The Black Bloc in better times;
I have been involved in a wide array of coalitions on various issues over the past half-decade, and never have I witnessed cross-movement solidarity like I have in the anti-Olympics campaign. […] A strong example of that solidarity was on display during the February 12th “Take Back Our City” march. That march saw upwards of 2000 people march on BC Place during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. That march was lead by Indigenous women. When the march reached the police line outside of BC Place that night, the cops started pushing and shoving the front line of the stalled march. Indigenous women called for the Black Bloc to move to the front to hold the line. When the elders amongst that leadership group decided that the crush from the police was too much, the Black Bloc made space for them to move to the back of the crowd.
Emphasis mine.
You know, I can’t be the only one who finds the notion of a bunch of paper marxists whining about a police state ironic in the extreme.
It’s the closest they’ll ever come to experiencing the world they’re marching for – and still they’re not satisfied.
No, it’s not. It’s an idiot on a bicycle, carrying a cardboard sign.
Related: “Can’t they see I’m just a regular guy?”
I once had my car pulled over and searched 8 times in three hours by the RCMP.
We had a name for that, back when I was in high school. It was called “Saturday night”. The Carlyle RCMP detachment had 21 officers – for a town of 1200. They had to keep busy doing something when they weren’t up at White Bear or scraping bodies from Hwy 13. We got over it. In fact, I hate to break it to you, but policing in 2010 is far less arbitrary than it was in our parents’ day.
Still, could someone please tell me how police are supposed to track down young men matching the description of black bloc anarchists without actually stopping and searching people who fit the description?
I’m disappointed in you. When it’s middle class men educated in Pakistani madrassas near a high security zone, you’re all in for profiling.
But when it’s middle class men educated in Canadian universities near a high security zone, the rules become different.
A little consistency, please.
I think an inquiry would be a great idea. I for one am curious as to why on Saturday, the police laid back and watched their cars burn and people bash in windows with water bottles (!?) and on Sunday they finally started to do their job.
We pay an awful amount of money for our police. Indeed I suspect they form the lion’s share of the 1 billion cost for security that everyone is salivating over.
If we pay this kind of money for security why is it that no one asks why it seems to be rarely achieved? Isn’t time to ask why these well armed and well paid chaps seldom do the job? Witness Caledonia, the G20 or the time you waited an hour for somebody to show up when your house has been burgled.
Sure we should be able to take care of ourselves. I am only too happy too. What I am less happy about is paying for this extensive and expensive security apparatus that just doesn’t seem up to the job.
On another note, I find a stark contrast in the coverage of this summit and others in the past where the violence was far worse. Could it be that PMSH was in charge this time?
Lastly, Kate I too got pulled over once in a while. We had a little rule when it happened- never diss a cop. If you did….well it was open the trunk and everyone out of the car.
Thank you for your great blog and as for you so called anarchists- get stuffed! Real martyrs take their fate with aplomb (Thomas Moore, St. Alban) and don’t complain about the lack of sweaters and vegan meals. Good grief I am glad I am not on their side. Bukharin must be rolling in his grave.
N
In a real police state these idiots would not be heard from again, never mind blogging about it.
I’m sick of these weenies diluting the language. Get real.
From the top,— “and never have I witnessed cross-movement solidarity like I have in the anti-Olympics campaign.”
‘Cross-movement solidarity’, or in layman’s terms,”I have never seen so many people happy to protest,didn’t matter what,we were all happy to protest something”.
I am idiot,HEAR ME ROAR.
What really irked me was watching the CBC report the events as if the police should have just left those bozos jump ovr the fences and go at it freely.
At one point, Peter Mansbridge, who is supposed to the the guiding light of journalists in Canada, made a comment on the burning police cars. He blamed the police stating that, “After they had their tires slashed, glass broken etc., had to police towed them away, they would not have been torched.”
God save us from having a flat on the 401!
I know this is a wicked thought, but given all of the high rise buildings in “Taranta,” should the police not have had a few snipers at strategic points?? You wouldn’t beleive the penetrating power a 30-06 (7.62X63 MM) exhibits at a 45° downward angle, and at 1200 feet above the target!
Check it out at http://www.snipercentral.com/30-06.htm
I think if I were a small business owner in an area where similar Marxist-inspired violence may break out, I would NOT hire professional security — because the four or five Hell’s Angel’s, in colours, that I hire to stand outside my business should be able to do the job!
Aw geezez , before somebody shows up with a tank , a squaudron of F-18 fighter jets and 300 Mexican banditoes , riding jackasses and eating burritoes firing Uzi’s and muskets into Torontos smoggy skys , ….
“Pathetic people. What more can be said?
I would like to see how long they would last in a true dictatorship. What a bunch of nobs.”
Once the revolution of the proletariat is completed, the “useful idiots” quickly become “useless eaters”.
Given all the red and pink MPs and MPPs that Trawna elects, and considering all the enviro/safety crap they dump on us in the rural areas, it’s hard not to think that maybe the arseholes in bandannas exercised a bit to much restraint.
I just wish they had done their marching and smashing through those comfortable neighbourhoods that keep giving us the likes of Chow, Holland, Cansfield, Smitherman, et al.
Find it hard to shed any kind of a tear for TO.
Syncro,
Fair breakdown. Here is my question, who knew what and when. The street theatre was planned and timed. A group of leaders knew the plan, knew the signal and were waiting. The question is how far into the “legit” protest did that knowledge flow.
If Sid or other members of the CUPE knew and said nothing but knowingly provided cover then the Union should be properly sued, they represent a big pot of money that could fund all the damage and pay for the costs of security.
IF there is an inquiry the knowledge and participation of the “beard” of legit protesters must be included.
“with 100k worth of snipers”
That’d be … one.
And if you don’t think the rooftops of downtown Toronto weren’t SRO with tactical shooters… 🙂
The video I saw on CTV on Saturday afternoon showed an older woman with a large umbrella essentially using it to prevent camera shots of the terrorists. Aiding and abetting is normally the same as the crime itself.
Skip,
I would certianly think that there would have been tactical shooters already in place, just in case.
As for those calling for actually shooting…..sounds great in theory but I hope you are kidding. The effect it would have would not be the calming one you would hope, unless it was like the hostage situation a few years ago.
At the end of the day what happened 2, only 2, police cars were torched and some windows. Given the number of protesters, 10,000 plus, and the number sh%%disturbers, likely 500+, then the amoutn of damage is quite nicely contained and minimized.
Almost all reports I heard from foreign media were about the restraint of the police, the minimal damage etc.
The police response, while questions remain, was restrained on all days…including Sunday.
The toronto left is continuing its “vapors” act hoping to push for more license. That was always part fo the plan no matter what the police response was. When put in perspective, the damage was minimal, the arrests were reasonable and the city is returning to normal very quickly.
Pride parade will be fine, as will the large Muslim convention, as will Carribana, in a month. Oh and Canada Day celebrations will be fine as well.
In fact more people will be inconvnienced from a traffic perspective from Pride and Carribana than were inconvenienced by G20. Just saying, get some perspective. It was the Anarchist mob that was the problem and they are either charged or have returned to Montreal, Southern Ontario, Vancouver or the countries they came from.
Remember all of this in November when the G20 is in Seoul. The crackdown ahead of time, during and after will either be harder and will make the Toronto PD look like absolute pussycats.
I was in Merida back in the 90’s. It’s a nice town with a bit of a Bavarian feel to it. It’s also a University town for so protests were common back then as well. Went to the local airport to find that the national airline was bankrupt and the bus system was on strike. So along with about 12 Venezuelans we hired 2 Por Pesta’s (inter-city cabs) to drive us to Caracas. It’s was a wild ride dodging fuel tankers, corrupt soldiers and we met the only non-corrupt policeman I ever saw there along the way. Something that amazed the locals.
skip,
I’m doubting that any sniper is going to cost you 100k for two days… I figure at 1k a day, you could have had 50 for the weekend.
Add a hundred bucks for bullets and you have yourself some order.
And stephen, no, I’m not kidding. I’m not talking about shooting “protesters” because if you’re violent, you aren’t protesting. I’m talkin molotov cocktail and rock-throwing, police-car-burning thugs. Protest in peace and live. Riot and eat a bullet.
How long do you think it would take for there to be more peaceful protesters and a lot less of the rioters (one way or the other – I’m not fussy on the how if you get my drift?)
LOL the anarchists and leftard activists are milking the week-end’s events for all they are worth. Every flaky fringe group you can imagine is planning on protesting tomorrow, good gawd I wish those loser would get jobs and become productive citizens. They screech Canada’s democracy is at risk, hello you communists twits do you honestly think Dear Socialist’s Leader is going to let you riot and rampage? Hello Miller is a sociaists, so is Macslimy thus how’s the whole socialists utipian paradise thing working out leftards? Now you have a taste of what living under the socialists in Ontario is like, yet those flakes protest from more socialism.
Yup, it was Irony City at those protests. I particularly noted the giant banners bearing Chairman Mao’s image. For all those neo-Maoist ninnies currently squawking about “police brutality” in Toronto, I have 2 words for you: Tiananmen Square.
“I’m disappointed in you. When it’s middle class men educated in Pakistani madrassas near a high security zone, you’re all in for profiling.
“But when it’s middle class men educated in Canadian universities near a high security zone, the rules become different.”
Ouch. Very good point.