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TITLE: Black Bloc Wins Battles with Cops |
AUTHOR: Jim Kelsheimer |
PUB: |
DATE: January 28, 2001 |
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This years presidential inauguration was filled with protests of all sorts, from 'Free the Branch Dividian 7,' 'Re-Elect Gore in 2004,' 'Pray for Revival,' to 'Class War and for a Classless Society.' While not much protest coverage got on the local news, there was definitely not a lack of skirmishes between cops and protesters. At around noon word was quickly spread that the cops had blocked in the Revolutionary Anti-Authoritarian Bloc (RAAB), Justice Action Movement (JAM), and part of the Voters March on 14th/K. The New England Black Bloc (NEBB) and the Southern Anarchist Bloc (SAB) quickly moved in for reinforcements. This force of 500 marched into the square to see comrades forming a wedge and breaking through the police lines freeing around 50 demonstrators. As the reinforcements started getting rowdy, the police called for reinforcements of their own, leaving the rear of the trapped demonstrators unguarded, which made for a quick and easy escape route. The police then changed the focus towards 'Batman' who was climbing up light polls and waving a huge black flag. When an American flag was tossed up and quickly torched the cops chose to move in and arrest the masked anarchist, but being young and creative, he quickly stage dove to the safety of outstretched anarchist arms (a tool that would later keep three people from going to jail.). After a few good hits from billy clubs it was decided to get moving. The NEBB, SAB, and RAAB quickly joined forces and marched towards the checkpoint for the protest area at 6th/C. As you can imagine a crowd of almost 1000 people in all black with masks and flags is hard to miss, and was quickly joined by groups such as National Organization for Women, the New Black Panthers, Radical Cheerleaders, and people that just don't like Bush. When the bloc was about fifty feet away from the checkpoint the three cops that were to protect this point quickly realized that the situation was out of their hands and ran for cover. The block literally marched through the checkpoint and destroyed it. The fenced alongside were knocked over, anarchist artwork was added to Metro buses, and an orange traffic pylon was thrown at a small group of the Secret Service (SS). At this time the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) joined the now growing black bloc with their force of 150. Once it was clear that the spot was theirs, a consensus meeting was held to discuss a battle plan. It was decided that when the caravan came within a block that they would jump the fence into the parade route, this however was quickly nixed when two more rows of riot cops showed up. After another meeting, where the communications squad told the crowd about the delay in the parade because the cops were worried about the group at 6th/C, it was decided that they would try and talk their newfound allies in helping then all move over a block with out it looking as such. Under the cover of NOW, black bloc-ers began moving to the Navy Memorial across from the National Archives by affinity group. After about 45 minutes all that could be seen was black. The flag poles were quickly liberated and in the place that once hung maritime flags a red/black flag was hung and later an upside down American flag which, both, blew proudly in the wind as the Bush caravan passed by the square. Ten cops were sent in to arrest the four that were hanging the flags of revolution. They pushed the black bloc back a few feet before the crowd surged towards the cops. The three remaining flag bearers quickly stage dove and were crowd surfed towards freedom. At this point the cops began to retreat from the barrage of missiles that seemed to come out of nowhere. Water bottles, newspapers, rocks, tennis balls, and batteries quickly forced the cops to run to the saftey of the SS. Five minutes later around twenty cops entered the square and tried to take it back. The! black bloc quickly linked arms and started 'ooming' and forced the cops back again. ('Ooming' is when the whole crowd starts going 'ooommmm' and creates a peaceful, yet frightening atmosphere. The sound of a small group alone was enough to chase away cops in Philadelphia during the Republican National Convention.) This is when undercovers started to spray chemical agents at block-ers, bystanders, and media alike. The crowd again surged and the two undercovers quickly disappeared briefly only to appear, in what felt like a lifetime later, with bloody noses and black eyes. The square that once paid homage to the Imperialist United States Navy became an autonomous zone that the cops could not defend. Before the caravan passed, the FBI made one final weak attempt to take back the square. One lonely FBI agent stood in the middle of the bloc talking on a cell phone to his commander. The agent was barraged with puppets, signs, and whatever else could be found to throw at him. 'Let's take one out.' Was the last transmission that he made before punching people indiscriminately. When the crowd jumped on him six more undercovers quickly came to his aid making this a 7 Vs approx. 800 fight. The odds were not in the cops favor. With the cops limping out, the caravan approached to the roar of 'boos' from the stands. Tennis balls were being thrown across at such an angle that once they hit the cars they would proceed to fly across the street and hit Republicans sitting in the stands across the street. 'Black Bloc, move out! De-bloc as soon as you find cover!' was shouted and for those left in the square it must have felt like a ghost town. The amount of arrests were few, but the beatings were many. At the point that the order to 'de-bloc' the score was cops: 0, anarchists: 6, and for those of you that were watching on ABC, UCLA was up at the half. END |