Continuing down this path where small violent elements can "poison the well" and create a toxic movement meme is a losing strategy. The public will not follow. The people will not side with those whose idea of 1st-amendment-protected protest is to hurl rebar and chunks of concrete at the police.
In short, people's movements need security of their own. They need sizable, equipped and trained teams to respond to any violence or vandalism the moment it happens. They need whistles, pepper spray, plastic handcuffs, and a standing arrangement with police to hand over vandals and criminals caught in the act. Masked rioters would be detained by movement security, unmasked, photographed and delivered swiftly to the waiting arms of police officers. The survival of the movement requires it. The safety of the innocent, nonviolent demonstrators demands it.
Surely some will object to activists detaining other activists and the use of pepper spray, which is a defensive weapon that does not maim or injure. The cold reality is that self-defense is sometimes necessary, and citizens arrest is a lawful, responsible, permitted exercise of power. The security details must be well-trained and held accountable for their actions by the power structures of the movement.
Such a responsible and welcome development would bring the public back onto the side of the Occupy Movement. It will create goodwill with local police departments who may very well fear the random acts of violence from the protester side. It will be a mark of maturity and a milestone in self-organization for the 21st century.
Any large public event has a security force to prevent this type of uncontrolled violence. Go to any concert, any sporting event. This is the status quo, for a time-tested, valid reason. If these people's movements want to be around another year, they had best grow up and face reality. If they want to be seen as other than monkeys flinging dung by middle America, then this is no small matter. It's a strategic contest, and right now, the game is run by the other team. It is time to change strategy and present an image of competence to the public -- a clear commitment to nonviolent struggle that can be seen, heard and sound-bited. Clean house and eject the Black Bloc anarchists as soon as they turn to violent tactics -- or else face the consequences!
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