This weekend (starting today) looks like it is shaping up to be the next chapter in the ongoing Progressive-Marxist revolution now underway across the globe. Previous chapters of the revolution include, but are not limited to, the 1999 WTO meeting in Seattle, the “anti-war”* protests during the Bush presidency, the 2004 and 2008 protests against the Republican conventions, the Bank of America protests, the Gaza Flotilla movement, etc… *The asterisk marks the discredit earned by the “anti-war” movement through their silence since President Obama took office, despite the continuation of the wars allegedly being protested against.
Here is their description of the event they are holding Saturday night:
GET OFF THE FENCE
Confrontational Anti-Colonial, Anti-Capitalist
Convergence in solidarity with the
People’s First Demonstration
26 June 2010, 1pm, Queen’s Park
And then onwards to the Fence
If you want to understand the art of confrontational anti-capitalism, look no further than this Organizing Manual produced by one of the leading organizers of confrontational street (and flotilla) demonstrations. Pay special attention to the sections entitled, “198 Methods of Nonviolent Action” and “Tools for White Guys who are Working for Social Change and Other People Socialized in a Society Based on Domination”. Below is an excerpt from their section about the intentional tactic of getting arrested.
Stay in jail or not:
In-jail solidarity uses our strength of numbers to raise the political and economic costs of the system. It cost the authorities both economically and politically to keep large numbers of people locked up after an action, especially if we can mobilize outside pressure. Large numbers of people in jail can give us lots of leverage with the system.
But stay-in-jail strategies are very costly to us, as well. In situations where jail conditions are extremely hazardous to the very life and safety of protestors, we want to get people out of jail as quickly as possible and mobilize pressure in other ways. In an extended action, or when the authorities use preemptive arrests to undercut our numbers, we may want to get people back on the street quickly. When legal consequences of an action are likely to be minor, an in-jail strategy may not be worth the cost. And people may also have individual reasons for getting out of jail as fast as they can: family responsibilities, medical conditions that put them at risk in a jail situation, work responsibilities, etc.
Stay-in-jail strategies work best with larger numbers, but they do not require unanimity to work. We want to encourage people to do actions whether or not they can stay in jail afterwards. Solidarity is no longer effective movement building if the costs of an action become so high that only the extremely heroic or the chronically unemployed can do actions. When people feel judged or coerced into solidarity stands, they often react against the whole idea and may be reluctant to do future actions. When people feel supported in their choices, they will often make great personal sacrifices to support the group.
If we’re trying to keep people out on the street for an extended action, or if projected legal consequences are slight, we might want to take opportunities to get quickly released from custody. If we have people to protect: individuals who might be singled out, internationals who face immigration issues, etc., we might employ a strategy that involves staying in jail until everyone is released. Or if we are asked to make unacceptable compromises in order to be released, for example, posting high bail or accepting conditions that might prevent us from doing future actions, we may need to use in-jail solidarity.
A stay-in-jail solidarity strategy needs some coordination before the action, so that people are prepared and know what choices to make under the stressful conditions of arrest.
How to Stay in Jail:
Refuse to sign out:
In mass actions, authorities are often willing to release most people if they sign a promise to appear for a court date, or if they post a reasonable bail.
The authorities may also ask people to sign statements saying they will not return to a certain action or area.
To stay in jail, refuse to sign or to post bail.
Bail is one of the ways the poor are kept incarcerated and people with money get released. Some activists refuse to post bail as part of their moral or political stand. For others, the choice may depend upon the situation.
Refuse to give names:
Authorities are generally reluctant to free prisoners without knowing who we are. For this tactic to be effective, protestors should not carry identification to the action. For this reason, it needs to be coordinated ahead of time. This tactic also greatly interferes with the smooth running of the jail system, and is a tactic generally hated by the authorities. It can be a powerful bargaining point in solidarity negotiations.
However, it’s a bargaining point we most often concede in the end. Protestors should not hold the illusion that they will be able to go through the entire system and be released without giving names. Occasionally this happens, but generally not.
Below is a video clip of the organizers of this weekend’s G8/G20 protests holding a press conference.
Will any of skeptical press that covered this conference dig into who these groups are and who is organizing them?
Here is link to the video that preceded the one embedded above. In it, they state their goal to destroy the G8/G20.
No confirmation if this report is connected to the planned protests, but given the tactics of “direct action” it hardly seems implausible:
June 24 (Reuters) – Canadian police said on Thursday they had pulled over a car containing “dangerous materials” near the site where an international summit will be held in Toronto this weekend.
Toronto police chief Bill Blair told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that there had been sticks — possibly ax handles — and gasoline in the car. The driver was arrested.