Occupy Portland is fortunate to have a really well done journal called "The Portland Occupier".
They have recently run a series of articles about the "black bloc" - the people who are intent on property destruction. Many of us remember the destruction when the G8 was held in Seattle. And if you've participated in any Occupy activities anywhere, you may have encountered people with circle-A signs, black bandanas, and sometimes a rock in hand. These people are the "black bloc", and they have been with us for many many years. Think back to the Weathermen in the 60s.
In a recent article in TruthOut, Chris Hedges had strong words for the black bloc (Black Bloc: The Cancer in Occupy). In Portland, an anti-police march, in solidarity with Occupy Oakland, was marked by a few acts of destruction, culminating with some Occupiers turning the perpetrators over to the police. As you can imagine, that has produced many hours of discussion and soul-searching for Occupy Portland.
The Occupier has published a series of articles with some fascinating viewpoints on the black bloc. I recommend the series to anyone who would like to learn more about how the black bloc and Occupy relate.
Click to see the article series.
Some excepts below the squiggle.
Update: I should add that I'm totally into non-violence. Nevertheless, listening to discussions and hearing the perspective of other not so inclined has been illuminating and I wanted others to see some of that. I do think there are ways for occupy to use the black bloc constructively. And there is no way to ignore them.
“Black bloc” or “bb” refers to “people willing to destroy property and fight cops” and I submit that is unremovable from greater occupy in the near future. If you think that marginalizing the black bloc from all occupy marches until they go away is even possible, then you disagree with the second premise above and don’t need to continue reading. Alienation and ostracizing the black bloc from Occupy will simply lessen Occupy’s influence there, which is exactly what Occupy needs more of, not less.
Black Bloc: Occupy the Black Bloc!
Shouting obscenities, throwing bottles at police, vandalizing public or private property, and burning flags all only serve to provide those police with the community sanction they need to become even more brutal than they already are. It has the effect of providing them with carte blanch to violate the civil rights of the protesters and of the general public in the name of safety and security. It feeds the politics of fear that is already so pervasive in America today. Two wrongs will never make a right. Two wrongs will only serve to destroy the rights that we still have.
Black Bloc: Two Wrongs Never Make a Right!
Sorry Occupiers, we will not reduce ourselves to the vile standards laid forth by those who benefit from our corrupt capitalist system, the state which supports it, and the police who uphold it.
The police have proven time and time again that they hold no value on human life, and we will continue to show them that conversely, we hold no value on the property that they are in place to protect.
Black Bloc: Things Were Smashed, and Rightfully So!