ANTI-WAR ACTION: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...RUN!

great work on these!

Undercover cops -- what could be a sicker profession?

Beautiful work on these pictures. In Berkeley, they cant even use the same undercovers anymore because we all know who they are. Guess its time this SFPD officer starts standing in the unemployment line, eh? Cover blown!

THIS BLACK PIG -- NOT MAN -- MAKES ME SICK. WHEN THAT LITTLE BITCH WAS IN DIAPERS THE SFPD WERE PULLING FRAME UPS ON BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, ASSASSINATING COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND PUSHING CRACK INTO THE CITY SO THAT LITTLE BITCHES LIKE THIS UNDERCOVER BLACK COP CAN GROW UP TO MAKE A LIVING KILLING HIS OWN PEOPLE.

THIS PICTURE IS GOING TO EVERYONE I KNOW. ASSISTING IN AN ARREST OF A YOUNG BLACK PROTESTER. IT MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH.

I AM SO PISSED OFF

THIS BLACK UNDERCOVER COP IS NOT A MAN. HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO SHOW HIS FACE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. I AM PRINTING HIS PICTURE AND SENDING IT TO ALL BLACK ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES AND EVERYTHING I AM INVOLVED IN.

HIDE BEHIND THE WHITE GANG, BLACK MAN. YOU CANT HIDE FOREVER.

i think ice cube says it best.
fuck the police.

see pick:
http://www.indybay.org/uploads/news1-6ins2.jpg

from this post:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/01/1562164_comment.php#1563599

hey sucka nigga! whoever you are!

Hey, just after we left Civic Center, I remember someone coming up to me and pointing out two "gentlement" on bicycles as being undercovers. They looked sketchy, sunglassed white guys in semi-dirty sweatshirts, like it was a uniform, wearing kinda nice pants and boots. One sweatshirt was green. Any idea about them? They didn't take part in anything that I saw, but they did hover (no cameras, though).
I'm not trying to be a rumor mill or anything, just want to know if anyone saw these two individuals and can lay my questions to rest.
---Luke J. Helder, MD

...but peoples faces should really be blurred out.

except for the cops' faces, of course.

That definitely is the same officer.
Yeah, many people are very rightfully paranoid if they're 'red' but not 'yellows' , about the fact that half the people there are snapping pictures - but these pictures are very useful for getting photos of officers and answering certain questions (say if everyone gets in at least one crowd shot and it can be reviewed later). It's sort of a fact that needs to be taken into account in any planning. Big banners tend to block the line of sight.

"Hey, just after we left Civic Center, I remember someone coming up to me and pointing out two "gentlement" on bicycles as being undercovers
"
I don't remember them. With me, I have an ageist impulse to think thoughts like that about older people with short hair who don't have any alternative clothing - but this can be really destructive on one side (there was an La.imc story where this woman was just publishing random pictures of middle aged men claiming they were all officers) yet could be accurate. I saw a man with short grayish hair and black jeans and black jean jacket who seemed to not be talking to anyone, and be moving around in the group and then he wasn't there any more. It would be so easy for them to actually adopt realistic clothing or use young officers. Moustaches always look suspicious. People just have to expect that there are several officers present.

I think it is very important that we consider that distinguishing physical characteristics - moustaches, short or gray/ing hair, etc. - only be used if the individual who is suspected of being a narc/undercover cop presents behaviors that are suspicious. What are those behaviors? I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that the tendency to identify people who are older as being part of the police structure is a mistake. Some of the comments indicated that some activists marching on Saturday were indeed looking at the individual's larger interaction - or lack thereof - with the crowd around them. Not only is there safety in numbers at such protests, it is a very good idea to get to know the people around you, especially if civil disobedience (CD) is anticipated or planned or could happen. Also, it builds the communities of resistance to make new acquaintances and friends at our street actions, which is crucial to challenging the dominator paradigm and its unhealthy structures of power.

There are plenty of us middle-aged folks who stand side by side with students and others who think our system must be vigorously challenged. Please do not make the mistake that just because someone is older than you that they are not commited to radical beliefs or actions in the name of peace and justice.

hey everyone. its good that we're starting to think about these things, but before the fingers start pointing everywhere, lets think of ways this kind of stuff can be PREVENTED.

the breakaway march was not really a 'bloc' on the sense that people were all over the place. i'm surprised that someone didn't get picked off earlier. people have to start getting better about watching each other's backs. if you and your friends join a march like this, WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER and STICK TOGETHER.

if you've got 5 people around you who you know and trust, and if they're ready to alert the read of the group if a cop tries to pick one of them off, the blue bloc witll have a much more difficult time.

there's one idea for how to reduce risks...anyone got others?

Yes. It would be very wrong to adopt an appearance based judgment because our numbers would quickly dwindle and one would be wrong 50% of the time. On a tangent, I will suggest that, excluding all people originally from outside the US (many latino and russian men have moustaches) there might be a statistically significant correlation between a man having a moustache and no beard and being a member of police force, compared to the protester population at large - where men who have moustaches tend to also have beards.. unless they're 15 years old. Review some of the other photos on this site, and note that each undercover officer at this and previous incidents had a moustache - however, this quickly becomes offensive and would be incorrect half the time. They probably have a policy against beards for the force.

Anyway, I want to know what the evidence they held before the judge at the initial hearing was. I'm pretty convinced that Jonah and Jeremy were complete spectators, and hardly anyone can even remember them being near the INS building, and I'd really like to see what they plan to use as evidence - officer testimony?? It seems that the crowd wasn't moving that fast between the UK consulate and the INS building, and the officers were kind of standing blocks away but not rushing in to grab anyone, so I assume that there was a commander who only gave an order to go grab some people several minutes later, so they instinctively went for people who were prominent leaders, even though they had done nothing - like they're very slow on the uptake even though they have all sorts of intelligence tools and cameras and undercover officers.

to brainiacs, smashing stuff is a sign of some blah blah blah and using that theory, it turns people off.

all normal people and realpolitik people (like bush and company) understand that smashing stuff ups the ante a little bit, shows more conviction, and more raw unpredictability which would stretch the impact of the protest beyond the intentions of the politicians who are supposed to be running the anti-war dissent in this country. if you want to talk tactics, lets talk tactics!

how very fucked up. two africans pictured in the "black block." one's apparently an undercover pig and the other is getting arrested and brutalized for having the misfortune of being african and being in the vicinity of the riot and observing. i heard that two people had gotten arrested, but no one had the balls to admit at least on of them was african. now relook at this criticism:

http://www.indybay.org/news/2002/12/1552852.php

on january 07 i wrote in that article:

"beyond the problems of the opportunism in calling for a provacative action which is attached to the organizing efforts of others (presumably without even approaching the organization which took the lead to call the action): these calls for anarchistic riots keep our movement lilly white. this is because africans and others who are always targetted by police know they will be the first ones with their heads clubbed in when the police attack. thus, they stay away."

of course i got jumped on for raising by the so-called "anti-nationalist" anarchists. later in the same thread i wrote:

"i'm reiterating a criticism i've heard numerous times from african people -- not all affiliated with the uhuru movement either. this criticism exists, because its happened before. at demonstrations that turn violent, the africans get targetted by the police. three africans will be in the vicinity of a white guy who smashes a window, and the africans get beat up and arrested and the white guy gets away. i didn't make it up. i agree with this criticism, and i have a right to say it, regardless of the color of my skin. i think its something that needs to be considered, therefore i felt compelled to raise it."

sooner or later the movement will grow up and realize, that we need to be concerned with how to invite and encourage africans and other colonized peoples to join in the anti-war movement, instead of alienating them in word and deed, and pretending its not a problem. i don't care if a million people make the monthly trek from delores park to civic center, or a million starbucks windows get smashed: our so-called actions are just juvenile, masturbation sessions, a pathetic joke designed primarily to make us feel good.

- matthew

That seems to be what they did allright. I think the commander said 'go arrest some people' after a 10 minute lag time, and so they went and grabbed the first black person they saw. Can anyone correct me, but I didn't notice Jeremy around earlier in the financial district. Was he just waiting around on Market? There were a number of african american, and native american, and asian individuals among the breakaway march - yet probably fewer as a % than the Bay area as a whole (I could throw up some pictures but I don't want to wave people's visual identity around to the public). But yes, for obvious reasons. My friend reported the same thing in downtown oakland - a teen had aimed a gun at someone waiting at the bus stop by DeLauer's news stand at 1am, and when the police showed up 20 minutes later, when the teen was long gone, they immediately detained the first black person they saw before asking questions. What a creepy job.

I am against this war, but this crap about class war and capitalism is ridiculous. Have you idiots ever travelled? Have you any idea how lucky we are? Go down to El Salvador where gangs rule the streets and the best shot any one has at making their lives better are the American factories. It's the sad truth. If the Gap or Nike moved out the situation would be HORRENDOUS.

Why do the super powers have to so good? The answer is imperialism.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/

Um, why do you suppose that el Salvador is like that? I don't understand why you think that your observation of the situation there is any sort of argument for the centrally managed capitalism that we have right now.
Do you remember the Iran-Contra hearings? Can you briefly summarize what that was all about? Conservative members of the US government sold arms to Iran (which they had promised them in 1980) to use during their fight against Iraq from 1980-'88 (while we were officially supporting Iraq, giving them gas and arms and satellite pictures so that they could locate the people they wanted to gas.
What did they do with the money? They gave it to a not-popularly supported army in central America, the contras, so that they could fight the government of Nicaragua. At the same time, the US government officially awarded even more money to the contras, and to the murderous right wing government of el Salvador. The death squads, supported with our tax money, in el salvador went around slaughtering thousands of people and all this totally ruined the economy and natural environment. Earlier on, in the 50s, our CIA helped topple an elected leader in Guatemala (because United Fruit, which later became Chiquita? wanted them to do this) and we helped put in a regime that killed 150,000.

and so after all this, you make the totally ahistorical observation that everyone down there seems to be super poor and the only good jobs are sweatshop jobs at US corporations? That's totally clueless.
You act as though the people down there aren't talented enough to run their own economy. They would if outside forces (the US and it's money) hadn't screwed everything up over there.

* On February 15th, United For Peace and Justice, with the support of International ANSWER, are holding a solidarity protest in New York City to support the millions of Europeans that will rally against war in capitals all over Europe. Some local anarchists are debating the possibility of militant direct action similar to the recentACC march in San Francisco.

http://members.cox.net/informationclearinghouse/upcomingantiwarprotest012303.htm

I really think that the key to any direct action is focus and a coherent message. The beauty of the direct action in SF was that it was not random, for the most part, but was focused at specific institutions. To make these actions in the future even more effective they should be more organized and focused, like a laser, at specific targets. The INS is a good example of this, and if we could of remained longer and carried out more of a symbolic activity, like more art work or posters, it would of had even more of a positive effect. Direct action cannot be just random violence to release anger, especially when it has such small numbers. I don't want to sound like a wet blanket but I think this is really key. If we encourage random violence or "rioting" or whatever you want to call it, it allows for police to infiltrate more easily. Looking back, I think we were actually pretty lucky that the direct action went as well as it did. We need a more coherent anti-capitalist and anti-nationalist message.

"... and militantly marched through the financial center smashing windows and graffitting symbols of U.S. oppression"

Dunno about you, seems to me to be "cowardly", not "militant".

Feeling more than a bit disgusted? If so, the next time you're in the Mission, you may want to drop on by the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center and make your opinion known in a similar manner. I'm sure they won't mind, since presumably they approve of busting up businesses as a dandy way to express your disagreement.

But keep in mind, we can't guarantee your safety. There’s no telling what all of our friends in the building might do to your head. Of course, we’d plead with them to be non violent, but how many would listen remains to be seen. There’s a bunch of them, they love us, and some of them might get a little carried away. Hell, we might get a little carried away ourselves.

Then there’s nessie. That guy is a frikkin maniac. You take your life in your hands if you mess with him. So don’t try it when he’s around.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

I ought to know. I know him better than anybody.

Do you mean "know" in the biblical sense?

Matthew, you've made my list. Once again you come on here with your assumptions and race-baiting of other groups activities. To me, this makes you either a cop or just as bad as one.

So now we are supposed to reply to you and say whether or not this black kid was participating in the black bloc? Or we say nothing so you can paint him as an innocent victim to the white mob or whatever other psychotic bullshit you can come up with?

People tolerate your cult-like organization when it doesn't try to racebait everyone and sow division in the anti-war movement. But now your shit is directly attacking other people's efforts.

Oh, and by the way, in case anyone is wondering, Matthew was NOT present on the breakaway march, even though he was publicly challenged to show up and "protect" the black people he claimed would be soooo harmed by this demo.

Matthew, you could have been there and thrown your worthless white body in the way and helped your superior escape. But you were too much of a coward, I guess.

Matthew, do you really want to make a bunch of Uhuru sympathizers turn into Uhuru haters just because someone in the white support group wants to attack everything people are doing? Think about it, Matthew.

I will be sending my letter to the Uhuru national group about this incident. I'm sure they do not support the kind of sectarian race-baiting that you have pulled with your comments about this demo.

don't fool yourself, matthew wasn't defending african-americans "near" the black bloc because his group's overlords told him to sell sausages. apparently, he's one of the best slingers of junk food. his masters are very pleased. don't underestimate his disruptive tactics, they probably come from omali yeshiteli himself. a textbook case of a political, racialist, guilt-driven cult.

these punks must be driven away from any progressive or radical movement. they are like parasites on it, but their result is usually drowning it in ideologies of hate and driving people away.

PROVOCATEURS, PERHAPS?

Editor -- I'm surprised that the "black-bloc" protesters article (" 'Black- bloc' protesters make their mark in S.F.," Jan. 27) didn't raise the likelihood that these are actually provocateurs of the far right seeking to discredit the peace movement. I just want these guys to know that I go to marches, and if I see anyone engaging in vandalism, I will try to identify them and turn them over to the police. I urge everyone who is serious about the peace movement to do the same.

LOUISE SPECHT

Berkeley

> I go to marches, and if I see anyone engaging in vandalism, I will try to identify them and turn them over to the police. I urge everyone who is serious about the peace movement to do the same.

There is a distinction to be made between those here whose purpose is to protest peacefully as you do against a potential war and the many here who's purpose is to promote class warfare using the "Peace Movement" as cover and a means to get a radical message across. To the latter, vandalism is a justifiable "action" while protesting against the war.

The ethical question, then, is how far are you willing to go - if at all - to violate your own ethical principles by participating with those who violate those prinicples in thought , word, and deed?

Want peace? Then fall on your knees, lick their boots, and grovel like a whipped cur.

let it be known in the anti-war movement that someone identifying themselves as "louise specht of berkeley" has threatened to turn protesters over to the police. any serious organizers should disassociate themselves from this person and warn others before this police collaborater starts turning our friends in to the gestapo. no matter the intention, threats should be taken seriously, especially from within the movement.

louise specht police collaborator
> by fuck the police • Wednesday January 29, 2003 at 08:13 PM

> let it be known in the anti-war movement that someone identifying themselves as "louise specht of berkeley" has threatened to turn protesters over to the police.

No, she never said that, knucklehead.

She confined her statement ONLY to those committing vandalism.

Surely, YOU don't believe in committing in vandalism, do you?

Don't throw tea in the harbor or overturn the tables of the money changers and drive them from the temple with a whip.

The Chron also ran a small editorial against throwing rocks - since when does the Chron decide what the peace movement should be doing? They're so busy undercutting it, where do they get off thinking they can decide ANYTHING!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDITORIAL
Keep the protests peaceful

Wednesday, January 29, 2003
------------------------------------------------------------------------


WHEN HUNDREDS of thousands of peaceful demonstrators gathered in San Francisco the weekend before last to denounce the idea of a U.S. war against Iraq, they were joined by a small band of supposed allies whose methods fell short of the Gandhian ideal. These were the few dozen black-clad vandals who broke away from the march to break windows in the Financial District, spray- paint slogans and trash news racks as their anti-war expression.

This was in the familiar pattern of nonviolent protest marred by a destructive splinter group whose ugly brand of attention-getting sullies the public imagery of the whole exercise. The "black-bloc" tactics observed here were said to resemble the work of anti-globalization rioters in Seattle in 1999.

The mainstream sponsors of future anti-war demonstrations (including a planned Feb. 16 event in the city) need to be on guard against such counterproductive sideshows. They should disown the vandals, and let them know their presence is offensive to the vast majority in the anti-war movement. Don't let the thugs muddy the message.

who will rid me of these snitches and stool pidgeons?

They've used language to connect the two, and this comes directly after the Oakland event, and over a week after the SF demo.

They just don't want to get even more damage in the next one. Notice they didn't mention the graffitti on their own walls.

They probably get the cleaning bills and blow thier tops.

I wrote a letter to the Ed, anyway, just to annoy them.

> The Chron
> by bov • Wednesday January 29, 2003 at 10:22 PM

> The Chron also ran a small editorial against throwing rocks - since when does the Chron decide what the peace movement should be doing?

They didn't say what the peace movement should be doing. They said what morons in the peace movement shouldn't be doing.

Unfortunately, there are some who haven't grown up yet to know you don't throw rocks. Period.

surely not, uncle sam. surely i dont believe in kicking the shit out of a snitch, either. by the way, would you mind posting a picture of yourself? i would just LOVE to talk to you at the next demo.

ehehe, the chronicle comes out as pro-peaceful protest. "stop the rock-throwing!" "a small group of 'supposed' allies" marred the day's peaceful events. what a joke. the day that capitalism and the wealthy voluntarily share their power and resources with those who toil with nothing but their labor to give is never going to come. asking nicely with witty slogans and pagan rituals isn't going to make that day come. thinking that non-violent tactics in the struggle for social justice are to be etched in stone is ignorant of the history of social struggle. the reason liberals have an eight-hour work day is because thousands of workers died, hundreds of thousands struggled and fought the government and the tyranny of the private corporation in the early part of this century. the peaceniks of today would do well to remember that the minute they actually start using tactics and advancing a strategy that directly threatens the power that the rich hold, they will quickly be shown little mercy in their lockdowns and permitted marches. breaking windows may not be the tactic to end all tactics, but it's something that, at the very least, demonstrates a committment to moving beyond the stale anti-war slogans.

The Palestinians have been using rock-throwing as well as identifying and lynching suspected collaborators. And look what progress they have made in the area of human rights.

...and what you said is exactly the reason why we MUST use military force against Saddam.

So answer me this. Why are you only willing to protest against countries that won't kill you for doing it?

At a march in Edmonton, one youth who was masked up was assaulted by a marcher for tipping over a corporate newspaper box. Police collaboration by marshalls also seems to be pretty common.
What should be done? Not much. Either we organize separately from the defeatist, passivist (spelling correct), self congratulating and authoritarian bunch of peace nazis who run these things, or we suffer them. We should recognize them for exactly what they are, however, which is another tier of counterinsurgency between us and the police. So long as we've got self righteous liberals and "pacifist" vigilantes keeping our movement in line for us, it's one less thing the powers that be need to worry about. Police collaborators deserve a punch in the face.

> surely not, uncle sam. surely i dont believe in kicking the shit out of a snitch, either. by the way, would you mind posting a picture of yourself? i would just LOVE to talk to you at the next demo.

Talk isn't necessary. If I catch you or anyone else engaged in vandalism or acts of violence, I'll report you.
Surely you believe in responsibility, don't you?

im going to report you to the black bloq, and they will spray paint "SNITCH" on your forehead, after confiscating your homeland security ID card.

Sam B. stands for Sam Brown which is the type of belt cops attach their holster and gear to.....

> sam b, cop lover
> by or is he a cop? • Saturday February 01, 2003 at 11:47 PM

> im going to report you to the black bloq, and they will spray paint "SNITCH" on your forehead, after confiscating your homeland security ID card.

A criminal is a criminal is a criminal.

Got that, bubba?

until Sam B. came in and started pretending to be the cop he always wished he could have been.

Ummm... someone posted a phone number and name with specific instructions to hurt someone. Isn't that like... morally wrong or something?

Censors here will delete anything contrary to their views, but they sure don't mind personal threats!

My conclusion: indymedia.org is a fascist organization.

No, they did not. The comment in question said very specifically, "please thank her for being such an upstanding citizen."

Really. Scroll back up the page and see for yourself.

Now stop telling lies about us.

You're right. I confused that post with others immediately around it calling for violence against "snitches" so I assumed that a post containing the phone number of a "snitch" which followed them to have a threatening overtone.

In all fairness, the post containing her phone number identified her as a "Police collaborator." Being that we are all familiar with events among the Palestinians (you know what they do to collaborators), that in itself has an unsavory tone.

Even giving the benefit of the doubt (that the personal info of an alleged collaborator was posted with the best possible intentions), is it good judgement to allow personal contact information be posted among people who have explicitly called for harm?

Okay, you've exposed my lies. I'll definitely be more careful next time. I wouldn't want my phone number here, after all! ;-)

How many people think snitches should go unpunished?

> "violence against 'snitches'"
by let's take a poll Tuesday February 04, 2003 at 02:19 AM

> How many people think snitches should go unpunished?

Exactly the same number of people who think those who comit violence should be punished.

that was a damn witty retort sammy-boy.

what a cutting critique--sharp as a butter-knife.

How about this:

If you want to destroy property, join the army.

Or the navy:

http://members.cox.net/smrose7/FranklinVietnamAddendum.html

http://www.dailycal.org/article.asp?id=10772

The "peace nazis" are the organizers. Don't bother bs-ing me that you don't profit from "them". If you want a different kind of march without us, organize it yourself , whiner. So far as what you do, it smacks of a lack of creativity. If you want to tag buildings, do it at night, say a sunday, and let people see it come workday. I saw a lot of unfocused anger and childish baiting at the second march. Maybe you all should take a breath and plug into a fantasy that doesn't mean you run around with your black masks and outlaw status, like so many bad b-movies. But I'm guessing you woulndn't get the ego gratification you currently thrive on. I mean, in the broader spectrum, how's that working for you?

why are you so uncool? we had alot of fun in the breakaway march. we blocked traffic on market street, one woman i spoke to who was waiting to get through said she'd worked all day and needed to pick up her kid, and she was bummed. i told her she was a fascist.
someone lit off firecrackers near one of the mounted cops - you should have seen it's reaction! I thought it was gonna take off through the crowd, but it didn't. bummer.
then, one of the cops got hit with some garbage, maybe it was a rock. that was awesome! that's when the cops got mad and started chasing us back. what a bunch of dicks.
anyway, while the rest of you lame conformists were peaceful and shit in the civic center, listening to all those boring speeches about opposing bush's war in iraq, some of us were having fun stirring up confrontations.
when are you going to realize that it isn't about the assholes in the white house, it's about us!

Just some food for thought... the Black Bloc might have more participants (and be more effective) if people could understand the reasons behind it. Just fucking shit up and then taking on a fuck you attitude towards people who misunderstand just makes us all look like assholes. Another thing, if we aren't tryng to send a message to the system why not use direct action tactics in smaller more secretive groups. Standing in a crowd of a hundred people, hurling rocks at windows and spray painting buildings in broad daylight seems like a sure fire way to get mainstream media attention...not any real results...not any recognition for the ideas that motivate our actions. Just a thought

Why don't we put together and publicize a well-reasoned platform that most folks in the community can understand, find a relevant political party we can join, and put forth a candidate to run for office? I feel like a baby if we just take the easy route and keep throwing rocks and doing things that, in the long run, do zero to advance our cause. It would take some planning and thinking, though.