WEBVTT 00:00:00.441 --> 00:00:03.370 So in terms of the specifics of the Heart Attack demonstration 00:00:03.370 --> 00:00:06.293 and the black bloc in general during the Convergence, 00:00:06.293 --> 00:00:09.376 um, i do think, you know, one of the points that people have made 00:00:09.376 --> 00:00:12.846 is that sometimes there are tactics that undermine other tactics. 00:00:12.846 --> 00:00:15.482 And i think what was really specific about this convergence, 00:00:15.482 --> 00:00:18.819 which is why i would argue Feb 13th was successful, 00:00:18.819 --> 00:00:23.891 is the fact that the black bloc has been in commuication with the entire, 00:00:23.891 --> 00:00:26.460 organizers of the entire Convergence. 00:00:26.460 --> 00:00:27.528 Feb 12th, as people know, 00:00:27.528 --> 00:00:32.499 was explicitly called as an action that was inclusive. 00:00:32.499 --> 00:00:36.525 And in Feb 12th, lets not forget, black bloc was present. 00:00:36.525 --> 00:00:40.507 Let's not forget, black bloc members were present in the Feb 14th Memorial March; 00:00:40.507 --> 00:00:44.378 let's not forget as i mentioned the black bloc is present at Tent City, 00:00:44.378 --> 00:00:46.146 has been present in every action. 00:00:46.146 --> 00:00:47.748 And for those of us who are involved in organizing, 00:00:48.699 --> 00:00:49.650 we know this. 00:00:49.650 --> 00:00:51.685 We know this because we're the organizers. 00:00:51.685 --> 00:00:53.520 We know this because we're in communication, 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:55.389 and therefore, you know, 00:00:55.389 --> 00:00:56.156 including the Memorial March, 00:00:56.156 --> 00:00:57.824 because a lot of people have, um, 00:00:57.824 --> 00:00:59.793 have strategically kind of used the Memorial March 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". 00:01:03.931 --> 00:01:05.829 im an organizer of the Memorial March, 00:01:05.829 --> 00:01:07.334 and i can say as a member of the Memorial March Committee, 00:01:07.334 --> 00:01:12.274 we have never had isues with the black bloc being present at the Memorial March. 00:01:12.274 --> 00:01:16.243 The only issues in fact, for those who are are gaurdians here all know, 00:01:16.243 --> 00:01:18.846 explicitly in our Gaurdian sheet, 00:01:18.846 --> 00:01:22.049 we explicitly mention that if there was going to be any concerns about violence 00:01:22.049 --> 00:01:23.851 it will come from police provocateurs, 00:01:23.851 --> 00:01:25.719 and not from our allies in the bloc 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:28.455 who knew and respected the protocol of the Memorial March, 00:01:28.455 --> 00:01:30.490 including not wearing face masks. 00:01:30.490 --> 00:01:33.460 So in terms of the thoughtfulness of the Heart Attack demonstration, 00:01:33.460 --> 00:01:36.930 um, i want to reiterate that there was many conversations, 00:01:36.930 --> 00:01:38.476 and many commitments made 00:01:38.476 --> 00:01:40.968 to respect the other days of action. 00:01:40.968 --> 00:01:45.105 The front line on February 12th, was held by indigenous Elders 00:01:45.105 --> 00:01:46.473 with 2 contingents behind them, 00:01:46.473 --> 00:01:48.876 one of which was the No One Is Illegal / Canada Is Illegal contingent, 00:01:48.876 --> 00:01:51.411 and the contingent next to it, which was the black bloc. 00:01:51.411 --> 00:01:54.548 All of this was in consultation with the 2010 Welcoming Committee. 00:01:54.548 --> 00:01:57.684 The organizers of that demonstration knew this. 00:01:57.684 --> 00:02:00.721 When the black bloc took the front line on February 12th, 00:02:00.721 --> 00:02:03.056 THAT happened in consultation with the Elders, 00:02:03.056 --> 00:02:06.572 two of whom explicitly told us that they were gonna go to the back 00:02:06.572 --> 00:02:09.830 so the black bloc could take the front line and push through the police line. 00:02:09.830 --> 00:02:11.832 So before we start you know, talking about what Elders want, 00:02:11.832 --> 00:02:17.256 let's remember they explicitly asked for the black bloc to come to the front line. 00:02:20.783 --> 00:02:23.944 Um, in terms of, in terms of Feb 13th, 00:02:23.944 --> 00:02:27.281 and this idea that people were somehow endangered on February 13th, 00:02:27.281 --> 00:02:31.232 February 13th was explicitly called as a diversity of tactics. 00:02:31.232 --> 00:02:34.588 Everyone in the movement knows what a diversity of tactics means, 00:02:34.588 --> 00:02:37.891 and when you go out on the street you know what you are engaging in. 00:02:37.891 --> 00:02:39.393 As far as i know, like i said, 00:02:39.393 --> 00:02:41.228 as someone who marched on February 13th, 00:02:41.228 --> 00:02:44.798 unmasked, in solidarity with black bloc allies, 00:02:44.798 --> 00:02:47.067 i did not feel endangered. 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, 00:02:50.604 --> 00:02:54.080 and i was happy to see the black bloc doing their thing. 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:59.112 um, in terms of the actual demonstration on the 13th, 00:02:59.112 --> 00:03:00.981 there was various spokescouncils, 00:03:00.981 --> 00:03:03.275 some of which were publicly announced, 00:03:03.275 --> 00:03:06.453 for anyone who was interested in getting information about what the 13th would involve. 00:03:06.453 --> 00:03:10.090 There was public meetings and public consultations 00:03:10.090 --> 00:03:11.425 --well, consultations is not the right word-- 00:03:11.425 --> 00:03:15.729 but public spokescouncils, which shared information about what people could expect 00:03:15.729 --> 00:03:16.997 about the 13th. 00:03:16.997 --> 00:03:21.835 So anyone who wanted to find out that information was able to do that. 00:03:21.835 --> 00:03:23.937 Um, there was explanation of "green zones". 00:03:23.937 --> 00:03:26.473 There was "green zones" within the February 13th, 00:03:26.473 --> 00:03:30.489 and again, at no point did i see the black bloc trying 00:03:30.489 --> 00:03:33.180 to hide under the cover of other "peaceful protesters". 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:35.549 We were out on the streets knowing what would happen, 00:03:35.549 --> 00:03:39.553 and thousands of people were not at risk on February 13th. 00:03:39.553 --> 00:03:40.854 And i think thats important to reiterate, 00:03:40.854 --> 00:03:44.424 because the people who were actually arrested on February 13th 00:03:44.424 --> 00:03:48.764 have not denounced the black bloc, so why are other people doing that? 00:03:54.935 --> 00:03:58.105 Um, 5th point [laughing] only half way through... 00:03:58.105 --> 00:03:59.640 This'll go faster... 00:03:59.640 --> 00:04:03.477 The argument that the bloc is succeptible to police provocateurs. 00:04:03.477 --> 00:04:07.314 The entire movement is succeptible to police provocateurs. 00:04:07.314 --> 00:04:09.249 There's probably provocateurs in this meeting, 00:04:09.249 --> 00:04:10.350 there's informants in this meeting, 00:04:10.350 --> 00:04:13.724 and the actual police provocateurs who were outed 00:04:13.724 --> 00:04:15.989 were again, as Derrick mentioned, on February 12th, 00:04:15.989 --> 00:04:19.760 um, and those were police provocateurs who were posing as journalists. 00:04:19.760 --> 00:04:23.030 So in my opinion, the idea that the bloc should not be masked 00:04:23.030 --> 00:04:25.599 because that will make them more succeptible to police provocateurs 00:04:25.599 --> 00:04:28.335 um, isnt true. 00:04:28.335 --> 00:04:32.072 And also, uh, a very clear example is what happened in Montebelo, 00:04:32.072 --> 00:04:37.845 which is that when police provocateurs, um, presented themselves as the black bloc, 00:04:37.845 --> 00:04:40.848 they were first outed by the black bloc. 00:04:44.151 --> 00:04:45.719 Um, 6th point: 00:04:45.719 --> 00:04:48.021 Whether the black bloc tactic is effective? 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, 00:04:52.826 --> 00:04:56.496 um, and i hope my earlier points kind of build on this point, 00:04:56.496 --> 00:05:00.200 which is the black bloc tactic cannot be judged in and of itself, right? 00:05:00.200 --> 00:05:04.137 Like any other mass movement, as Derrick mentioned, 00:05:04.137 --> 00:05:07.307 you know, we have to gauge them as a longterm campaign. 00:05:07.307 --> 00:05:09.109 So if we're going to talk about the black bloc tactic, 00:05:09.109 --> 00:05:13.714 we have to talk about the black bloc tactic as part of the anti-olympics convergence, 00:05:13.714 --> 00:05:16.083 as part of the anti olympics movement, 00:05:16.083 --> 00:05:18.185 and in my opinion you cant separate those things, 00:05:18.185 --> 00:05:21.288 and as far as i know the anti-olympic movement as a whole, 00:05:21.288 --> 00:05:22.823 including all of its parts, 00:05:22.823 --> 00:05:24.830 has been very successful. 00:05:26.927 --> 00:05:29.630 Um, in terms of the black bloc tactic in and of itself, 00:05:29.630 --> 00:05:30.998 if we are to separate it out, 00:05:30.998 --> 00:05:34.268 i would argue that it has been effective for several reasons. 00:05:34.268 --> 00:05:38.199 Um, the 1st is that the black bloc tactic 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:40.641 does actually help build mass movements, 00:05:40.641 --> 00:05:46.547 counter to kind of this idea that the black bloc movement marginalizes mass movements. 00:05:46.547 --> 00:05:48.787 And i think that happens in several ways. 00:05:48.787 --> 00:05:51.852 The first is, is that there is no monopoly on the mass movement. 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 00:05:57.357 --> 00:05:58.892 in symbolic protest, 00:05:58.892 --> 00:06:02.362 who find direct action to be very empowering, 00:06:02.362 --> 00:06:05.265 and from that perspective the black bloc is growing, 00:06:05.265 --> 00:06:10.204 and therefore the black bloc as part of the movement is helping the movement grow. 00:06:10.204 --> 00:06:14.908 Um, second of all, corporate sponsors, in my experience in the past 6 years 00:06:14.908 --> 00:06:17.344 of anti olympic organizing, 00:06:17.344 --> 00:06:20.447 corporate sponsors have only been mentioned in mainstream media 00:06:20.447 --> 00:06:24.318 when there has been insurrectionary attacks on them. 00:06:24.318 --> 00:06:28.021 And a lot of these have happened in Ottawa in particular, and Montreal. 00:06:28.021 --> 00:06:31.825 So in terms of effectiveness, the only times that ive seen Hudson's Bay Company 00:06:31.825 --> 00:06:38.098 and Royal Bank mentioned and involved in the direct kind of, um, olympic industry, 00:06:38.098 --> 00:06:41.201 has been when they have taken a hit. 00:06:41.201 --> 00:06:43.804 Um, and i think thats, thats the reality. 00:06:43.804 --> 00:06:48.462 Theres been no other times when those corporations have been held responsible 00:06:48.462 --> 00:06:52.279 in a public way, other than when they have taken a hit. 00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:56.617 Um, in terms of whether the black bloc tactic of smashing windows 00:06:56.617 --> 00:06:59.720 is simply symbolic, and gains nothing, 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:01.388 well again back to the earlier point. 00:07:01.388 --> 00:07:03.557 A whole lot of our protests are often symbolic, 00:07:03.557 --> 00:07:05.792 so we can sit here and have a back and forth 00:07:05.792 --> 00:07:08.795 about whether it's simply symbolic or effective, 00:07:08.795 --> 00:07:10.264 but as part of a larger movement, 00:07:10.264 --> 00:07:12.733 its certainly effective. 00:07:12.733 --> 00:07:15.836 Um, i would also argue two other points, 00:07:15.836 --> 00:07:21.842 which is that black bloc tactics actually help open up space for more mainstream tactics 00:07:21.842 --> 00:07:23.710 to take place. 00:07:23.710 --> 00:07:25.661 And thats something that i cannot emphasize enough. 00:07:25.661 --> 00:07:28.115 i would argue that the success of the Memorial March 00:07:28.115 --> 00:07:29.933 and the success of the Tent City 00:07:29.933 --> 00:07:33.554 at least in part was due to Saturday Feb 13th, 00:07:33.554 --> 00:07:36.123 and the reason for that is several-fold: 00:07:36.123 --> 00:07:40.561 one, is that law enforcement, because they create a good protestor / bad protestor divide 00:07:40.561 --> 00:07:43.630 have been largely absent from the Tent City, 00:07:43.630 --> 00:07:46.066 because they know, and they wanna play up the idea 00:07:46.066 --> 00:07:51.471 that Feb 13th is the bad proestors, and we're gonna let these other spaces go. 00:07:51.471 --> 00:07:53.173 Um, and so i can without a doubt say 00:07:53.173 --> 00:07:54.441 one of the successes of the Tent Village 00:07:54.441 --> 00:07:57.054 has been the fact that Saturday Feb 13th 00:07:57.054 --> 00:08:00.314 opened up a space for that to happen. 00:08:00.314 --> 00:08:06.019 Um, also, yknow, the idea that we've lost credibility in mainstream media? 00:08:06.019 --> 00:08:09.890 Um, part of, for what thats worth, 00:08:09.890 --> 00:08:11.191 not that we ever had any to begin with, 00:08:11.191 --> 00:08:14.928 but for what it's worth, the mainstream media 00:08:14.928 --> 00:08:17.364 plays into the good protestor / bad protestor, 00:08:17.364 --> 00:08:21.110 and again, part of the reason the Tent Village has gotten positive mainstream media 00:08:21.110 --> 00:08:24.004 i their own spin, not our spin, but their own spin, 00:08:24.004 --> 00:08:28.275 that this is a "peaceful tent village that should be defended and should be supported". 00:08:28.275 --> 00:08:32.913 So i would argue that black bloc tactics abolutely do help build a broader movement 00:08:32.913 --> 00:08:37.184 and absolutely do help build a space for various other tactics to take place, 00:08:37.184 --> 00:08:39.643 and they dont exist in isolation of them.