“Black Bloc” releases statement on 2010 Heart Attack and Olympic violence

Today (February 16), the Georgia Straight received the following message forwarded from a local anti-Olympic activist.


In defense of the black bloc: A communique from Olympic resisters
February 14th, 2010 – Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories

On February 12th and 13th, 2010, thousands of courageous individuals came together to resist the 2010 Olympic police state and to attack the corporations plundering the land and deepening poverty. We write this communique as participants in and organizers of the black bloc presence at these demonstrations, known as “Take Back Our City” and “2010 Heart Attack.”

On February 12th, the Vancouver Police Department pacified us with a force of mounted police. The next day during 2010 Heart Attack, they deployed riot police armed with M4 carbine assault rifles. They claim this was necessary in order to stop the march from “jeopardizing public safety” – yet the only threats to public safety were in their own hands. Participants in the demonstration only undertook strategic attacks against corporations sponsoring the Olympics and did not harm or attack bystanders.

The media are now busy denouncing the political violence of property destruction, such as the smashing of a Hudson's Bay Company window, as though it were the only act of violence happening in this city. They forget that economic violence goes on daily in Vancouver. People are suffering and dying from preventable causes because welfare doesn't give enough to afford rent, food or medicine, and because authorities routinely ignore the medical emergencies of poor or houseless individuals. This economic violence has gotten worse as we lose housing and social services because of the Olympic Games. In response to this assault, thousands took to the streets, hundreds joining what is known as a black bloc.

The black bloc is not a formal organization; it has no leadership, membership, or headquarters. Instead, the black bloc is a tactic: it is something people *do* in order to accomplish a specific purpose. By wearing black clothing and masking our faces, the black bloc allows for greater protection to those who choose active self-defense. The majority of people involved in the black bloc do not participate in property destruction. However, in masking up they express their solidarity with those who choose to take autonomous direct action against the corporations, authorities and politicians who wage war on our communities.

Participation in the black bloc is an act of courage. With only the shirts on our backs and the masks on our faces, we took to the streets against Canada's largest ever “peacetime” police force. Protected only by black fabric and the support of our comrades, we stood in front of antiriot cops armed with assault rifles, pistols and batons. We proved that $1 billion of “security” couldn't prevent us from clogging the heart of downtown Vancouver and crashing a party of 100 000 people -- and getting away with it.

You won't ever know who was in the black bloc this weekend, but you *do* know us. We are the people who organize community potlucks, who dance during street festivals, who make art, defend the land, build co-ops, bicycles and community gardens. When we put on our black clothing, we are not a threat to you, but to the elites.

Whoever you are, one day you will join us. As long as government and corporations attack our communities, we're going defend – and that means attack.

Signed,

Two organizers and participants in the anarchist presence of the “Take back our city” demonstration and “2010 Heart Attack” street march, February 2010, Coast Salish Territories

Comments

73 Comments

Rox

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:12pm

Cowards...all of them.

Reis

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:15pm

What is the possible gain from a tiny group of people adopting tactics that, by their nature, exclude and disgust the vast majority of people? How can you bring about a free and conscious creation of the majority of people in society, and convince the public that it's a workable idea if you hide your face in public, or hide in a crowd of non violent protesters? If you make it so easy for the media to dismiss your actions as mindless violence, how will you ever convince people to adopt anarchism? What does smashing windows accomplish? Since the VPD was not provoked into violated human rights, how can you claim this is a police state?

ryan s

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:21pm

wow - by wearing black clothing and masking your faces you make yourselves look like cowards and petty thugs.

Little do they know in this ever evolving technological world the entire "riot" was caught on camera and live on CTVnewsnet and showed no signs of police brutality, rather the "black bloc" trying to START police brutality...and since when do innocent people who park along Georgia deserve to have their cars vandalised?

Jdog

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:22pm

This is a terrorist organization by definition. I hope the peaceful olympic protestors come out in strong opposition to this group.

This notice failed to mention that Black Bloc protestors _were_ armed with bicycle chains, marbles (to throw at the feet of horses), chairs, ladders, and various concealed weapons (this one I have on good account). Also, in addition to the attack on the HBC, they also broke a windows of TD Bank. What was this for?

It's a fringe group and an embarassment to the city.

Niki Martin

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:34pm

I am sickened by the actions that took place on Saturday. If you feel as though you are not receiving enough welfare to afford to live in a city as expensive as Vancouver, you should move to a less expensive city. Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in the world and I choose and pay to live here because I love my city. I do not want it destroyed. Your views are those of first-world peril. If you want to be victims try living in Latin America, Asia, or Africa in an under-developed country where you are not given the right of access to clean drinking water. I try to be sensitive to protesters because there are a lot of things wrong in this world, but it makes me so sad that these anarchists can't get over their cliche views of the corporate world. You are turning the city against you. We will not weep if you get taken to jail. We see that you are provoking the police to act violently to make a media splash. You are transparent. If you want to change capitalism and everything that is wrong with it you have to realize that you are not acting in effectively. Your actions that you are taking will not stop anything. You need to dig deeper and not through violence. It doesn't take a 4th year political science major to see this. But I do see this. Where is the love?

buzz

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:37pm

Stupid Jerks!!!

Bret Taylor

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:43pm

Oh, grow the fuck up.

Bloc Head

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:56pm

The writing of this statement is an act of intellectual violence. These most misguided members of the so-called 'social justice' movement haven't the faintest idea of what 'justice' actually means, and instead adhere to the utterly morally devoid principles of Marxism. The primary proof of this is their inability to recognize that stealing money from the populace and using it to throw a gigantic party is just as evil as stealing money from the populace and giving it to street people. It is still stealing.

They simultaneously cry that the minimum wage must be raised and that homeless people 'can't find jobs' -- conveniently ignoring the fact that if wages are allowed to go down, more people can be employed.

They ignore the fact that 'providing for people' requires genuine productive work, instead choosing to believe that when free people form corporations to actually DO that work, it somehow becomes evil.

Come to think of it... this whole 'capitalism' thing is kind of a bum out. It's been doing a pretty awful job of providing us with food, clothing, and iPhones so far.

Why don't we try a system where someone nicely crunches all the numbers so that everyone can have everything they 'need'. If some people can't make it for themselves, we'll just take it from the productive people and give it to the ones that are lagging behind. I'm sure they will be SUPER grateful for the help and work REAL HARD to catch up, instead of freeloading.

How convenient that there are so many people in town from FORMER communist countries. Why don't you take the time to sit down and chat with them and see how much they miss it?

Carver

Feb 16, 2010 at 2:56pm

These people do not represent the Coast Salish. The Olympics are helping our people not harming them. The four host nations fought to be included as equal partners. We are proud to welcome to world to our territories.

Cowards

Feb 16, 2010 at 3:00pm

Covering you faces is not courageous, it's cowardly. You did not just attack Olympic supporters, you also damaged private citizens property too. You try to glorify your actions, but really you just want an excuse to be destructive and childish. I can't wait for the vigilanti action from the public on the next occasion you try it. People have had enough from the minority whiners who only think of themselves.