Raise the Hammer

This was a form of terrorism, not legitimate protest.

The clear goal was to use violence, and the threat of violence, to intimidate residents, workers and business owners and provoke a police response. Terrorism does not necessarily require injuries or death: violence against property, the threat of violence against people and psychological intimidation are common terrorist tactics.

This was certainly not civil disobedience where protestors peacefully refuse to obey laws and accept the consequences of their actions.

You brush off the violence and intimidation because "no one was injured".

However, passersby and people in the restaurants being attacked were clearly terrified.

It was just luck no one was injured by flying glass or rocks. Those present did not know what was going to be lobbed through windows they were sitting near, or whether the thugs would start beating people up or pelt them with rocks (the way they attacked the police). Maybe they would have started violently attacking people if the police had not shown up in force. This was NOT just an attack on property!

This was not a protest (there was no message apart from "we are the ungovernables"). It was violence for violence sake. What makes you think it was a protest against anything (except, maybe "society")?

Do you really not understand why this sort of action would provoke a response of community solidarity? Did you support Butcher and Vegan and the other shops and restaurants that have been similarly vandalized on Barton?

Do you seriously not understand why 30 black clad anonymous, masked marchers smashing windows, setting off fireworks, smoke bombs on a Saturday night on a busy commercial street full of people would lead the community to be fearful and want to show solidarity (and why this is different from the incremental creep of re-development and the ongoing challenges precarious housing)?

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2018-03-06 12:31:30