1 00:00:00,441 --> 00:00:03,370 So in terms of the specifics of the Heart Attack demonstration 2 00:00:03,370 --> 00:00:06,293 and the black bloc in general during the Convergence, 3 00:00:06,293 --> 00:00:09,376 um, i do think, you know, one of the points that people have made 4 00:00:09,376 --> 00:00:12,846 is that sometimes there are tactics that undermine other tactics. 5 00:00:12,846 --> 00:00:15,482 And i think what was really specific about this convergence, 6 00:00:15,482 --> 00:00:18,819 which is why i would argue Feb 13th was successful, 7 00:00:18,819 --> 00:00:23,891 is the fact that the black bloc has been in commuication with the entire, 8 00:00:23,891 --> 00:00:26,460 organizers of the entire Convergence. 9 00:00:26,460 --> 00:00:27,528 Feb 12th, as people know, 10 00:00:27,528 --> 00:00:32,499 was explicitly called as an action that was inclusive. 11 00:00:32,499 --> 00:00:36,525 And in Feb 12th, lets not forget, black bloc was present. 12 00:00:36,525 --> 00:00:40,507 Let's not forget, black bloc members were present in the Feb 14th Memorial March; 13 00:00:40,507 --> 00:00:44,378 let's not forget as i mentioned the black bloc is present at Tent City, 14 00:00:44,378 --> 00:00:46,146 has been present in every action. 15 00:00:46,146 --> 00:00:47,748 And for those of us who are involved in organizing, 16 00:00:48,699 --> 00:00:49,650 we know this. 17 00:00:49,650 --> 00:00:51,685 We know this because we're the organizers. 18 00:00:51,685 --> 00:00:53,520 We know this because we're in communication, 19 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,389 and therefore, you know, 20 00:00:55,389 --> 00:00:56,156 including the Memorial March, 21 00:00:56,156 --> 00:00:57,824 because a lot of people have, um, 22 00:00:57,824 --> 00:00:59,793 have strategically kind of used the Memorial March 23 00:00:59,793 --> 00:01:03,931 to say that "oh, you know, people are worried about the black bloc infiltrating the Memorial March". 24 00:01:03,931 --> 00:01:05,829 im an organizer of the Memorial March, 25 00:01:05,829 --> 00:01:07,334 and i can say as a member of the Memorial March Committee, 26 00:01:07,334 --> 00:01:12,274 we have never had isues with the black bloc being present at the Memorial March. 27 00:01:12,274 --> 00:01:16,243 The only issues in fact, for those who are are gaurdians here all know, 28 00:01:16,243 --> 00:01:18,846 explicitly in our Gaurdian sheet, 29 00:01:18,846 --> 00:01:22,049 we explicitly mention that if there was going to be any concerns about violence 30 00:01:22,049 --> 00:01:23,851 it will come from police provocateurs, 31 00:01:23,851 --> 00:01:25,719 and not from our allies in the bloc 32 00:01:25,719 --> 00:01:28,455 who knew and respected the protocol of the Memorial March, 33 00:01:28,455 --> 00:01:30,490 including not wearing face masks. 34 00:01:30,490 --> 00:01:33,460 So in terms of the thoughtfulness of the Heart Attack demonstration, 35 00:01:33,460 --> 00:01:36,930 um, i want to reiterate that there was many conversations, 36 00:01:36,930 --> 00:01:38,476 and many commitments made 37 00:01:38,476 --> 00:01:40,968 to respect the other days of action. 38 00:01:40,968 --> 00:01:45,105 The front line on February 12th, was held by indigenous Elders 39 00:01:45,105 --> 00:01:46,473 with 2 contingents behind them, 40 00:01:46,473 --> 00:01:48,876 one of which was the No One Is Illegal / Canada Is Illegal contingent, 41 00:01:48,876 --> 00:01:51,411 and the contingent next to it, which was the black bloc. 42 00:01:51,411 --> 00:01:54,548 All of this was in consultation with the 2010 Welcoming Committee. 43 00:01:54,548 --> 00:01:57,684 The organizers of that demonstration knew this. 44 00:01:57,684 --> 00:02:00,721 When the black bloc took the front line on February 12th, 45 00:02:00,721 --> 00:02:03,056 THAT happened in consultation with the Elders, 46 00:02:03,056 --> 00:02:06,572 two of whom explicitly told us that they were gonna go to the back 47 00:02:06,572 --> 00:02:09,830 so the black bloc could take the front line and push through the police line. 48 00:02:09,830 --> 00:02:11,832 So before we start you know, talking about what Elders want, 49 00:02:11,832 --> 00:02:17,256 let's remember they explicitly asked for the black bloc to come to the front line. 50 00:02:20,783 --> 00:02:23,944 Um, in terms of, in terms of Feb 13th, 51 00:02:23,944 --> 00:02:27,281 and this idea that people were somehow endangered on February 13th, 52 00:02:27,281 --> 00:02:31,232 February 13th was explicitly called as a diversity of tactics. 53 00:02:31,232 --> 00:02:34,588 Everyone in the movement knows what a diversity of tactics means, 54 00:02:34,588 --> 00:02:37,891 and when you go out on the street you know what you are engaging in. 55 00:02:37,891 --> 00:02:39,393 As far as i know, like i said, 56 00:02:39,393 --> 00:02:41,228 as someone who marched on February 13th, 57 00:02:41,228 --> 00:02:44,798 unmasked, in solidarity with black bloc allies, 58 00:02:44,798 --> 00:02:47,067 i did not feel endangered. 59 00:02:47,067 --> 00:02:50,604 i cant speak for everyone else, but i can speak for myself, that i was happy to be there, 60 00:02:50,604 --> 00:02:54,080 and i was happy to see the black bloc doing their thing. 61 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:59,112 um, in terms of the actual demonstration on the 13th, 62 00:02:59,112 --> 00:03:00,981 there was various spokescouncils, 63 00:03:00,981 --> 00:03:03,275 some of which were publicly announced, 64 00:03:03,275 --> 00:03:06,453 for anyone who was interested in getting information about what the 13th would involve. 65 00:03:06,453 --> 00:03:10,090 There was public meetings and public consultations 66 00:03:10,090 --> 00:03:11,425 --well, consultations is not the right word-- 67 00:03:11,425 --> 00:03:15,729 but public spokescouncils, which shared information about what people could expect 68 00:03:15,729 --> 00:03:16,997 about the 13th. 69 00:03:16,997 --> 00:03:21,835 So anyone who wanted to find out that information was able to do that. 70 00:03:21,835 --> 00:03:23,937 Um, there was explanation of "green zones". 71 00:03:23,937 --> 00:03:26,473 There was "green zones" within the February 13th, 72 00:03:26,473 --> 00:03:30,489 and again, at no point did i see the black bloc trying 73 00:03:30,489 --> 00:03:33,180 to hide under the cover of other "peaceful protesters". 74 00:03:33,180 --> 00:03:35,549 We were out on the streets knowing what would happen, 75 00:03:35,549 --> 00:03:39,553 and thousands of people were not at risk on February 13th. 76 00:03:39,553 --> 00:03:40,854 And i think thats important to reiterate, 77 00:03:40,854 --> 00:03:44,424 because the people who were actually arrested on February 13th 78 00:03:44,424 --> 00:03:48,764 have not denounced the black bloc, so why are other people doing that? 79 00:03:54,935 --> 00:03:58,105 Um, 5th point [laughing] only half way through... 80 00:03:58,105 --> 00:03:59,640 This'll go faster... 81 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,477 The argument that the bloc is succeptible to police provocateurs. 82 00:04:03,477 --> 00:04:07,314 The entire movement is succeptible to police provocateurs. 83 00:04:07,314 --> 00:04:09,249 There's probably provocateurs in this meeting, 84 00:04:09,249 --> 00:04:10,350 there's informants in this meeting, 85 00:04:10,350 --> 00:04:13,724 and the actual police provocateurs who were outed 86 00:04:13,724 --> 00:04:15,989 were again, as Derrick mentioned, on February 12th, 87 00:04:15,989 --> 00:04:19,760 um, and those were police provocateurs who were posing as journalists. 88 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,030 So in my opinion, the idea that the bloc should not be masked 89 00:04:23,030 --> 00:04:25,599 because that will make them more succeptible to police provocateurs 90 00:04:25,599 --> 00:04:28,335 um, isnt true. 91 00:04:28,335 --> 00:04:32,072 And also, uh, a very clear example is what happened in Montebelo, 92 00:04:32,072 --> 00:04:37,845 which is that when police provocateurs, um, presented themselves as the black bloc, 93 00:04:37,845 --> 00:04:40,848 they were first outed by the black bloc. 94 00:04:44,151 --> 00:04:45,719 Um, 6th point: 95 00:04:45,719 --> 00:04:48,021 Whether the black bloc tactic is effective? 96 00:04:48,021 --> 00:04:52,826 And i think a lot of the, um, the debate seems to focus around this idea of effectiveness, 97 00:04:52,826 --> 00:04:56,496 um, and i hope my earlier points kind of build on this point, 98 00:04:56,496 --> 00:05:00,200 which is the black bloc tactic cannot be judged in and of itself, right? 99 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,137 Like any other mass movement, as Derrick mentioned, 100 00:05:04,137 --> 00:05:07,307 you know, we have to gauge them as a longterm campaign. 101 00:05:07,307 --> 00:05:09,109 So if we're going to talk about the black bloc tactic, 102 00:05:09,109 --> 00:05:13,714 we have to talk about the black bloc tactic as part of the anti-olympics convergence, 103 00:05:13,714 --> 00:05:16,083 as part of the anti olympics movement, 104 00:05:16,083 --> 00:05:18,185 and in my opinion you cant separate those things, 105 00:05:18,185 --> 00:05:21,288 and as far as i know the anti-olympic movement as a whole, 106 00:05:21,288 --> 00:05:22,823 including all of its parts, 107 00:05:22,823 --> 00:05:24,830 has been very successful. 108 00:05:26,927 --> 00:05:29,630 Um, in terms of the black bloc tactic in and of itself, 109 00:05:29,630 --> 00:05:30,998 if we are to separate it out, 110 00:05:30,998 --> 00:05:34,268 i would argue that it has been effective for several reasons. 111 00:05:34,268 --> 00:05:38,199 Um, the 1st is that the black bloc tactic 112 00:05:38,199 --> 00:05:40,641 does actually help build mass movements, 113 00:05:40,641 --> 00:05:46,547 counter to kind of this idea that the black bloc movement marginalizes mass movements. 114 00:05:46,547 --> 00:05:48,787 And i think that happens in several ways. 115 00:05:48,787 --> 00:05:51,852 The first is, is that there is no monopoly on the mass movement. 116 00:05:51,852 --> 00:05:57,357 There are a lot of people who dont engage in what is kind of the monoculture of the mass movement 117 00:05:57,357 --> 00:05:58,892 in symbolic protest, 118 00:05:58,892 --> 00:06:02,362 who find direct action to be very empowering, 119 00:06:02,362 --> 00:06:05,265 and from that perspective the black bloc is growing, 120 00:06:05,265 --> 00:06:10,204 and therefore the black bloc as part of the movement is helping the movement grow. 121 00:06:10,204 --> 00:06:14,908 Um, second of all, corporate sponsors, in my experience in the past 6 years 122 00:06:14,908 --> 00:06:17,344 of anti olympic organizing, 123 00:06:17,344 --> 00:06:20,447 corporate sponsors have only been mentioned in mainstream media 124 00:06:20,447 --> 00:06:24,318 when there has been insurrectionary attacks on them. 125 00:06:24,318 --> 00:06:28,021 And a lot of these have happened in Ottawa in particular, and Montreal. 126 00:06:28,021 --> 00:06:31,825 So in terms of effectiveness, the only times that ive seen Hudson's Bay Company 127 00:06:31,825 --> 00:06:38,098 and Royal Bank mentioned and involved in the direct kind of, um, olympic industry, 128 00:06:38,098 --> 00:06:41,201 has been when they have taken a hit. 129 00:06:41,201 --> 00:06:43,804 Um, and i think thats, thats the reality. 130 00:06:43,804 --> 00:06:48,462 Theres been no other times when those corporations have been held responsible 131 00:06:48,462 --> 00:06:52,279 in a public way, other than when they have taken a hit. 132 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:56,617 Um, in terms of whether the black bloc tactic of smashing windows 133 00:06:56,617 --> 00:06:59,720 is simply symbolic, and gains nothing, 134 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:01,388 well again back to the earlier point. 135 00:07:01,388 --> 00:07:03,557 A whole lot of our protests are often symbolic, 136 00:07:03,557 --> 00:07:05,792 so we can sit here and have a back and forth 137 00:07:05,792 --> 00:07:08,795 about whether it's simply symbolic or effective, 138 00:07:08,795 --> 00:07:10,264 but as part of a larger movement, 139 00:07:10,264 --> 00:07:12,733 its certainly effective. 140 00:07:12,733 --> 00:07:15,836 Um, i would also argue two other points, 141 00:07:15,836 --> 00:07:21,842 which is that black bloc tactics actually help open up space for more mainstream tactics 142 00:07:21,842 --> 00:07:23,710 to take place. 143 00:07:23,710 --> 00:07:25,661 And thats something that i cannot emphasize enough. 144 00:07:25,661 --> 00:07:28,115 i would argue that the success of the Memorial March 145 00:07:28,115 --> 00:07:29,933 and the success of the Tent City 146 00:07:29,933 --> 00:07:33,554 at least in part was due to Saturday Feb 13th, 147 00:07:33,554 --> 00:07:36,123 and the reason for that is several-fold: 148 00:07:36,123 --> 00:07:40,561 one, is that law enforcement, because they create a good protestor / bad protestor divide 149 00:07:40,561 --> 00:07:43,630 have been largely absent from the Tent City, 150 00:07:43,630 --> 00:07:46,066 because they know, and they wanna play up the idea 151 00:07:46,066 --> 00:07:51,471 that Feb 13th is the bad proestors, and we're gonna let these other spaces go. 152 00:07:51,471 --> 00:07:53,173 Um, and so i can without a doubt say 153 00:07:53,173 --> 00:07:54,441 one of the successes of the Tent Village 154 00:07:54,441 --> 00:07:57,054 has been the fact that Saturday Feb 13th 155 00:07:57,054 --> 00:08:00,314 opened up a space for that to happen. 156 00:08:00,314 --> 00:08:06,019 Um, also, yknow, the idea that we've lost credibility in mainstream media? 157 00:08:06,019 --> 00:08:09,890 Um, part of, for what thats worth, 158 00:08:09,890 --> 00:08:11,191 not that we ever had any to begin with, 159 00:08:11,191 --> 00:08:14,928 but for what it's worth, the mainstream media 160 00:08:14,928 --> 00:08:17,364 plays into the good protestor / bad protestor, 161 00:08:17,364 --> 00:08:21,110 and again, part of the reason the Tent Village has gotten positive mainstream media 162 00:08:21,110 --> 00:08:24,004 i their own spin, not our spin, but their own spin, 163 00:08:24,004 --> 00:08:28,275 that this is a "peaceful tent village that should be defended and should be supported". 164 00:08:28,275 --> 00:08:32,913 So i would argue that black bloc tactics abolutely do help build a broader movement 165 00:08:32,913 --> 00:08:37,184 and absolutely do help build a space for various other tactics to take place, 166 00:08:37,184 --> 00:08:39,643 and they dont exist in isolation of them.