY FLAG? IF I SAW WITH MY OWN EYES DO IT YOU WOULD NOT BE HERE READING THIS. SO TAKE IT LIKE THIS.....YOU ARE LUCKY THAT TRUE AMERICANS WERE NOT AROUND......LUCKY!!!
this is the kind of mindless jingoism that allows for unquestioning, uncritical acceptance of power abuse.
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