Reply #23: They're heavily infiltrated - heavier than any other anti-(establishment) group, perhaps. [View All]

[inna]

I almost wrote, "anti-war group" - because that is the context I mainly know them from! Hell, they've been ever present at every single protest I've ever been to - they're sort of ubiquitous and omnivorous, in the same way the Mumia people are!


And I don't mean it in a bad way, they just always show up for protests - which is... Fucking Awesome as far as I'm concerned! (I could care less if I'm in the minority here - in fact, I would like to state that I find blanket demonization of BB deplorable and entirely fitting the establishment's agenda.)


Now, the demographics of the BB I'm familiar with might be specific for the Bay Area - lots of (very) young Goth types, lots of pale girls with Black #1 hair (lol, i know cuz... been there, done that! hair, that is!)... Mostly completely harmless and - in most protests i've been to - non-violent; although I *have* seen them throw things and *respond* to police violence. In general, they tend to stand their ground and be more assertive/alert?/"militant" than your average protester; I also have seen them show genuine solidarity - which for me, based on my experience, is unquestionable. (And yes, they do identify and are known as the Black Bloc contingent, not just 'anarchists'.)


And yes, agent provocateurs are more likely to pose as the BB than any other contingent - for a whole number of reasons I don't have time to go in right now. The bottom line - do not confuse the two; two entirely different animals. Although the Black Bloc kids make an easy scapegoat/favorite target for the pro-corporate, anti-resistance narrative.