Protesters At WTO Plan D.C. Follow-Up
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This will take some doing. At the NATO 50 yr anniversary here, strangely ignored at the height of the Kosova events, the authorities basically cordoned off a set of city blocks. You couldn't walk into them on the sidewalk w/o credentials or some sort.
Second, our mayor makes the Seattle guy look like Eugene Debs. Even under Mayor Barry, I saw the cops rough up some ACORN demonstrators who were sitting on a sidewalk outside a bank. There was also the infamous treatment by African-American cops of hispanics during a mini-riot a few years ago.
One thing that would help a lot in these respects is efforts by the coalition to link up w/local minority political forces. A local election is coming up in a year or two.
My major anarchist suggestion: if your going to break windows, forget about Starbucks and McD's. That's where ordinary people go. We have all these glitzy 'chop houses' whose revenue is based on tax deductible business lunches. You could start with The Palm and the Old Ebbitt Grill. They're expensive, are frequented by lobbyists and other lizards, and they use up precious real estate.
But I'm psyched. Makes me feel like I'm 40 again. I'm going to shave my head, get pierced, and wear black. Where's my walker?
mbs