guess you can't show up then stephen, dont worry though, you'll still be able to sit in starbucks with that pretencious smug look of yours feeling like you contribute something to society.
 

If they show up, just hug them into submission. I'd love to see the cowardly little blocheads running to the police crying "help me help me they're trying to hug me!" 

Ashley Fehr are you being paid for your work on behalf of the VPD? or are you just a summer intern?

In any case, congratulations on forming a neo-colonial coalition of the schilling. CAPP + StopWar + BCCLA + VPD. Incredible work.

The Toronto G20 collateral damage, young minds warped by the ill-logic of Derrick O'Keefe, Judy Rebick & Murray Dobbin et al, are now hard at work doing advocacy on behalf of the police and state. This is Anti-Democracy in action.

BC is Occupied Territory & the RCMP / VPD enforce the occupation.

--

G20: They Were Doing Their G-D Jobs: On Policing
http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20100703192733672 

So, you're going to demand your charter rights, but what if I want to walk around wearing black? What if I like wearing a mask? What if I have friends who all want to wear masks as well?? Part of the Charter is Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Association, and it sounds to me that the hypocracy of this group to become the fashion police is ridiculous. Like what Nancy said, this is very much a Coalition of the Shilling with known snitches and sellouts like Derrick O'Keefe and David Eby, both of which are very comfortable with the Police Action against their political opponents.

We need to be a little less civil and have a little more liberty 

Fundraiser and Reportback on July 9 at Rhizome:
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/events/3980

Vancouver Solidarity page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128265893875377

 

very good news. If the Vancouver Black Bloc and other officers want to have a march, they can have their own march on different day and location.
we don't want them to take over our marches calling for a public inquiry, with stupid destructive behaviors.
as others have said, what if after the toronto riots, some crooks want to create a little riot in Vancouver, and then pull a bank heist or rob a jewellery store in those black masks, during the confusion?
the press releases should go out immediately to all the major news outlets in Vancouver, to let the public know that the black bloc is not welcome. that will help to repair some of the damage done recently.
this is about standing up for the charter rights of all canadians.
 

those who are calling for the Van Black Bloc to stand-down and take a walk...don't be intimidated by their tactics.
one of their tactics, is to try and use intimidation to monopolize situations. they know most people are passive, and use that as their main tactic.
standing up to the black bloc is a right as a citizen, and there is nothing they can do about it.
they will try smear tactics, and other ugly stunts, as that is how they do their business.

luckily, this is still canada, for now, and the police since they have been notified of this, will have to act accordingly. that was very intelligent to contact local police and press, to make everything perfectly clear.

the black bloc will now try a number of different responses, as this is probably one of the few times they have ever been called out and exposed liked this.

without the paramilitary mask, there is no black bloc.
they will probably try to push their way into the group, with their yuppie signs and Walmart purchased black flags, but they have had their fair notice, and the police and media have been notified.

the black bloc functions as a parasite to real activists who work hard to make positive change. they try to take over events, and then destroy them, for their own purposes.

its very cowardly to hide behind paramilitary masks, using civilians as shields.
its also very dangerous as others have said, no one knows who is behind each mask, they could be anyone from a random jerk, to a violent offender looking for an excuse to do something crazy and get away with it.

banning the black bloc is the only solution. 

you can see the black bloc already at work. immediately moving to name-calling and personal attacks.

no, you and your Black Bloc supposed friends cannot walk around in paramilitary face masks concealing every aspect of your face, anytime you choose to.
try walking into a building wearing your black paramilitary masks as a group then and find out. why is the black bloc so cowardly?
if you think you can wear your paramilitary masks anytime you want as a large group, then go and do it right now? why not?
its very cowardly to always hide behind civilians.

its very lame to try to now hide behind the Charter when in fact the supposed black bloc despises the charter. get your story straight. or is this not in your script?

its a cowardly act to want to hide behind civilians.
there is enormous evidence the black bloc was designed to destroy the ability of the people having proper protests, by poisoning the process and creating violence.
since Vancouver has has black bloc violence, and black block rioters trashed toronto, the police are obligated to keep the bloc away.
otherwise some of the black bloc might have a hissy fit.

there is no question that a chunk of the black bloc are disaffected people who just want to act out and make trouble, or amuse themselves and insult other people, and make a mockery of them.
in larger protests it gets a lot more serious.
most people don't know what happening, and the bloc takes advantage of that.

the BS from the black bloc is legion, and the sooner they are uninvited and banned from all protests in canada by the organizers, the better.

 

You can be sure that the off-duty Black Bloc love sitting in Starbucks with their WiFi leeching off the system.

Hell, maybe a bunch of them work for Starbucks, and just want to work out their rage at their employer. 

hopefully the black bloccers got the message, and stay home playing video games, since (for once) the police have been notified to not allow the bloccers to act out.

perhaps instead they will go to McDonalds and have the daily McDeal.

but worst case if a bunch show up and try to push their way into the crowd, or push their way to the front of the march to take it over, and burn canadian flags, and the other ugly crap.
that can be stopped.

its no different than during some events in the Ottawa area, like a royal visit, where some english and french people would love to have a smackdown.
the police just have to create a line of separation and maintain that.

once the black bloc are isolated, and unmasked, there is nothing there. just hot air.

 

Good point, Ban the Blockheads. The Black Bloc and their infiltraters from the police can have their own rally.  

Why do Black Bloc supporters have to act like bullies? Maybe someone should stand up to them for a change. Why are they going after people like Eby and O'Keefe and Rebbick and Dobbin? Any one of those people has accomplished more for progressive causes than the entire anti-globalization movement ever has.
Just makes me think more and more that the Black Bloc are cops. Remember this one? The people UNITED can never be defeated.
Just sayin'.
 

It is time that issues and problems were addressed in a rational manner. Good luck to Ms. Fehr and her companions in their efforts.

We have been shouted down for much too long by crackpot fringe rants from those we demand "freedom" but are unwilling to contribute or take any responsibility and whose grand plan for "social housing" would be allowing us to squat in the charred, firebombed offices of the corporations that were driven out of the city.

This would be a nice change, a chance to see people trying to accomplish something constructive instead of having to listen to self-righteous, ideologues with bullhorns screaming slogans in our faces and blaming everyone else for all the world's evils.
 

There is a nation-wide day of action regarding this and there is absolutely NO call to prevent anyone from participation (i.e. black bloc or other bad people).

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=135629036463012&v=info
http://www.facebook.com/g20inquiry#!/g20inquiry?v=info

If you don't want to support the people in jail or donate to the legal fund you don't have to but PLEASE DO NOT hijack the national campaign by grafting your anti-bloc sentiment onto the simple call for an inquiry. 

Make an enormous banner that says BLACK BLOC NOT WELCOME HERE at your protests.

As a person who does not agree with anything you have to say, I think it's important to be able to say what you feel in a constructive way. I would rather live in a country where legitimate protesters are protected by the police from violent idiots, rather that nobody allowed to say anything.

Don't those black bloc idiots and sympathizers realize they are going to have the rights they insist on having taken away from those tactics? Are they that stoned? 

A few violent assaults on the black masks by members of the public would probably help more than anything. Just call it a citizens' arrest. 

this is a brilliant strategy against the black bloc.
the bloc is designed as a anti-democratic political tactic, to be used to create violence in political protests to justify harsh crackdowns by the state.
its also used to create disgusting media images to turn public opinion against lawful constructive protests.

so to ban the bloc, cuts them out of the picture.

of course they will try diversity of tactics, for example like showing up half way through the march, to try and take over.
but that can be overcome, by simply having a sit-in, until it is hashed out on the spot.

since the police and media have notice in writing, that the black bloc are not wanted or allowed in the protest, due to violence at other times, it becomes democratic judo.
the police will be forced to excise the black bloc.

if there is a prolonged situation with the bloc refusing to leave, like a petulant 3 year old, then in fact that can be covered by the media, and highlight the exact point being made about toronto G20.
that many thousands of legitimate protesters were targeted after a small numbers of black bloc thieves and vandals in black masks went on a rampage, with police not stopping the riot.

the crux of the problem is not distinguishing between actual legal protesters, and those in black masks who could be anyone, from an angry delinquent, to a looter or robber, to some type of disturbed person trying to incite a riot.

so banning the black bloc, and doing it by notifying the police and media in writing as the march is arranged in advance, is using democratic judo on the bloc, and they are then neutered.

this tactic to use counter-counterinsurgency against black bloc, can be used worldwide. please notify other activists, and the black bloc plague can be eliminated from being used as a tool of the police bosses to get greater budgets and powers, and to create fear in the public.
the black bloc plague can be defeated, using democratic judo. 

Well Nancy et al, it looks like you've been BlackBlocballed.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens on July 17 - whether the black bloc is capable of putting the interest of the cause ahead of their own. Or not. I'm guessing not - the verbal bullying and namecalling (and worse: http://www.rabble.ca/news/2010/04/diversity-tactics-february-13-and-blac...) is not the behaviour of the self-confident.  

Unmask anyone who shows up at a demonstration with their face concealed. Whether they are agent provocateurs or actual protesters, hopefully they'll be photographed and exposed.

Personally, I do believe that the police actions at the G20 were heavy handed and an inquiry should be held, but the subset of protesters committing criminal acts are equally reprehensible 

Why are the Black Bloc trolls obsessed with attacking prominent leftists like Judy Rebick, Murray Dobbin, Derek O'Keefe etc? It seems like an attempt to divide progressives other this relatively minor issue of Black Bloc. Whose interests does this serve? Does anyone who disagrees with Black Bloc get called a shill for the police and corporations?? 

The organizer of this event has stated on Facebook:

"Please note: all people are welcome to come to the rally. I may have misspoke, if not been misquoted, in saying the Black Bloc aren't welcome. All people are welcome to come to the rally."

Though she goes on to denounce etc. etc. Pretty mixed up. Damn good reason to avoid the rally if she's working with the popo.  

Most of the commentary here assumes that the Black Block -- whoever or whatever they are in reality -- are some group of private citizens who engage in illegal protests.


That viewpoint contrasts sharply with statements made in other Straight commentaries to the effect that these people are undercover police or security agents, employees of the Crown. A variation on that theory is that at least some of the Block are police/security types, and that there is collusion between the Block and the police/security forces as a result of that infiltration.


So, I would still like to know, who are these people? Who finances their travel, their accommodations and entertainments and pays their legal expenses? Do they have day jobs? I notice one poster thought they might all be closet Starbucks employees.



Rod Smelser 

Amnesty International.
Ontario New Democratic Party.
Council of Canadians
Green Party of Canada.

These folks call for a "Public Inquiry"(TM) every week!
What happened is fairly straight forward, you have GOT to be a willfully ignorant buffoon not to understand.
Here it is: when there is a riot, you have NO RIGHT to continue to hang around. Get your useless butt the hell out of the area!
How many times does this have to happen before you lamebrain dipsnits get it through your thick skulls?
Part of the problem is that the above mentioned groups, and others, provide a constant source of misinformation and lefty-loon propaganda for each year's crop of young people. Ignorant and misinformed is as ignorant and misinformed does.  

the back bloc is banned in Toronto, just by common sense.
if any of them appeared at any protest, they would be driven out in minutes. since their Toronto crime spree, they are all hiding.

if the black bloc tried to even walk down the street, then your average Joe on the street, would put an end to that right there.
the black bloc black-mask has about the same support as the KKK white-mask in Toronto.

people saw what they did, and what it was about.

why do those who write propaganda for the bloc attack the left by name? that is part of their propaganda strategy and reason for existing. divide and conquer, and attempts to intimidate.
they use bully tactics to attack anyone who speaks up about what they are really all about.

there is no black bloc and no one can speak for them.
Black bloc are a few people who write bloc screeds, usually university bums or hired shills.
the rest are a mix of vandals, thieves, angry youth, and random jerks, and a few cops to round it out.

if the black bloc were a serious security threat, they would have been rounded up long ago, as well as those who try to do their spin-doctoring.
look around the world, every police chief is talking about the evil black bloc anarchists, and how he needs another 25 million to contain them.

If there were no black bloc, guys like Harper and the police chiefs would have to make one up and staff it with some special officers, and deploy them into political protests to destroy them from the inside...whoops, done that already.
 

Great statement.

If we want to broaden our public support, we need to make it clear that our movement DOES NOT CONDONE any acts of political violence or vandalism committed by some protesters during the G20. The time has come to stop being evasive on this.

No matter how deep and harmful is the systemic violence inflicted by global institutions, any movement or popular struggle has to understand when and where it is appropriate to adopt more radical strategies like political violence. The streets of Toronto during the G20 were far from the right time nor the right place. This isn't South Africa under apartheid folks!

Therefore we have to stop blaming it all on agent provocateurs (there were probably some of them in there, but not only them), and to refine the doctrine of "diversity of tactics" by defining clear limits to it (diversity is fine as long as the tactic does not harm the whole movement).

By not unequivocally condemning the vandalism that happened at the G20, we are making it way easier for the police and conservative politicians to justify not only the billion+ spent on security, but also the mass violations of civil rights of 1000 protesters. This needs to change. 

We should uphold all charter and fundamental human rights for all people, all the time. That includes the right of peaceful assembly, freedom of association, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, as well as freedom to dress as one pleases. All the above right wing blustering to ban certain people from marches and to attack them in various ways is KKK type thinking. All people, no matter what their beliefs or style of dress must be embraced in a public assembly for a worthy cause. If someone, no matter what their style of dress, commits a crime, whether assault on another person or damaging property, then citizens are encouraged to protect the one being assaulted, and to report the crime to the police, who are certain to be on hand. Simple. Don't get sucked in by those who don't understand the concept of universal human and civil rights, and are filled with hatred, animosity, and hostile impulses. They are products of our media which deliberately engenders these attitudes. 

@RodSmelser

If they're "agents of the Crown" all the more reason to disinvite them.

Real or fake, the police are playing them like a fiddle. 

Rather than respond to anonymous snitch-jacketing and mud-slinging, I'd just invite people to read what I've written about the Toronto G20 protests:

http://tiny.cc/03piv

I was in Toronto as co-chair of the Canadian Peace Alliance. We held a rally specifically to denounce the Canadian and other G20 governments who are carrying out massive state violence in Afghanistan. The mainstream media completely ignored it, of course.

An injury to one is an injury to all. The priority right now should be work to get people out of jail, to raise money for those facing charges, and to denounce this unprecedented police repression and violation of civil liberties. There are lots of ways to that and I'd encourage people to get involved:

http://vancouversolidarity.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/vancouversolidarity/

 

That's a great idea to walk alongside the Black Bloc in Vancouver.
That way, when the media cameras film the situation, they will see activists who are working hard to make a difference, in harmony with a bunch of bizarre people in black masks shouting obscene comments at police, and burning flags.
That way, the moms and dads at home on TV will see that in fact everyone in the march, must support those disturbed people in black face masks, who's goal is to bring destruction to Vancouver like the at the Olympics.
To walk with those who's goal and record is to vandalize, is to be seen to support what they stand for. Of course, then the silent majority of the march will be ignored as usual, instead the media focusing on these self-professed wild anarchists in black masks who look like bank robbers, or militant revolutionaries, and make everyone in the population want the police to lock them up. To those who see it, its the same group in black masks who burned police cars, smashed stores, assaulted people, and stole items from stores in Toronto, that everyone saw in the G20.
 

The sad reality is that most people don't know anything about the dang black bloc, or what is really going on.
They believe in a cause, like save the trees, and they want to go and march with their friends, which is terrific. They never think that other people might have other nasty ideas of what is going to happen.

Bill Blair in Toronto has some some outrageous and false things. But he has said one correct thing. Anyone who knowingly chooses to march with groups like the Black Bloc is basically shielding a criminal. The first time we heard that, we thought it was an serious infringement. But after Toronto, it isn't.
Certainly anyone who even ran beside the Bloc as they charged and vandalized, is part of the problem.
Much of this comes out of being naive about what is happening.

If everyone marching had known the black bloc were there, and had a plan to just sit down as soon as the small black bloc charged, then it would not have happened like it did. The black bloc needs a mindless crowd to use to hide behind.
But a crowd mentality takes over, and the black bloc lives to take advantage of that.

Any organized group that allows those in masks like the black bloc who's stated goal is destruction, to walk along with them, is frankly condoning their behavior. As stated by many others, no one knows who is behind those masks, they could be a violent criminal out to make trouble.
It would be like if a group of Neo-Nazis in black boots and symbols wanted to march along. Would anyone march with them?
How about an antisemitic group, anti-gay, or a racist group of skinheads? Would anyone march with them?
So in that sense, Bill Blair is correct. To knowingly march with people in black masks, who constantly brag about bringing the city to its knees with vandalism, and could be a dangerous crook, is frankly asking for serious trouble, and is sending a message they condone it. That is the reality.
Since everyone now knows what the Black Bloc can do, there is no excuse for naivety. Its not only the violence of the bloc, but their verbal violence and poor behaviors, which tarnishes everyone who happens to be there.

Since the bloc pushes itself into every march, and many don't want to be around them, the marches get smaller and smaller. Then the black bloc has won and democracy suffers, as the positive bonding experience of marching is shattered

Freedom of association, means exactly that. We get to choose who we associate with, freely, which means choosing who not to associate with too.

We will never in our lives walk in any march that permits the Black Bloc in the march. 

@ ThisIsWhatHypocracyLooksLike
"We need to be a little less civil and have a little more liberty"

We won't have liberty if we can't be civil. 

@Strategis, who writes "All the above right wing blustering to ban certain people from marches"

Isn't it fortunate that no one organizing the actual march proposed that. A tactic has been banned, not people.

"All people are welcome to come to the rally. Black Bloc tactics are not welcome." - Ashley Fehr [Rose]

http://bit.ly/alo5Vm

I do find it a bit bewildering that you equate opposition to violence with the right-wing. That is just flat-out wrong. 

"We’re going to have marshallers, in accordance with police, to make sure if anyone shows up wearing a black bloc mask that they’re asked to remove the mask,” Fehr said.

You had better not act so stupidly. What are you going to do, try to intimidate everyone with your police-babysay Mob? People are allowed to wear masks in public, and if you attempt to impede anyone's right of way, you will be a criminal, and you will be dealt with according to Law.

One of the Liberties we enjoy is the freedom to dress ourselves as we choose; of course, we are already forbidden from going nude, as God made us, but that's a distinct issue---it is well settled that though we must wear clothing, we are at liberty to choose what and how we will wear.

“Or, if they are unwilling to do that, we would ask that they leave. If they don’t, obviously we can’t force them to leave, but we’ll be making sure that it remains peaceful.”

You would ask them to leave the King's Highway? The sidewalk? City of Vancouver? And no, you will not be making sure that anything remains peaceful Ms. Fehr. You have yourself said that you will be relying on Police, so you're an incapable little one who relies on Nanny State to keep her play-party clique from having to deal with "those types." You know, the Doomed.

"Candidate: You ever play football, Harris?
Dr. Hunter S. Thompson: Yes sir, thank you sir. I played in college, and they're gonna get your daughter too sir. I've heard their rallies, they like Julie but Tricia... and they really hate you sir. You know that one and a half of the State Senate of Utah are screwheads. You know I was never really frightened by the bopheads and the potheads with their silliness never really frightened me either, but these goddam screwheads, they terrify me. And the poor doomed, the young, and the silly, the honest, the weak, the Italians... they're doomed, they're lost, they're helpless, they're somebody else's meal, they're like pigs in the wilderness.
Candidate: Come here Harris, come here. Fuck the doomed! " (Where the Buffalo Roam, 1980)

And the Candidate's wisdom seems to have become the common wisdom: Fuck the doomed.

"instead the media focusing on these self-professed wild anarchists in black masks"

The Media? I didn't see the YouTube individualist media doing that---I did, however, see the Corporate Media doing that. It's a question of what you're going to get your information from, individuals doing it largely for Love, or corporate whore-fascists doing it for Legal Tender. What if part of the very problem highlighted by Black Bloc violence is that most people are retarded drones who merely internalize and repeat what they Viddy on Television?

Are Tie-Dye masks verboten, too? Air quality, you know... 

I love how these Black Bloc fans blame the people who are disgusted by their thuggish tactics. Or they blame other activists who have a different idea of how to make change.

Why would anyone want to be part of a revolution with these nihilists who obviously hate the people they claim to be speaking on behalf of?  

Hey Martin, you seem like the perfect little blockhead. You are eager to attack a female on the internet. Do you have the Cajones to show up hiding behind your little black hanky? Check your ego boy - you aren't half as smart as you think you are.  

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right  

Toronto rally a huge success, few thousand people, short speeches by detainees, civil liberties, and others.
Ended the march by CBC headquarters, good idea to end marches by a media center.

No black croc crap anywhere. No one will ever stand for that fraud again. No insults at random police, and there were very few visible police, just a few bike cops. The message got out into the media, loud and clear.
G20 Public Inquiry.
Its essential to stand up for civil liberties this time, so they don't try this again next time.

These words are harsh, but carefully chosen. The Black Bloc is like a "cancer" to healthy protest movements. It gets inside, and kills it from inside. It also allows the state to crush all protests, with public opinion on its side.
Protests are for people to get energized, meet new people, and organize political action.

The black bloc smears the entire thing, as its intended. black bloc bloggers, a couple of university bums getting paid by the word by CSIS or something, just rant with no basis in reality.
then the black bloc gets full of delinquents, crooks, thieves, jerks, and cops and a few special forces in the big events, to do the torchings.

Just ban the black bloc military masks from all protests.
If they want to be the bloc, why don't they do it on their own day, in their own place? What are they so afraid of?
The fraud of the black bloc was exposed in Toronto G20, and the world can learn. Ban the black bloc, and your message can be effective, and win public approval, and lead to changes.
Accept the bloc, and the message becomes about burning flags, insulting local police, and the public wants you to all get thrown in a cage with a cheese bun for a pillow, and a broken wrist.

Smart protesters today, had some flyers, and stopped to TALK with many on the streets to explain the issues. That is how you do it. Democratic judo, as has been said.
Since the police refuse to stop the black bloc, and benefit from the black bloc, then the protest organizers themselves have to use the system to cut the black bloc out.
The Vancouver black bloc, are a transparent sham, with their designer signs made by the police undercover Props Dept, and flags from Home Hardware. The Vancouver bloc just exists to spoil the protests, keep people away, hijack the media, and poison public opinion.

If the black bloc is unwelcome, then the police have to enforce this, and the media pressure on police will force the police to control the black croc.
That is what the police-political powers fear, large, organized, intelligent protests, that can win public opinion and drive real change. So the black croc was created to destroy that.

So protesters around the world can learn from Toronto G20, and get rid of the black bloc, which then will show what a sham the security is. Its just a multi-billion dollar payout to political and ex-RCMP cronies, hiding behind security rules.
Robbing the public of their own money, and then using that money to suppress them.

The fake black bloc can be driven from Vancouver by simply making some small steps and preparations. They need a mindless crowd hide behind, to do their dirty deeds. 

More black comedy.
Notice how the so-called "anarchist" shills, and the right wing media are trying to say the exact same thing in their media spin, on the same days!
"Conspiracy".
That is because its coming from the same public relations firm who is setting the media Talking Points.
There is no conspiracy, except the one to deceive the public from the facts the police were ordered to stand-down to allow some punks to vandalize and get some fires on TV. The fires were allowed to burn unattended for hours, risking city blocks. It will all come out in a public inquiry, which is why they are trying to do a cover-up.

Conspiracy theorists say G20 riots were an 'inside job' National Post
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Conspiracy+theorists+riots+were+...

Countering Conspiracy Theories on Police Response to Black Bloc
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/countering-conspiracy-theories-polic... 

"Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee." (psalm 32.9)

"De libertatibus: This word, libertates, liberties, hath several significations:

(2) It signifies the freedomes that the subjects have; for example, the company of merchant tailors of England, having power by their charter to make ordinances, made an ordinance, that every brother of the same society should put the one half of his clothes to be dressed by some clothworker free of the same company, upon pain to forfeit x. s. &c. and it was adjudged that this ordinance was against law, because it was against the liberty of the subject, for every subject hath freedom to put his clothes to be dressed by whom he will, et sic de similibus: and so it is, if such or the like grant had been made by letters patents. (c.f. 2 Inst. 47)"

As well, because it sounds so cool (say it out loud even if you don't know Latin!),

"Quemadmodum theatrum, cum commune sit, recte tamen dici potest, ejus esse eum locum quem quisque occuparit. [The world is a great theater, common to the public, yet the place which any man has taken is for the time his own.]" Ce Fin. L. 3. c. 20.

In this great theatre, everyone has the right to dress his clothes as he will, and anyone who attempts to interfere with that is interfering with fundamental liberty of the subject.

"We’re going to have marshallers, in accordance with police, to make sure if anyone shows up wearing a black bloc mask that they’re asked to remove the mask"

So you're going to harass people in the street about their dress? This is how you are going to protest for right civil liberty, by promoting Guilt-By-Textile-Association?

The issue here is that protesting for civil liberty by militating against the freedom to dress oneself in black is patently ridiculous. You are either for Liberty, warts and all, or you are not for Liberty. Pick one. If you're not for freedom to dress oneself, you're not for Liberty.

I Can't Believe It's Not Liberty may be enough for the average Corporate Indoctrinee (Go Kwantlen Polytechnic University Go! Rah rah rah!). Full Liberty, which includes the Liberty to dress like a Bad-Ass Ninja (I thought the Black Bloc were Ninjas, myself---that is obviously why they wield Real Ultimate Power), that is just too much!

Please review a few hours of G20 YouTube footage, and please play a fun game called "Count the Soldiers Dressed Like They're Ready to Invade Poland." The police have their faces obscured by their costumes, and what this means is that even if an abuse victim is able to say "Helmet 12214 abused me," he will likely be unable to identify that constable's face in a Court of Law. Further, if you think black face scarves are intimidating, don't the Stormtrooper helmets just make you want to fall down and cry? Or is it OK when the "good guys" use Black Bloc tactics, like obscuring their faces? 

Funny thing is... countless amounts of video show that those who were mixed in with those using black bloc tactics, were actually cops. This also happened in Montebello, does anyone remember that? Cops dressed in black bloc attire and tried to start violence. Anyone ever wonder why cops stood by and watched and allowed people dressed in black with their faces covered to smash windows and burn police cars. Does anyone ever do any investigative journalism. Go to youtube and look up g20 black bloc cops or agent provocateurs... That is what these people are cops dressed as anarchists and the few anarchists who subscribe to this tactic and believes it works are being instigated by cops and informants. We have a proven history of cops doing this. Also, it seems they never get beaten up and arrested and the peaceful protesters do. Funny how that works. Maybe we ought to not blame the anarchists and start blaming the police...the state... and imperialism in general which allows downtrodden people to be exploited and murdered... just a thought. 

I would like to add... that some of those who believe in diversity of tactics and use the black bloc tactic are not cops and well meaning and intelligent indivduals who are fed up with imperialism and fascism. On that note, it is up to them to confront police in their ranks just as they deal with a skinhead who lives on their street block... The concept of anarchism does not mean vandalism and chaos...neither does the black bloc tactic... it means taking the streets back... and it is empowering to regular citizens to stand up to a state that is violence... also they allow peaceful protesters a buffer...but as it stands the whole cop infiltration of these groups who use this tactic has gotten out of hand and only those who consider themselves "anarchists" need to clean house just as the spanish did in their movement long ago. 

Here's more proof, it ain't no conspiracy.
Yonge St store owner watched the police take off when the black bloc teens came to loot and smash his jewelery store.

---------------------------------
Jeweler Zohrab Kilislian shocked after being abandoned by Police

Portion of an item by CBC reporter Ron Charles, aired on July 6.

A Toronto shop owner describes how G20 security forces suddenly "seemed to disappear", just as 'Black Bloc' protesters arrived to loot his store.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=131735446862003&oid=1356290364... 

fucking useless pacifists.  

How sad indeed.
Drink the coolaid and know your place - bunch of sheeople!

Nothing will really ever change and the only crumbs will be for you and your sick classist fakewad friends.

Most Canadians in this land of the sheeople wanna be control freaking dictators (Harper Jr's) is just about as sad as it gets.
Most Canadians believe the systems pile of dung.
Colonized land by the bull___ british empire is the foundation of dung here on this home and native land.
Almost all our media are total liars.
With the tiny exception of those who see past this societal control grid of pacifist dumbed down sheeople.

I am honored to be marching along people who are progressive enough and have enough guts and wisdom to be creative in their tactics to mess with this system of oppression and gross crapitalism. And yes, this includes "the black bloc".

In my colonized country/land called Canaduh there is room for all tactics of messin' with "da man".

So go back to sleep or wake the hell up.
Choice is yours - as is mine!



 

I will be boycotting these irrelevant sheeople.

I will also be counter protesting and sharing this story of useless crud with my activist family - which includes "the black bloc".

Keep drinking the coolaid and please....dont wake up.
 

Anyone who has done any political organizing in this city (I've been here under a year myself) should have the political connections to request that the black block not wear masks or destroy things at their rally. It happens all the time in Vancouver. The fact that you have to communicate your desires for a non-bloc rally through the Georgia Straight speaks to how hopelessly disconnected you are from the Vancouver political community. Also, the comments about banning the blac-bloc tactic in a thread about a rally to protect civil liberties is just hypocritical and insane. I'm glad Ashley Fehr wants to speak out against the abuses of the state against protesters in Toronto, but she needs to take off the blinders that wont let her see the incredible violence that is caused by the police EVERY DAY in this country and other supposedly progressive countries around the world. What happened in Toronto is part of the daily existence of indigenous people, the poor, migrants, and those living in the global south. The black bloc tactic involves property destruction aimed at unethical corporations and anonymity to avoid state intervention and repression... but the corporate fascist project of economic globalization and neocolonialism kills and injures scores of people every day. Folks like Ashley don't have to live with this violence in their homes or communities and thus don't see it. Remember that the police are here to protect the corporate elite, not the people, and if you collude with the police and let them marshall and participate in your protest, you are allowing a much more nefarious violent gang in black to represent you.. one that operates hierarchically, undemocratically, and is loaded with racism and hate. 

We are all Black Bloc.  

Hang on a second. Not that the irony of banning things at a rally for public rights and freedoms isn't lost on me. But if you ban face masks, does that also preclude the police agent provocateurs from wearing their face masks? 

@Tami Starlight:

Remember, when writing the signs for your counter demonstration, it's the "People's Front of Judea", not the "Judean People's Front".  

Conspirators invite conspiracy theories.
Anarchists throughout history, infiltrated and encouraged by international and state forces to commit assassinations, bombings, terror attacks, and riots.
Don't believe me? Read about Rachovsky and Stieber, agents provacateurs of the highest order, encouraged anarchists to greater levels of violence, directing them to conspire in assassination and terror.
Propaganda of the deed is covert state propaganda.
Indoctrinated to believe they are acting for the good of everyone else, for the good of the oppressed, zealots are fooled time and again, manipulated by Machiavellian politicians and officials, serving no purpose but to agitate society to approve increasingly authoritarian laws, create the perceived need for centralized power and control.
Violence in anarchy often infiltrated and controlled, gullible minds who can be molded into zealots, proselytizing with passion, believing that they are smashing, burning, bombing for a just cause.
Read about Rachovsky, and FBI cointelpro. Read anonymous communiques on anarchist websites. Read about anarchist infiltration by forces in Western Europe. Major initiatives to infiltrate and sabotage these movements have been ongoing and active since the 60's. Several G20 meetings have had police posing as black bloc.
Abandon the disruption and make a new construction. Black Bloc is a tactical failure for protesters, victory for police.