police provocatuers caught in the act

Posted on August 23, 2007

[youtube St1-WTc1kow]

Here’s a dirty little secret that cops all over the world know but doesn’t get talked about much – it’s incredibly common for police departments everywhere to plant undercover agents in protests dressed up as “anarchists” so that they can either have them start some sort of disturbance or violence – giving the police an excuse to come in and arrest everyone and violently break up the protest – or have them act as a snatch squads to grab and arrest people out of the crowd. Here’s an example of a couple undercover cops in Canada trying to go with option A and create a false impression that a peaceful protest is “violent” by waving around (but not actually throwing) rocks.

At first they succeed in stirring up conflict between the real anarchists and the other protesters, but fortunately the main guy catches on to the fact that they’re cops – not anarchists at all – and the entire crowd turns on them and shouts them down until they give up and cross over into the police lines.  I’ve seen stuff like this happen literally dozens of times over the years, but usually it doesn’t get caught on video.

Another favorite used by police provocateurs is throwing empty plastic water bottles at the cops in uniform.  they’re so lightweight that there’s no chance they’ll actually hurt their fellow cops, but it allows the police to say that the protesters were throwing bottles and gives them an excuse to bring out the tear gas and rubber bullets.  Keep this in mind next time you hear a new reports that blames “violent anarchists” for starting trouble and giving the police an excuse to shut down a demo.

funny as hell (because hell is damn funny)

Posted on August 22, 2007

[youtube jHPg3kjKBRc]

 

gonna go looking for more like this now…

for everyone who’s ever told me I’ll “grow out of it”

Posted on August 21, 2007

I used to get told all the time that I’d outgrow being an anarchist once i got a little older and wiser – usually by people who knew far less about politics and economics then me. Almost 11 years on and I think I’ve definitely gotten a bit older and hopefully wiser, but if anything I’m more dedicated to the idea of a non-coercive and egalitarian society then I’ve ever been. I can only hope to stay as dedicated as this guy when I’m as old as him. Read more