Why wave, ahem, red flags in front of angry bulls when there's no purpose to it or need for it? *****************
While I'm all for waving real red flags at demos (especially those with "Abolish the Wage System" inscribed on them), I would agree with those on this list who think it tactically counterproductive to provoke the pigs--I mean the police. The point of a mass demonstration is to bring the public's attention to a particular grievance and/or demand. What happens when petty violence erupts is that the public's attention turns (and is turned) to the petty violence and the public lesson (AMPLIFIED EVER SO LOUDLY IN THE MEDIA) becomes: don't go to DEMONSTRATIONS because that's where VIOLENCE occurs. The issues which people had turned out for to amplify become lost in blizzards of moral condemnations of VIOLENCE, many times issuing from the mouths and mouthpieces of those most responsible for the original grievances. Tactics of petty violence actually give the authorities sanction to use the demonstration for their own public propaganda.
However, if the cops make unprovoked attacks on demonstrators, demonstrators should not be afraid to defend themelves.
My two-cents, Mike B)
http://happystiletto.blogspot.com/
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