by Ed Thu Jun 30, 2005 01:09

I don't see how relevant a discussion by anarchist-communists on the black bloc is. I mean, I view politics very simply and all activity should have the following question asked of it:

How will this contribute to encouraging the communist tendencies within the working class?

So, best case scenario at Gleneagles: It kicks off big time, anarchists from across Europe and the UK run riot in Scotland. The British working class watch the whole thing on TV and go "fuck, that looks mental. Nice one strangely dressed anarchists!" The rioters go home, a few go to prison, we end up doing solidarity work i.e. send them books, about 30 people hear about 'anarchism' (in the meaningless, broad church sense of the word), maybe about half a dozen stick with it and develop a good, coherent class struggle analysis.

So was it all really worth it? Did the class feel so moved by watching activists run riot on TV that they started morphing into "the class for itself"? No, they just see another subculture on TV like all the other subcultures on TV, external from their everyday lives, struggles and desires doing something they may or may not vaguely support.

In my opinion, the anarchist-communist thing to do would be to not discuss the black bloc at all. Its quite a cool spectacle admittedly, but it has little (if anything) to do with the emancipation of the working class. And before you say it, no I don't care that this will be a chance to 'raise awareness' of 'anarchist communism' because anarchist communism isn't a rigid ideology but a living tendency within the class which needs to be encouraged. In my opinion, anarchist communists should be discussing the best ways to do this rather than discussing issues of little to no relevance to the working class.

by anarchist Thu Jun 30, 2005 07:33

The Black Bloc tactic is pretty simple. Working class people were wearing masks to disguise their identity and as protection from tear gas long before the Bloc tactic came along, but at some point it was realized that black is the most uniform color and therefore gives the cops the hardest time in distinguishing between individuals within the bloc.

Like all tactics, the Bloc's usefullness depends on a number of circumstances. But to write it off as disposable would be like writing off the publication of anarchist newsletters, etc.

by Siege - Transindustrialist League of the ICT Thu Jun 30, 2005 23:29 aeanrevolution at yahoo dot com www.myspace.com/xacceleratexentropyx

Why did the Ras Rasses dread up? Why did the Black Panthers wear berets? Why do the police all wear the same riot gear? Why do all solidarity groups dress or act alike?

The dread is a symbol on constant display of strength in numbers. The beret is a symbol of the militarization of the panthers. The police wear matching gas masks, helmets, and vests to strike fear into dissenters and intimidate us into being quiet--just like the laws and justice systems they protect!

I have no means of getting to Scotland for this summit. Maybe if it was on my continent I could get there. But if I was going to be there, I'd feel much more support, much less fear, and an extreme amount of confidence, if my side of the lines were half as uniform (even just a black mask each) as the pigs. Just remember, when the tear gas is hissing and the forces of governments EVERYWHERE are marching forward, you'd much rather be an anonymous member of the black bloc than an easily identifiable, uniquely colored member of the Anarcho-Communist Rainbow Coalition.

And if the color black is out of fashion to some of the trendy protesters--wear pink... its the new black.

by ronan - dissent! (irl) Fri Jul 01, 2005 05:11

it seems obvious that the black bloc is a method of confronting state authorities in a militant fashion while minimising potential state retaliation through the anonymity afforded by the bloc. it's a good way of carrying out illegal action publically (and so spectacularly) but anonymously.
so the question really can be sub-divided:
1) are the goals of the participants in a particular circumstance adequately achieved by the use of confrontational black bloc tactics?
2) are these particular goals worthwhile in themselves?

it's late and i'm getting the bus tomorrow so i'm going to bed but i might just suggest that the best way to carry this debate forward is through clarification of the goals themselves in light of our shared ultimate goal (that anarchist communist utopia that we've all heard so much about...) and from there begin to discuss the validity of various methods of action.

to the barricades!

by catch Sat Jul 02, 2005 16:49

Libertarian communism isn't a utopia far off in the future, it's the tendency towards freedom and solidarity in the working class. After a successful revolution, a self-managed international community would still have plenty of things to deal with.

As Ed points out, the problem with this whole discussion is that it accepts spectacular protests as worthwhile, then simply tries to work out the most effective way of doing them. If we want self-management of our communities and workplaces we should be acting on that basis - not running in a field around trying to change the minds of a small subsection of the people who do.

by Terry Tue Jul 05, 2005 02:27

I tend to agree with 'Ed' above in that: does this contribute to furthering the aims of anarchism. The Black Bloc obviously came about for pratical reasons and whilst on the ground can be thought of as defensive against the State forces, but in the media -where most people see it, as a spectacle.

And that's the whole point, as always what we are really trying to do is get our voices and arguments heard. The Black Bloc and I suppose most forms of protest are a response to the lack of a media outlet that carries our voice to the masses. and even if you think about it, it's a pretty crude and ineffective way to get the nunances of our arguments across.

We could argue that there is an ever so slight improvement with the Internet, but how long have we got before that's fenced off or licensed off?

If we want to advance anarchism forward and raise the awareness obviously it is to get our message out there. The advantage the corporate media has is that they are assaulting the senses on many fronts and in many places ALL the time. The discussion therefore should really focus on how do we get our message out, given with whatever we come up with can probably be equally adopted by any other smallish group, which leads me to suggest, perhaps it has to be uniquely democratic or whatever in some way, so that it can be just co-opted and used by the State to counter-act our actions.

Any ideas anyone?

by Joe - Anarkismo Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:28

I think the Black Bloc at the G8 really showed the limitations of this tactic. Some reports like this MPS interview Overview of the Pake Poverty History march - end of an era for the black bloc? show the real problem of a fashion driven imitation of what people have seen on TV - a militant appearance stripped of all the politcal context for the militancy.

And the 'action' in Stirling some 20 miles from the G8 which consisted of smashing up a Burger King at 3am and breaking a car window seems like no more than an exercise in impotency.

There probably needs to be a proper debate about 'diversity of tactics' in advance of summit protests because its becoming clear that tiny black blocs running around under the new policing conditions do little except provide propaganda for those who oppose any and all direct action. That sort of militancy only makes sense if is on a mass basis with some hope of achieving something. Otherwise it rapidly loses any sort of understandability in political terms and becomes simple substitutionism for a failure to convince people of the need for militant tactics.

by nestor Thu Jul 07, 2005 13:21

I am thrilled with the astounding success of the "'action' in Stirling some 20 miles from the G8 which consisted of smashing up a Burger King at 3am and breaking a car window". This is a real step forward for anarchism and for the class struggle in general.

The wonderful publicity "anarchists" received on Sky News last night as a result of this inspired piece of activism was marvellous to behold, with even Lord Geldof taking time out from his mission to save the world to slag off these "knobheads" who, according to his great wisdom, should "get a life". How dare he!

n.

by Joe - Anarkismo Fri Jul 08, 2005 14:58

There is a pretty good BB video posted to indymedia at http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/07/317377.html - in it towards the end you can see what looks like the same sort of car with police vans (but this one is grey) where the driver is wearing a flourescent jacket of some sort. So it may well be they had a number of these cars for transport / spotting purposes.

Interestingly the video also has a couple of local women in their dressing gowns outside their house waving to the passing BB - I'd say at this point that taking a big step back from the media spin is probably a good idea

by steve Sun Jul 10, 2005 05:00

sure, everything has limitations. The stirling bloc tactics certainly managed to get the crowds through a fair few police barricades.

Which is quite clearly a step forward.

What happened might not have been as spectacular as other blocs you've seen or read about, but the groups certianly got where they were going. Despite the scores of Riot police police who seemed hell bent on stopping them.

by Joe Tue Jul 12, 2005 15:44

A long account of the Stirling Black bloc action has now been added - its a bit heavy on the rhetoric but adds a useful perspective and opinion on the facts "While groups were streaming out of the site, about two-hundred people were meeting to determine whether or not to have a large mass march leaving the camp, and if so, how it would be organized. This is how the suicide march came about, Suicide was not a word chosen hastily. How could it be possible for such a group to actually make it to the distant M9, the major highway connecting Glasgow and Edinburgh to Gleneagles, before being stopped and contained by a ten thousand strong police force assigned to the protests?" Continues at

by Cathach - bb Sun Jul 24, 2005 18:35

The bb in Stirling worked without doubt. Police lines were broken on numerous occasions , they were run ragged and we blocked the road for thirty maybe forty minutes. The bb rocked and achieved its aim. Tiocfaidh an Reabhloid!