Thinking about sticking it to the man, but not sure just how to go about it? Read the NY time’s piece “What to Wear to Smash the State.” The article talks about how ANTIFA is doing everything the right way, likely putting lots of ideas in would-be anarchists’ heads, with no criticism of the movement. Does NY Times want to encourage liberal terrorism?
After describing the black bloc uniform, the NY Times quotes an author from an anarchist news service:
“Everyone quickly figured out,” Mr. Young wrote, that “having a massive group of people all dressed the same with their faces covered not only helps in defending against the police, but also makes it easier for saboteurs to take the offensive against storefronts, banks and any other material symbols and power centers of capitalism and the state.”
Yeah for saboteurs! But that’s just the equivalent of local color, right? It’s not the NY times advocating this just some anarchist. But a few paragraphs later that line becomes blurrier.
The creation of mass anonymity protects practitioners from the threat of post-action doxxing by white supremacist groups, a process by which their identities and contact information, including addresses and places of employment, are publicized. People at home can use this information to harass and threaten. Similarly, police and other agencies have staff devoted to documenting demonstrations, and they work to identify people on film and video. These are among the reasons that some anarchists and anti-fascists advocate smashing cameras at demonstrations.
This mostly sounds descriptive, i.e. here’s why anarchists do what they do. But by the time we get to anarchists smashing cameras, you begin to feel that maybe someone should be saying ‘Hold on a minute here.’ In fact, if you follow that link it’s to an article about Antifa beating up photographers, but none of that concern makes it back into the piece itself. In fact, it seems to gradually become a how-to guide for successful rioting:
There is more practical advice on how to dress for a riot. One should decide on organic or synthetic gloves before participating in an action: Wool and cotton may allow chemical contaminants, like pepper spray, to absorb, while nylon can melt if you grab something hot, which historically has included some kinds of tear-gas canisters but can include various things on fire.
One Antifa “fashion don’t” is carrying cellphones. The American Civil Liberties Union reports that 72 agencies in 24 states and Washington, D.C., have “simulators” that mimic cellphone towers in order to track people.
These defensive methods work only if there are enough black-clad others nearby. A single person in all black and multiple face masks is an eye grabber. This effect of anonymity-by-mass has allowed for the offensive side of bloc tactics to flourish. The uniformity camouflages those who participate in illegal acts like property damage, refusing police orders or physical assault against white supremacists or Nazis. This willful protection of the group is embedded in the style’s aesthetic.
Read More at Hot Air.
Next they’ll be publishing the anarchist’s cookbook or praising ISIS’s efficiency. Real responsible journalism here.
