Black Bloc Riot At G20 In Toronto,Anarchist Black Bloc Background

by NowPublic Staff | June 26, 2010 at 01:55 pm

11032 views | 9 Recommendations | 74 comments

Background: Black Bloc Burn Police Cruisers, Smash Windows At G20 Summit In Toronto
Images of men and women in black balaclavas rioting, breaking windows, damaging property, setting fire to police cars are an increasingly common site at high profile international events and the G20 summit in Toronto is no exception.

Toronto G20 Summit, Protests, Violence

The group responsible (well not really a group or organization), the Black Bloc - a self styled collection of anarchists.

The Black Bloc describe themselves as a "tactic" rather than a formal organization. Their structure is more fluid and organic as like minded anarchists get together before an event and to carry out highly visible and at times violent acts of civil disruption and criminality.

Does the black bloc promote violence?

Again, the black bloc is a tactic used at major protest actions. The tactics used by a given black bloc are decided by those in the bloc. There isn't always agreement within the bloc about tactics, but there is tolerance of different tactics.

Why do black blocs attack the police?

During your typical street demonstration, the police inevitably show up and start causing problems. People might be exercising their rights to march down the street, or they might be hanging out in front of some building, but the cops can be counted on to show up and start causing problems. When you see violence in the streets during protests coming from protesters, most of the time this is in response to police violence. The police have attacked numerous black blocs without provocation and some participants in these black blocs have opted to fight back.

Secondly, because the police are in the way. While most anarchists oppose police brutality and seek an end to policing and prisons, our main targets are the rich and powerful. Since the police are the violent face of capitalism--in other words, the guard dogs for the rich--they are on the frontlines when the anarchists show up to pursue our class war against the rich.

The Black Bloc as a tactic seems to create tension and chaos within a large scale rally and non-violent protest, hoping to incite the police to react, thereby laying bare what they consider to be the hypocrisy of the captialist-police state.

Black Bloc protesters wear ski masks or balaclavas to conceal their identity, rarely do interviews, and on their websites rail against capitalism and banks.

They allege that exploitation of Third World countries by the rich G20 nations causes poverty and death.

So, according to Black Bloc logic, throwing rocks at the police is a justifiable, even moral, response to the violent consequences of G20 policies.

Canadian security analyst John Thompson doesn't buy it.

"They've been described as activists. Forget it. The cause is irrelevant. What they really are is confrontation junkies," Thompson said.

The Black Bloc rioted in downtown Vancouver during the Winter Olympics and not surprisingly they are in Toronto for the G20 Summit.

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Rick James (not verified)

at 14:32 on June 26th, 2010

Black cock is a joke come Monday they are back at there desk jobs hating the world.LOL

Peaceful mind (not verified)

at 20:39 on June 26th, 2010

You are damn right, the next thing the black bloc do is buying some stocks and hoping to get rich! :D

E // A (not verified)

at 10:16 on June 27th, 2010

Comming from a black bloc enviroment i know for a fact that anarchists and "black bloc'ers" don't go to work next after a riot and buying stocks. Pretty much all anarchist live a revolutionary lifestyle, building freetowns and squating, dumpster diving, other kinds of activism (animal rights, feminsm etc..) There are some real political and philosofycal (spell check?) thoughts behind anarchism/anti-capitalism and behind the riots and they will give you a good argument that will defend their violent action ALWAYS!

ur dumb (not verified)

at 11:31 on June 27th, 2010

black bloc = tactic ...not group.research helps u dumbass.... fuck these idiots

Chill-out (not verified)

at 14:33 on June 26th, 2010

If you are so proud of what you are doing, show your face! Against capitalism? Move to a communist country then.Try protesting there and see where you get. Idots!!!

carrollh (not verified)

at 18:02 on June 26th, 2010

According to another G20 website, these Black Bloc protesters are not TRUE anarchists. They're against capitalism. They are violent, no question. They're a self-styled collectin of anarchists without rule. They describe themselves as a "tactic" rather than a formal org. They gather at events to carry out highly visible, at times...violent acts of civil disruption. (Anarchy) is basically a society without rules. They are into civil disruption and....criminality. They abhor the hypocrisy of the capitalist policies. They wear ski masks and balaclavas, RARELY do interviews, hide their ID's, They "rail" against capitalism and banks. They "allege" the exploitation or 3rd. world countries by rich G20 countries which causes poverty and....death. PM Harper has basically ignored Africa and its problems, both ethnic and tribal wars as well as the maternal and legal abortion for women in Africa who are the victims of cultural rape. Most anarchists oppose police brutality and seek an END to policing and prisons (again, that's anarchist thinking....without laws!) Their main target, the rich/powerful. They show up to pursue CLASS wars AGAINST the rich! The intend to incite police to react

djkfhlffhlfhfhjfa (not verified)

at 20:15 on June 26th, 2010

indeed. the conspiracy theory consensus has for years been that they're employed by various secret service agencies with the express goal of de-legitimizing the protest movement and manipulating popular opinion in favour of the police state. if you ask the people on the ground, most of those who don't ridicule them as hypocrites will choose to disown them.

t k kidwai

at 20:39 on June 26th, 2010

Why should one move to a communist coutry to protest against capitalism?Why were demonstration against Iranian elections held in Europe?Why didn't you advise those protestors to move to Tehran to lodge their protests?

Practice and Theory (not verified)

at 23:37 on June 26th, 2010

So there are only two choices then, the post-industrial countries with increasing masses of disenfranchised and poor on the one hand and a very, very few rich and powerful on the other, or Communist countries, which leaves us pretty much with Cuba and North Korea nowadays?What about Scandinavia? Do you think you could speak with the Swedish or Norwegian embassy for me, help me get a permanent visa?

YankeeJim

at 05:49 on June 27th, 2010

Thought provoking

Suzie-Q (not verified)

at 14:38 on June 26th, 2010

Go protest in North Korea, then see what you think of our country! Idots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

carrollh (not verified)

at 18:09 on June 26th, 2010

North Korea is a TOTAL police state and Kim il-Jong, I believe, has issues mentally, emotionally just like Adolf Hitler did. Both men ruled/rule with an iron first. Kim il-Jong keeps his country totally isolated from the west of the world. He is paranoid about the outside world even getting close and keeps all his citizens under his thumb. Protesting in N. Korea, you're either sent to the Russian Gulag, imprisoned or sent to archaic labour camps for the simplest of misdemeanors. He takes no prisoners, so to speak. Him, I worry about due to long-range missiles and what he could do. He's already denied attacking a S. Korean sub or ship of S. Korean waters. As long as he lives, there will NEVER be FREEDOM of ANY description for North Koreans residents who DON'T idealize him.

dolphins11 (not verified)

at 14:43 on June 26th, 2010

Why don't they get jobs and enrich society instead of tearing it down!! Arrest these people asap!!

jencol (not verified)

at 15:30 on June 26th, 2010

These people are nothing more than ignorant thugs. They commit criminal acts and should be prosecuted. They achieve nothing and are only cowards with masks.

Avery Mason (not verified)

at 17:06 on June 26th, 2010

These criminals are like small children. There is no justification for their behaviour. It is sad that the crowds do not step in and stop these hooligans.

Elizabeth Tran (not verified)

at 22:11 on June 27th, 2010

I think that if the crowds step in more violence can occur because of the weapons they have on their hands. More people will get killed than alive. ( that's just my little thought :] )

matthew knockaert (not verified)

at 17:18 on June 26th, 2010

peter a born canadian; Thank you. i get ever so distressed when i read said comments you refer to. not to mention the news coverage, how dare cbc claim the black bloc are thugs with no political messages to convey. you are correct, their political views are censored and manipulated by the media. its no surprise they have resorted to violence over these years. if people want to actually get the full story then go online and you can read these anarchists manifestos -if they havent been deleted already- and you may find if you arent already too brainwashed that these individuals have beautifully and coherently articulated their views. lets keep an open mind here people.

chris2010 (not verified)

at 18:02 on June 26th, 2010

Normal 0 i agree with peter a born canadian and matthew knockaert, the anarchists are a very principled group of people. i admire their courage. also, a few broken windows and a burned out car are nothing compared to the death, violence, destruction, degradation and indignation that the G20 leaders orchestrate on a daily basis. i am also somewhat suspicious about whether some of these people dressed in black and causing damage might actually be police looking for ways to turn the public against protesters.

Toronto youth (not verified)

at 17:30 on June 26th, 2010

Maybe thats the problem, a lot of us aren't educated on what exactly is happening so when we see people dressed in black getting violent on the streets we don't know why they feel so strongly that they have to resort to that, instead of frightening pedestrians and angering police you should find a way to voice your opinions even if your not allowed to have a press converence you could hand out educational pamphlets or just organise get togethers where you speak instead of destroy things. Wearing black and covering your faces and smashing windows makes the people watching not understand you, and you are scary, too. I think you want the people on your side and you want the government to listen and the best way to do that is to speak to people dont destroy their neighbourhood. I dont know what banks have to do with this but if you dont like banks you cant just destroy that, people rely on banks and breaking material things won't really solve the problem. If you think about it, it's just a building. And breaking a building and scaring innocent people who are deposting or taking out their money won't stop slave labour in china or whatever else you're upset with. I've accepted that there's a lot of horrible things going on in the world and I'm educating myself and learing about ways to change it, but violence is definately not the answer. And yes there is still propaganda out there unfortunately, put knowledge is power. People won't believe propaganda if their educated about the truth. All I'm trying to say is there is no need for violence.

Soyunangel

at 18:01 on June 26th, 2010

Wow! Your comment is very wise and very mature. I hope you become one of our future leaders in Canada. You're a true Canadian and I am so proud to be one, too.

E // A (not verified)

at 10:29 on June 27th, 2010

"All I'm trying to say is there is no need for violence." Just commenting on that, then left-radicals dont like violence either but when your politics are revolutionary and radical you quickly discover that violence is bad but sometimes nessecary (spell check?). It's difficult to explain but as an old man said "if you want peace, prepare to fight for it!"

BBOOMia (not verified)

at 19:27 on June 27th, 2010

This is the most intelligent thing I have read, from this entire page. Thank you for reminding people that it doesn't matter who is wrong or right; what's important is how you BEHAVE when there is a dissagreement. ANYBODY can be civil when they are getting what they want, but behaving with civility when things are NOT going our way, shows true character, and people may actually respect your point of view. Thank you very much. I'm so proud of our youth.

Fred Ceancis (not verified)

at 09:42 on June 28th, 2010

And how do the police "behave" when there is a disagreement? Why are the owners of capital allowed to employ violence as a tool, constantly and with reckless abandon, but when those opposed to capitalism employ violence it suddenly becomes a categorical wrong?

matthew knockaert (not verified)

at 18:43 on June 26th, 2010

toronto youth: i'm waiting for the more in depth coverage from today but i agree violence is relatively unacceptable. this reminds me of one nelson mandela quote im quite fond of, it goes a little something like.. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0pt; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} “Non-violence is not a moral principle but a strategy. And there is no moral goodness in using an ineffective weapon.” i dont know about you, but a police car is a little more than just 'material'. a police car is an extremely loaded symbol and when police cars start burning in the streets of toronto that is a whole other symbol altogether... not just trash burning. i agree these protests in question may not accomplish much besides burning cars and breaking windows on the outside, but this coverage may increase their numbers. and numbers are what these groups need.

JoshArizona

at 19:04 on June 26th, 2010

99% of the protesters at g20 are peaceful, there is one group known as the black bloc anarchists that always show up to make trouble and discredit the legitimate protesters.

The news likes to pick up on the 10-20 people going around making trouble because it makes good news and ignores the thousands of people peacefully protesting.

You can always pick these people out with their all black clothing and handkerchiefs, none of the violence is done by actual protesters.

You will notice in all the videos depicting violence its always these fake anarchists dressed in all black.

examples:

1999 WTO

2004 DNC

2008, 2009, and 2010 G20

Also police have been caught provocateuring at the last three g20 protests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPFC7THiKho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1-WTc1kow two days after this one Montreal Police admitted the men in the video were police officers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deLfgbdkzBA