Black Block Strut Their Stuff!

by vinnie Sun Dec 07, 2003 21:11

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Forced retreat from the woods

Blocking garda van

Gardai unsuccessfully attempt to hold roadblocker

Bridge climber escorted down

by jp Sun Dec 07, 2003 21:23

the black bloc do far more damage to the movement by turning people away from it thru their violent tactics,im sorry if you disagree with me but the media always focuses o them and gives critics a chance to have a go at the anti war and anti capitalist/globalisation because of their actions.

by withheld Sun Dec 07, 2003 21:47

I was there with a young child and felt far safer protesting with the black bloc group as I knew if there was going to be any trouble with the police they would be there to step in.
From what I heard on the bus home children were hit in the other group so I feel my choice was justified.

by shannon protestor Sun Dec 07, 2003 22:04

Maybe the balck bloc do cause damage in the public perception but at this stage I have to say so f**kin what.

I'm so frustrated with the public in this country they just never get off their arse to do anything. And when they do its a small handful and no more is done that march around the place. (oh before anyone starts I have a family and job too and don't draw the dole etc etc)

So whether the few of us that do get off our arse have a bad or a good image is frankly of no importance as regardless of public opinion most people will just groan and mumble and sit on their arse as usual.

People may moan that black bloc tactics are useless. But at the end of the day the gardai had their hands full just trying to keep a small handful of them under control. It was quite plain to see that if this civil disobedience tactic and playful spirit had larger numbers then successful action at shannon or in dublin would be much more likely.

An all that said the black bloc aren't scary, they seemed perfectly friendly to me, and from the few that I regognised they're all vegetarian hippies, and wouldn't hurt a fly unnecessarily.

by Acid Sun Dec 07, 2003 22:06

You sound as if your convinced that people are attracted to join your...ahem.."movement"
by placard waving and repetative speeches.
I agree that the mainstream media focuses on the bb....I think that's partly why they were told to fuck off!

by No Comment Sun Dec 07, 2003 22:25

and every journalist who writes them.

by A.L.F Sun Dec 07, 2003 22:40

Jealous of the black block, just because they're sensible, and practical.

Just cos they're more popular than hippies and students. At least the black block have the sense to mask up.

Look at the popularity of subcommandente marcos and the zapatistas, there's something very alluring &appealing about fellas/gals in a ski masks.

by whatever Mon Dec 08, 2003 01:46

"im sorry like but... "

hahahahaha..

Sounds distinctly like the way a d4-head might type... "loike ye know - vote Green"

Well done to all the folks involved in the black Block(ade)..

by sumdumguy Mon Dec 08, 2003 02:37

Have the black bloc a website, Id be interested in it.

by black bloc Mon Dec 08, 2003 02:40

The black bloc is not an organisation - it is a tactic, a spontaneous revolutionary cell of sorts.

by not important Mon Dec 08, 2003 02:44

Oh for a great big smelly black Bloc

by BB Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:19

Ya Trot wasters. The BB will not be policed by Kieran Allen or Michael O'Brien and their Trot clowns.

by pc Mon Dec 08, 2003 12:47

they do this in a considered way and are not just playing


theres a few idiotic smash the state type kids in there but arn't there always in any group

by sos Mon Dec 08, 2003 13:22

I know a few people in that Black Block. They got up off their asses, they are NOT uninformed about the real issues behind what they are doing, they are not scary ruffian teens, they are people who are sick and tired of waiting around for the world to listen. Who don't want to just leaflet, they want to feel like they makin a difference. And they are, maybe more so then leaflets, my last few times trying to leaflet or use non-protest methods to get through to the public have been horrible. The public don't want to know. I personally feel they are making a difference. They have certainly made me far more aware about the real issues than a lot of the other actual parties have, not to mention everyone they meet on a day to day basis.

They were organised for that protest, it's not like they just decided to go to Shannon for a laugh and to smash up some cops because they had nothin else to do. Its unfair and untrue to say half the things you are saying about them. They draw attention to the protest and to be honest, the feedback was not bad. I doubt the public were oh so frightened and put off by them. If it wasn't for them there wouldn't have been any bloody media attention.

I say fair fucks to everysingle one of you at Shannon. You stood up for what you believe in and in this day and age, that's a rare thing.

I have always disagreed with Anarchy and thought that it did more damage to the cause then help but after looking into it further, sometimes it's the only way. Sometimes people just wont listen nutil you find a way to make them.

by IMC reader Mon Dec 08, 2003 13:50

At least they did something. What the trots ever do? Barring harsssing people at shopping centers and the GPO on Saturday afternoons? Ok the BB tactics could be misused by some psychopatic fancing an opportunity for violence, but so what? I think that young people would find BB a more attractive form of activism than listening to booring speeches by old trot farts who have never done and will never do anything constructive? (Except helping the police at demos). The BB planned their action carefully and caused the gardai a lot of hassle. i think that the BB will grow bigger and bigger in Ireland. A lot of people are ready for action and have had enough of boring opportunistic speeches by politicians. well done guys. the black bloc is here to stay. Tell you what, will join them next time.

by one black block kid Mon Dec 08, 2003 14:20

Thank you for your kind words.
We will never recognise the authority of march stewards, we came as equals and organised ourselves through affinity groups.
Marching and chanting is just a vent, the government allows it because it does not change anything or inspire anyone to change anything - we all need to seriously reconsider our tactics if we really want to make and lasting social change.

by Brenden O' Connor Mon Dec 08, 2003 14:31 http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=751034&issue_id=7395

If yez wer smarter, yez wud be writin quality broadshit journalism like I do every Sunday, in The Sunday Indo. I write sensible tings, wit loads of sources, etc, to bak me up

Also, you wud hang around in trendy bars like De Globe, where everyone believes it still is 1995.

I'm cool, not youse. Dats why I believes in roight wank politics. If yiz read de article dat I purt up dere, you will see how clevuh I reely am. So feck ye all.

Here it is again, (please read, it is nice to be liked). I am astute enuf to know who Irelands next gay icon is. This refelects itself in me talented writin.
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=751034&issue_id=7395

by pc Mon Dec 08, 2003 14:38

i really didn't notice at the time with all the the kefuffle over the funeral going car,
it was alright for them to come down and say well were gone so your blockade might aswell rap up but i half noticed them start to use there megaphone to direct people.....

by Kate Mon Dec 08, 2003 15:03 Cork

Fair play to the BB on Saturday,I was at the protest on saturday and i thought of all the groups there they were by far the most pro-active. As for the claims that they run the risk of alienating people i think the IAWM run more of a risk of such.

I travelled on the cork bus and we were told that no action would be taken untill we had debated it at lidl carpark, this didn't happen. IAWM had made alreaady decided, when we (nearly) reached the airport entrance it was announced we were to turn around. Was only when a demand was voiced by a particular individual who asked that they consult the people they claim to represent, were the crowd informed of what was to happen.

Best action as i can see is to do what you feel is right and while co-ordination can be a good idea, where that co-ordination is undemocratic and predetermined then i beleive that you then follow your own concience. the BB seems to have much more cohesion and a more fluid approach to protest and while some may critiscise, i do think that the BB had the best chance at the end of the day of disrupting business at shannon.

by watch Mon Dec 08, 2003 15:22

much of the criticism of the BB comes from their international reputation of being a destructive pain in the ass that ruin many a march in the eye of the public. There have been many calls of BB and authority collusion (direct or indirect) throughout the world. The fact of the situation is that the Irish BB are very tame and unimaginative in comparisson which leads to people calling them middle-class, wannabe anarchists who have to bunk off school to go to marches.

by jack white Mon Dec 08, 2003 16:25

The black block in a very real sense doesn't exist. What happens is that at various demos some people decide that they'd be more effective if they were masked up.

One way this worked at shannon was the way people were dearrested. If they weren't masked up the cops could easily point them out and pick them off again.

Black masks don't give you super protesting powers, being prepared and planning things out does. I think the relative success on the day (or the successfull parts of the day) was down to people spending a fair bit of time discussing and planning what we wanted to do on the day. On the Dublin gnaw bus for example almost everyone was organised in affinity groups and had a worked out plan of action for the day. Things got chaotic and the cops vastly outnumbered us which meant that we couldn't do what we set out to do but we're learning and we're getting better.

jack white


p.s i'd take a lot of the comments on this page with a dose of salt, even/esp the ones claiming to be bbers that just slag other people off, its just stirring...

by Joe Mon Dec 08, 2003 16:44

So if the BB is violent it is a "destructive pain in the ass" while if it is non-violent (as Saturday) it is "very tame and unimaginative".

Try a bit less watching and a bit more doing. Above you have just re-enforced that idea that criticis comment on what they are unable to do.

by watch Mon Dec 08, 2003 17:02

by "destructive pain in the ass" I meant that most media attention is focussed on the 'dreaded' black bloc and the damage they cause and they have been used as pawns by the police in other countries to discredit entire movements. They have also been used as pawns by the police to make excuses for police violence against innocent protestors.

By "very tame and unimaginative" I mean that breaking from a larger march to run into the trees is less dramatic than say setting fire to banks or destroying police vehicles and beating cops with sticks.

dont think your action is more pervasive or likely to bring out the change you want because your doing as you 'feel'. By the looks of it your feeling arent strong enough to worry about. Why wait for march organised by someone else to appear, not exactly anarchy is it now.

dont stop doing what your doing though because your way better that the SWP et al.

by Joe Mon Dec 08, 2003 18:22

Watch have you ever heard of the expression 'damned if you do, damned if you don't'? Perhaps you could explain how this might apply to your comments above?

by David Mon Dec 08, 2003 21:51

this is why the BB seemed to be everywhere on saturday because they could regroup very quickly and decide on another plan of action. All they had to do was decide on a codeword and when they were isolated looking for their group or decided there was a need to re-organise, any one of them could call out the code and they would be answered by one their group.
I think all people going to a protest should organise as such, no matter if you're Reformist or revolutionary, groups can decide amongst themselves what to do instead of having to follow the crowd just for sheer lack of an alternative.

by J26 Tue Dec 09, 2003 00:43 july26 at eircom dot net

Nice one boys and girls - the black block did well! It seems to be developing as a legitimate and effective tactic. The bloc seemed to be all over the place, and definitely gained the majority of the media coverage.

It is injecting an energy into the anti-war cause that is heartening. I have had concerns about the benefit of black bloc tactics, but the tactic showed its strength last Saturday. The affinity group organisational style led to a level of cohesion that prevented a significant number of arrests, and allowed for flexibility to changing circumstances. The anecdotal evidence of de-arresting, and the obvious team spirit did come through on the media reports. The image of the bloc marching from the woods linking arms was great. Perhaps a big lesson of the 6th is that peaceful but robust direct action within afinity groups will lead to more effective protest.

I don't think that the black block has done the anti-war movement any harm. In fact I think that it may actually help. The block did gain an element of legitimacy by responsible but unapologetic resistance. Activism in Ireland has been racheted up a notch, and this is no harm.

Again, well done.

P.S. What happened to the poor fella that actually did get arrested?

by insider Tue Dec 09, 2003 01:03

He was released at about 5.30, he was not told whether or not he'd be charged. Hopefully he wont be but nearly every other protester that has been arrested in Shannon has been charged.

by Kenneth O'W Thu Dec 11, 2003 14:27

The Black Blockers down in shannon last saturday were not involved in serious community based direct action that happened in the bin tax battle. Where were you guys when that happened? Where were you when cops attacked pickets and community protests? Where were you when people were being thrown into jail? Where where you in the early morning blockades of depots? Answer: you were at home getting your lunch boxes packed by your mammies before ye went off to school.

Down in Shannon all you did was run into a small forest! The IAWM blocked a road!

by Joe Thu Dec 11, 2003 14:47

I see Kenneth is troting out some standard dogma above. As usual with dogma it leaves out more then it reveals.

First off lets make an obvious clarification. What I think people are calling the 'black bloc' was one of the 7 or 8 Dublin GNAW affinity groups present. Of that particular group most did turn up for the 'Release Joe and Clare march' but otherwise most have had little involvement in the bin tax struggle. At least one of them however has turned up for several blockades.

What we are calling the BB has only emerged recently and is comprised of a pretty young crowd so although they have looked at their potential role a la the bin tax (they invited in a speaker who is an organiser in one of the areas) it is not that surprising that they haven't found a space as yet within the campaign. This may change, if so I suspect far from thanks we will here loud whines from Kenneth.

As to the more general group 'running into the woods' which included myself and the rest of the Dublin GNAW crowd your claims are very wrong. Several people from this group have been very involved in the bin tax struggle not just recently but right back to the start of the campaign. The report on the minor victory in Dun Laoghaire was written by someone who was 'charging into the woods' on Saturday but people who 'charged into the woods' are or have been active in Stoneybatter, Liberties, Broadstone, Phibsboro, Cabra and Finglas. Apologies for those from areas I may have left out.