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Account of San Francisco Anti-Police Demonstration
No Calm in the Heart of the City.
Tonight, we took the struggle against police violence to the heart of capital, rampaging along the major corridors of a bustling financial district. When there is discord in the hood, there will be no calm in the metropolis.
At the demonstration's commencement, a panic ensued amongst downtown businesses. Store owners asked patrons to leave, pulled down riot gates to insulate commodities from the surging crowd, and locked their doors. Its obvious the news of Oakland's events is still fresh on everyone's mind.
There were police as far as the eye could see, the seemingly endless contingent of officers walking alongside the small march spanned nearly its entire length. Police motorcycles sped through traffic, and their vehicles were so abundant that they slowed rush hour Market Street traffic to a halt. The march was almost entirely surrounded, and nearly outnumbered. There is no doubt that the SFPD was prepared for a riot.
This preparation proved worthless when a group of participants decided to run full speed along the side streets of downtown, pulling trashcans and newspaper boxes into oncoming traffic, destroying prominent advertisements, spraypainting corporate facades, and lighting fires.
No arrests were incurred.
Perhaps it was more slapstick comedy than militant insurrection; masked youths running over luxury cars much to the dismay of their confused drivers and yuppies desperately diving out of the way of the oncoming mob. But make no mistake, we are dedicated to the struggle against state repression.
There was no organization behind tonight's demonstration, no front groups, no self-appointed leaders, no spokesperson, no tired ass community activists, and definitely no march organizer in tears over destroyed property (seriously, fuck that dude). There was a call posted online and a few dozen fliers handed out on the street one sunny afternoon. Anyone can organize this type of event.
The confused and uncomfortable looks of downtown businessmen were priceless: tonight the conflict came to their doorstep. They'd be wise to consider this a warning.
See you on Wednesday.
- That dude running over the BMW
At the demonstration's commencement, a panic ensued amongst downtown businesses. Store owners asked patrons to leave, pulled down riot gates to insulate commodities from the surging crowd, and locked their doors. Its obvious the news of Oakland's events is still fresh on everyone's mind.
There were police as far as the eye could see, the seemingly endless contingent of officers walking alongside the small march spanned nearly its entire length. Police motorcycles sped through traffic, and their vehicles were so abundant that they slowed rush hour Market Street traffic to a halt. The march was almost entirely surrounded, and nearly outnumbered. There is no doubt that the SFPD was prepared for a riot.
This preparation proved worthless when a group of participants decided to run full speed along the side streets of downtown, pulling trashcans and newspaper boxes into oncoming traffic, destroying prominent advertisements, spraypainting corporate facades, and lighting fires.
No arrests were incurred.
Perhaps it was more slapstick comedy than militant insurrection; masked youths running over luxury cars much to the dismay of their confused drivers and yuppies desperately diving out of the way of the oncoming mob. But make no mistake, we are dedicated to the struggle against state repression.
There was no organization behind tonight's demonstration, no front groups, no self-appointed leaders, no spokesperson, no tired ass community activists, and definitely no march organizer in tears over destroyed property (seriously, fuck that dude). There was a call posted online and a few dozen fliers handed out on the street one sunny afternoon. Anyone can organize this type of event.
The confused and uncomfortable looks of downtown businessmen were priceless: tonight the conflict came to their doorstep. They'd be wise to consider this a warning.
See you on Wednesday.
- That dude running over the BMW
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TITLE
AUTHOR
DATE
The police don't wage war
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 9:13PM
But No
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 8:57PM
Slippery Slope Y'All
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 8:46PM
Do you have to pollute?
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 8:21PM
Here we go again...
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 6:39PM
But not at all
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 2:20PM
Destroying whose property?
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 1:32PM
Video of this rally
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 8:04AM
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