A-Infos (en) US, MSP Twin Cities, Media, Anarchy and the RNC: Protesters Won't Rule Out 2008 Violence

As Republican National Convention officials are stocking up on bunting and 
balloons, booking hotels and ordering canisters of helium, others around the 
country are equally busy preparing for the Republican nominating committee in 
the Twin Cites next September. Coming from Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Chapel 
Hill, N.C., and beyond, their interest isn't in supporting -- or even protesting 
-- the GOP presidential contender. They're anarchists and anti-authoritarians, 
and they're coming for one reason alone: To shut it down. ---- RNC in MSP The 
protesters won't work with law enforcement or corporate media, two factors that 
contribute some mystery about how many will show up in 2008 and what tactics 
they might use. Through the organizing power of the Internet, however, notes 
from organizing meetings give anyone with access a glimpse of plans for bridge 
blockades, strategies for disrupting public transportation and even information 
about a family-friendly anarchist area. They've even created a video that spoofs 
common misconceptions about violence by anarchists.

The truth, however, is that several statements by organizers assert that 
violence is not off the table. Although the protesters say they won't take the 
first swing, they vow to protect themselves as law enforcement will likely 
attempt to thwart their plans involving illegal behavior.

Andy Birkey :: Anarchy and the RNC: Protesters Won't Rule Out 2008 Violence
No Working with Authority

Anchored by the Twin Cities-based RNC Welcoming Committee and facilitated by 
Unconventional Action*, the protesters have organized groups in cities such as 
Madison and Milwaukee, Wis.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Iowa City, Iowa; and Chapel Hill, 
N.C. Planning for the RNC disruptions has been under way since it was announced 
that the convention would be held in St. Paul.

The network of activists isn't coming to St. Paul to protest the policies of the 
Republican Party necessarily. The protesters will attempt to make the convention 
as big a headache for Republicans as possible by tactics such as blocking access 
to the convention and creating a "free state" near the convention. Businesses 
supporting the RNC would not be exempt as targets. Ultimately, "making the 
Republicans/Democrats (whatever you want to call them) obsolete" is the focus, 
according to the Welcoming Committee. The two-party political system -- in fact, 
the political system itself -- isn't working for them. They aren't Democrats, 
and they aren't liberals. They are anarchists.

The plans of those arriving in September 2008 to disrupt the RNC don't include 
working with local law enforcement. At a recent community discussion with St. 
Paul police regarding security and free speech for convention protesters, the 
RNC Welcoming Committee didn't show up. They did send fliers, however, which 
read, "Don't believe police propaganda: Authority belongs to the people, not the 
police." The flier listed reasons why they won't dialogue with law enforcement:

     "Police protect the current power structure, not the people. Police rely on 
violence to protect a system that promotes violence. Police protect a social 
order that is founded on racism, sexism, and homophobia. Police brutality has 
consistently been a problem."

"[P]eople ought to be allowed to control their own lives, and not each other's," 
the Welcoming Committee flier read. "Real problem-solving in communities doesn't 
and can't occur through authoritarian intervention... Communities should have 
the resources and power to manage themselves, but not enough to control others."

It would be accurate to call them the ultimate believers in a "small government" 
ideology.

Planning Early

The early start to organizing disruptions at the RNC is purposeful. "It may seem 
strange to organize a gathering primarily focused on mobilizations so far in 
advance," wrote the Chapel Hill, N.C.-based Carolina Consulta in notes from a 
meeting last May (PDF). "Past experience has taught us that it is unrealistic to 
expect hundreds of people from different parts of the country to be able to 
develop an effective strategy at a last-minute spokescouncil held two days 
before we hope to shut down an entire city center. Ideally, affinity groups 
across the country should know exactly what their roles will be many months in 
advance, so they will come mentally, physically, and tactically prepared to 
fulfill them."

The tactical goal for the groups is to shut down the convention. "We can only 
have leverage over our rulers by showing our own power, that we must back our 
demands by demonstrating that we can interfere with their business as 
effectively as they interfere with our lives," says Unconventional Action. The 
Carolina Consulta writes that among its goals is "to shut down the cities, delay 
and disrupt the conventions and corporate media coverage, to deter cities from 
wanting to host the conventions in the future," and "to use the media to our 
advantage."

The plan so far is this: "Tier One: Establish 15-20 blockades, utilizing a 
diversity of tactics, creating an inner and outer ring around St. Paul's Xcel 
Center, where the RNC is to take place. Tier Two: Immobilize the delegates' 
transportation infrastructure, including the buses that are to convey them. Tier 
Three: Block the five western bridges connecting the Twin Cities." The group has 
been collecting information on transportation routes and logistics for the 
convention.

While the preliminary plans continue to be discussed as local organizers build 
toward a consensus, affiliated groups around the country continue to organize. 
Anti-RNC forces will convene in May 2008 to solidify plans, according to the 
Welcoming Committee Web site.

The Violence Factor

Will anarchists and anti-authoritarians attempting to disrupt the convention use 
violence as a tactic? The answer: Maybe.

"As the Welcoming Committee, we refuse to condemn the defense of individuals, 
communities, and the Earth. Most violence comes from the state. When you come to 
our protest, look around: We won't be the ones with nightsticks, guns, and 
Tasers," according to their Web site.

A frequently-asked-questions section on the site addresses the consensus on 
violence and destruction. "What is your stance on violence and property 
destruction? Destruction bad. Property bad. The concept of property is used to 
deprive people of the basic necessities of life. We live here, and want to live 
in beautiful, clean environments, just like you. We also believe we have a right 
to defend ourselves, and if the tools used to attack us include the tools of 
property, it's not exempt."

In a press conference in late August, Welcoming Committee spokester Bea Bridges 
said, "The State asks that we only resist in ways it finds convenient and easy 
to contain, promising repression of those who act outside the parameters it 
sets. This is a threat -- a violent threat with which the State hopes to 
terrorize us into submission. Therefore, there exists no 'peaceful' option. Some 
among us may choose to resist State violence using pacifist tactics, while 
others use whatever methods they deem necessary and appropriate. But, no matter 
how we respond to it, violence is already present at the protests through no 
fault of our own."

The suggestion of violence is one the Welcoming Committee pokes fun at. A video 
released by the group in August has created buzz among media outlets this month.

Police Encourage Cooperation

The Welcoming Committee is part of a larger demonstration against representative 
politics. The Democratic National Convention in Denver next August will see 
similar tactics. But the groups understand that they will be working with others 
who do believe in the power of representative politics. "We aim to organize 
militant direct action that manifests opposition to both the Democratic and 
Republican Parties," says a statement on the Unconventional Action Web site. "As 
anti-authoritarians, we oppose so-called representational politics, but even 
those who still believe in it must understand that we can only have leverage 
over our rulers by showing our own power, that we must back our demands by 
demonstrating that we can interfere with their business as effectively as they 
interfere with our lives."

In a letter to the Minnesota Monitor, St. Paul police officials wouldn't comment 
on specific strategies to communicate with the anti-RNC forces or if they have 
specific plans to deal with disruptions caused by the protesters, but did 
provide some general statements about what residents can expect. "We encourage 
those people who wish to demonstrate during the event to work with us to develop 
a relationship, which can only help make the event an enjoyable event for 
everyone," said the letter signed by St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington and 
Commander Douglas Holtz. "We want to have an open and honest dialogue with any 
group who wants to express their concerns, and we are very willing to reach out 
to enhance communications in an effort to make the event a success for everyone."

As for violence, the St. Paul police said, "While there has been attention given 
to those that might want to disrupt the event, the St. Paul Police Department 
would like to assure the residents, businesses, and visitors, we will be 
prepared to keep the peace, we discourage acts of disruption -- and we will not 
tolerate criminal activity."

The letter says that they "anticipate that those who come to St. Paul will 
follow the law."
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  One of 11 comments on line
   	
Inaccuracies can even be dangerous
Andy:

Your comments about wild anarchists in the streets don't surprise me even a 
little, but they are also inaccurate.  Let me be very specific.

First, there are TWO main groups that have been working together to protest the 
convention.  One group is a group of anti-authoritarians (or anarchists, in your 
words).  Their website is at http://rncwelcomingc...

Second, their is a coalition of peace and justice groups that you can check out 
at http://protestrnc200...  The second group has tried repeatedly (at least 3 
times) to apply for a permit to march on Labor Day, Monday, September 1.  Each 
time, the St. Paul police department has refused to consider the application for 
a completely peaceful protest march, giving the reason that St. Paul city 
ordinances will not allow such an early application.

Stated very clearly, the object of this march is not at all to shut down the 
convention.  The object of this march is to hold a very large, peaceful and 
legal protest, safe enough to allow grandmothers with their walkers and fathers 
with young children in strollers.  A march so massive that the entire world will 
see that most Americans don't agree with the neocon agenda of dominating the 
world and assigning all resources to a tiny elite.

The St. Paul police and the St. Paul city council have absolutely refused to 
begin negotiating a safe route.  A so-called "free speech" committee has been 
set up to advocate for a free and constitutionally protected protest, but that 
committee has not met for months and months and months.

So far, in fact, the St. Paul police have given many vague reassurances that 
they live and breathe in order to protect free speech.  But so far there have 
been no permits.  So far there have been no routes established.  So far there 
have been no procedures outlined to deal with incidents of difficulty.

None of this is surprising, nor does it shock me that you have fallen for the 
distraction of the "anarchist" label.  Marginalizing protest is a central 
technique of suppressing dissent.  Obviously, it is easy to stir animosity 
against black-clad, masked brick-throwers, but much harder to get angry with 
praying nuns, especially when 70 % of all Americans agree with the nuns that the 
United States is going down exactly the wrong path.

Please take a few minutes to read the blog I wrote last week on exactly this 
issue.  You can find it at http://www.mnblue.co...  I think you will see exactly 
what I am talking about.
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