WEBVTT 00:00:14.381 --> 00:00:15.682 my names Harsha, 00:00:15.682 --> 00:00:17.508 um, id like to start by acknowledging we're gathered here 00:00:17.508 --> 00:00:19.620 on unceded occupied Coast Salish Territory, 00:00:19.620 --> 00:00:22.589 Burrard, Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Sḵwxwú7mesh land. 00:00:22.589 --> 00:00:26.193 And thank you to the organizers for hosting this discussion. 00:00:26.193 --> 00:00:28.996 Um, i have to admit, in terms of this debate, 00:00:28.996 --> 00:00:30.264 i know its been going on for a week, 00:00:30.264 --> 00:00:32.733 but ive only just read all the facebook mesages, 00:00:32.733 --> 00:00:35.991 and all the emails that are floating around this morning, 00:00:35.991 --> 00:00:37.604 as i was trying to prepare my thoughts, 00:00:37.604 --> 00:00:41.808 so im really frustrated and really angry to be quite honest. 00:00:41.808 --> 00:00:48.182 Um, and im not gonna be kind of engaging in esoteric generalizations about diversity of tactics, 00:00:48.182 --> 00:00:51.652 because i think just that very starting point is problematic, 00:00:51.652 --> 00:00:53.187 and ill explain why. 00:00:53.187 --> 00:00:55.322 So ill try to be as specific as possible, 00:00:55.322 --> 00:00:57.925 um, about what happened on saturday, 00:00:57.925 --> 00:01:00.961 um, and what the organizing of that looked like, 00:01:00.961 --> 00:01:02.663 so that we can be as specific as possible 00:01:02.663 --> 00:01:04.665 rather than generally making you know 00:01:04.665 --> 00:01:07.734 huge generalizations about diversity of tactics. 00:01:07.734 --> 00:01:10.914 Um, i want to locate myself within this dialogue first. 00:01:10.914 --> 00:01:12.506 i dont personally engage in black bloc tactics, 00:01:12.506 --> 00:01:14.208 but as a long time community organizer 00:01:14.208 --> 00:01:15.642 and as a woman of colour 00:01:15.642 --> 00:01:19.580 i want to stand in full and firm support of diversity of tactics, 00:01:19.580 --> 00:01:21.381 and in solidarity with those who do, 00:01:21.381 --> 00:01:25.085 and particularly those who are facing police repression, 00:01:25.085 --> 00:01:27.321 um, during this time. 00:01:27.321 --> 00:01:30.836 i did march on february 13th, um, in the Heart Attack demonstration, 00:01:30.836 --> 00:01:32.326 with other members of No One Is Illegal, 00:01:32.326 --> 00:01:35.495 which as people know is a collective of predominantly people of colour, 00:01:35.495 --> 00:01:37.898 and non biologically male identified members, 00:01:37.898 --> 00:01:40.601 and in communication with other affinity groups, 00:01:40.601 --> 00:01:42.603 which included the Indigenous Environmental Network, 00:01:42.603 --> 00:01:44.705 some Downtown Eastside elders, 00:01:44.705 --> 00:01:46.069 the Pink Clowns, 00:01:46.069 --> 00:01:47.107 two members of whom were arrested, 00:01:47.107 --> 00:01:49.443 and StopWar.ca 00:01:49.443 --> 00:01:51.879 While i cannot speak for the personal motivations and intentions 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:53.347 of those who engage in black bloc tactics, 00:01:53.347 --> 00:01:56.483 i think the distance that i do have from those tactics 00:01:56.483 --> 00:01:59.052 is somewhat useful in this debate. 00:01:59.052 --> 00:02:00.053 Firstly because theres this idea 00:02:00.053 --> 00:02:03.669 that only those who engage in black bloc actions support black bloc tactics. 00:02:03.669 --> 00:02:06.260 And this is an attempt to marginalize and isolate our comrades, 00:02:06.260 --> 00:02:10.430 which i hope my presence and the presence of others here will counter. 00:02:10.430 --> 00:02:12.533 Secondly, theres a dichotomy that is being created between 00:02:12.533 --> 00:02:16.803 so-called community day-to-day organizing, and insurrectionary actions. 00:02:16.803 --> 00:02:20.307 Critics of this past saturday have made false digs about the lack of organizing 00:02:20.307 --> 00:02:23.010 and commitment to movement-building by anarchists. 00:02:23.010 --> 00:02:24.878 i am a self-identified anarchist. 00:02:24.878 --> 00:02:26.146 There are countless examples, 00:02:26.146 --> 00:02:29.116 but one that i will provide that is current is the Olympic Tent Village 00:02:29.116 --> 00:02:32.886 because its being thrown around a whole lot in the context of this debate. 00:02:32.886 --> 00:02:36.690 Um, as people know, the Olympic Tent Village is happening right now at 58 West Hastings, 00:02:36.690 --> 00:02:40.360 on a Concord Pacific lot thats currently being leased out by VANOC. 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:44.398 And a anarchist, self-identified anarchist, members who engage in black bloc actions 00:02:44.398 --> 00:02:45.883 have put in countless hours. 00:02:45.883 --> 00:02:48.669 And by countless hours, i mean 16 hour days, 00:02:48.669 --> 00:02:51.405 to contribute to the tent village. 00:02:51.405 --> 00:02:53.640 That includes graveyard shifts to do security, 00:02:53.640 --> 00:02:55.976 and this might, um, be a surprise to someone, 00:02:55.976 --> 00:02:58.245 but that includes de-escalation with law enforcement, 00:02:58.245 --> 00:03:01.394 which the black bloc is completely capable of doing; 00:03:01.394 --> 00:03:04.218 construction, cooking, and cleanup of the site, 00:03:04.218 --> 00:03:07.287 under the leadership of DTES residents and elders. 00:03:07.287 --> 00:03:09.423 So i want to take a moment here to thank everyone, 00:03:09.423 --> 00:03:13.427 particularly black bloc, and black bloc identified anarchists 00:03:13.427 --> 00:03:16.869 who are supporting the DTES tent village. 00:03:20.601 --> 00:03:23.732 As someone who is on the site over 20 hours a day, 00:03:23.732 --> 00:03:26.425 i can say that sadly the same cannot be said to be true 00:03:26.425 --> 00:03:28.809 of those who appear to be strategically utilizing actions like the tent city 00:03:28.809 --> 00:03:31.430 and debates about movement-building. 00:03:35.899 --> 00:03:37.050 Finally, one of the -- 00:03:37.050 --> 00:03:38.585 im talking generally here-- 00:03:38.585 --> 00:03:41.121 finally, one of the criticisms of the black bloc tactic 00:03:41.121 --> 00:03:43.490 is that it is undertaken by predominantly white males 00:03:43.490 --> 00:03:45.025 and therefore inherently oppressive, 00:03:45.025 --> 00:03:46.827 is inherently opporessive to women of colour, 00:03:46.827 --> 00:03:48.762 and indigenous women in particular. 00:03:48.762 --> 00:03:51.565 As a woman of colour with a myriad of precarious systemic barriers 00:03:51.565 --> 00:03:53.400 including legal status and health, 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:54.535 and i can only speak for myself, 00:03:54.535 --> 00:03:58.005 but i can say that the black bloc tactic does not in itself oppress me, 00:03:58.005 --> 00:04:00.741 or render me more vulnerable in protests. 00:04:00.741 --> 00:04:04.144 So id appreciate it if other white men did not make such pronouncements on my behalf, 00:04:04.144 --> 00:04:08.248 or decide what would keep me safe. 00:04:08.248 --> 00:04:09.383 And perhaps instead they can focus 00:04:09.383 --> 00:04:13.854 on their own organizational and personal patterns of dominance and privilege. 00:04:13.854 --> 00:04:15.489 So that being said, i want to make 10 quick points 00:04:15.489 --> 00:04:18.225 on the black bloc. 00:04:18.225 --> 00:04:20.714 First of all, the black bloc is a tactic. 00:04:20.714 --> 00:04:23.639 Like any other tactic, it cannot be judged in itself, 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:26.900 but can only be judged as part of a spectrum of a much broader movement, 00:04:26.900 --> 00:04:30.637 and as part of a spectrum of tactics that we all engage in. 00:04:30.637 --> 00:04:33.307 Um, the black bloc has various utilities, 00:04:33.307 --> 00:04:35.509 both defensive and offensive. 00:04:35.509 --> 00:04:37.044 I think one point thats often missed, 00:04:37.044 --> 00:04:41.381 is the defensive strategies around the black bloc. 00:04:41.381 --> 00:04:45.385 As people know, a lot of black bloc activity which predates the Heart Attack action, 00:04:45.385 --> 00:04:48.222 going back to the '70's and '80's in Europe, 00:04:48.222 --> 00:04:52.664 includes really important actions including de-arresting comrades, 00:04:52.664 --> 00:04:56.396 and the very basic principle of "no comrade left behind", 00:04:56.396 --> 00:05:00.652 that we do not leave people in the police lines 00:05:00.652 --> 00:05:01.468 and decide to flee, 00:05:01.468 --> 00:05:03.971 and for that the black bloc is deeply courageous, 00:05:03.971 --> 00:05:07.140 and i think the idea that they are simply testosterone driven, 00:05:07.140 --> 00:05:10.711 um, is a smear tactic that i dont think we can buy into, 00:05:10.711 --> 00:05:12.346 because from my perspective, 00:05:12.346 --> 00:05:16.395 whether or not i choose to engage in black bloc actions and black bloc activities, 00:05:16.395 --> 00:05:19.089 the fact that there are comrades who are willing to stand in the front lines, 00:05:19.089 --> 00:05:25.669 and defend other comrades is deeply courageous and absolutely demands our support. 00:05:28.562 --> 00:05:31.131 In terms of issues, just realted to that, 00:05:31.131 --> 00:05:34.735 i want to quote Barbara Eherenheich, 00:05:34.735 --> 00:05:37.771 who suggests that one of the biggest utilities of the black bloc 00:05:37.771 --> 00:05:42.409 is it really "breaks the heavily ritualized nature of modern civil disobedience". 00:05:42.409 --> 00:05:45.913 And when we talk about tactics, 00:05:45.913 --> 00:05:50.317 we have to be able to gauge black bloc tactic amongst many other tactics. 00:05:50.317 --> 00:05:53.320 So the fact that other tactics may or may not be more effective 00:05:53.320 --> 00:05:57.758 does not in itself render the black bloc tactic any less effective. 00:05:57.758 --> 00:05:59.493 I think thats important to state. 00:05:59.493 --> 00:06:03.163 Um, because its all been reduced to whether window smashing is effective or not, 00:06:03.163 --> 00:06:06.200 and i think that as a starting point is fundamentally problematic 00:06:06.200 --> 00:06:08.869 because this movement is about more than window breaking, 00:06:08.869 --> 00:06:11.859 and is also about window breaking. 00:06:14.775 --> 00:06:18.879 In terms of the protest tactic of the black bloc, 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:21.148 um, i want to touch on a second point, 00:06:21.148 --> 00:06:24.551 or sorry, i want to finish on that point in terms of the black bloc tactic and the mask, 00:06:24.551 --> 00:06:26.320 because Derrick brought up specifically 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:28.555 a point of anonymity. 00:06:28.555 --> 00:06:30.324 And i think that the fact that people are anonymous 00:06:30.324 --> 00:06:34.494 in not simply,um, unique to the black bloc, 00:06:34.494 --> 00:06:36.597 as we know, people don masks around the world, 00:06:36.597 --> 00:06:39.900 probably the most romanticized of which is the Zapatistas, 00:06:39.900 --> 00:06:44.204 um, yknow, and if we're going to be able to have solidarity with global struggles, 00:06:44.204 --> 00:06:48.976 we have to understand that the reasons for wearing a mask are the same, 00:06:48.976 --> 00:06:51.178 whether its in Chiapas, in Palestine, 00:06:51.178 --> 00:06:52.813 or its the black bloc on our streets. 00:06:52.813 --> 00:06:55.449 State surveillance, and state policing 00:06:55.449 --> 00:06:57.317 particularly in the context of the olympics, 00:06:57.317 --> 00:07:01.628 where people have had visits by the vancouver integrated security unit, 00:07:01.628 --> 00:07:03.957 means that people need to protect themselves. 00:07:03.957 --> 00:07:06.126 To me, the black bloc is not anonymous, 00:07:06.126 --> 00:07:07.327 it's a tactic, 00:07:07.327 --> 00:07:09.530 and the members of the black bloc are people that are known to me, 00:07:09.530 --> 00:07:11.098 if people want to come down to tent village, 00:07:11.098 --> 00:07:13.382 youll prbably meet many of them. 00:07:14.334 --> 00:07:18.505 Um, my 2nd point that i want to make in terms of the black bloc, 00:07:18.505 --> 00:07:21.175 and i wont spend much time on it, cuz i dont think theres much debate here, 00:07:21.175 --> 00:07:24.945 and that is if the black bloc engages in violent tactics. 00:07:24.945 --> 00:07:27.948 and you know, the only response ir eally care to make to that, 00:07:27.948 --> 00:07:31.151 is that we're asking the wrong side the question about violence. 00:07:31.151 --> 00:07:33.287 If we're going to talk about violence, 00:07:33.287 --> 00:07:35.622 we need to be talking about corporate sponsors, 00:07:35.622 --> 00:07:37.024 we need to be talking about the state, 00:07:37.024 --> 00:07:38.458 we need to be talking about the military, 00:07:38.458 --> 00:07:40.160 we need to be talking about the police 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:43.630 who daily commit violence on people. 00:07:43.630 --> 00:07:46.433 As far as we know, not a single individual, and not a single animal 00:07:46.433 --> 00:07:49.925 has been harmed in black bloc tactics. 00:07:49.925 --> 00:07:52.739 What has been harmed is lifeless windows. 00:07:52.739 --> 00:07:53.740 Ok? 00:07:53.740 --> 00:07:56.310 So lets be very clear about what we talk about violence 00:07:56.310 --> 00:08:00.247 before we start to perpetuate mainstream media rhetoric about violence, 00:08:00.247 --> 00:08:04.906 and play into and feed into our enemys rhetoric. 00:08:05.808 --> 00:08:08.255 The 3rd point, and ive already talked about this, 00:08:08.255 --> 00:08:11.925 and that is that all tactics should be judged from the same starting point. 00:08:11.925 --> 00:08:14.561 And i think this is for me the crux of the argument. 00:08:14.561 --> 00:08:20.234 For me, its not that black bloc tactics in specific contexts are immune from criticism. 00:08:20.234 --> 00:08:23.504 If people have criticisms about the 13th that are involved in organizing-- 00:08:23.504 --> 00:08:26.604 i need water, im really worked up-- 00:08:30.410 --> 00:08:32.379 If people have criticisms about the 13th, 00:08:32.379 --> 00:08:34.548 then lets talk about specific criticisms, 00:08:34.548 --> 00:08:35.967 but all that we have seen 00:08:35.967 --> 00:08:40.153 is a general denunciation of property destruction. 00:08:40.153 --> 00:08:43.935 And as far as im concerned every tactic is immune to criticism, 00:08:43.935 --> 00:08:45.559 that includes if we're gonna have mass rallies, 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:47.494 where politicians are given a free stage to speak, 00:08:47.494 --> 00:08:52.966 despite their daily obscenities and the daily violence that politicians in this government 00:08:52.966 --> 00:08:54.701 are responsible for. 00:08:54.701 --> 00:08:59.973 We can talk about the fact that, you know, symbolic rallies once a year are equally ineffective. 00:08:59.973 --> 00:09:01.441 So if we're going to talk about ineffectiveness, 00:09:01.441 --> 00:09:08.023 we need to be able to have the same starting point for every single tactic. 00:09:09.316 --> 00:09:10.717 And from everything that ive seen, 00:09:11.517 --> 00:09:13.564 we dont have these debates. 00:09:13.564 --> 00:09:14.388 im thankful for this debate, 00:09:14.388 --> 00:09:16.890 but the next time that theres a rally at the vancovuer art gallery 00:09:16.890 --> 00:09:18.859 appealing for a national housing strategy, 00:09:18.859 --> 00:09:21.128 lets talk about its effectiveness, right? 00:09:21.128 --> 00:09:24.029 Lets not condemn it, let's talk about its effectiveness. 00:09:25.499 --> 00:09:27.067 And i think thats important to state, 00:09:27.067 --> 00:09:30.537 because everything that is happening in terms of denouncing black bloc tactics 00:09:30.537 --> 00:09:34.608 relies on simplistic characatures about what it means. 00:09:34.608 --> 00:09:38.645 All it relies on is these characatures of white, young, males who are hooded in black 00:09:38.645 --> 00:09:40.647 and go around and smash shit. 00:09:40.647 --> 00:09:42.749 And black bloc tactics is so much more than that, 00:09:42.749 --> 00:09:46.153 this is a strategy that is part of a movement. 00:09:46.153 --> 00:09:49.389 Um, and we cant romanticize or generalize either way, right? 00:09:49.389 --> 00:09:50.290 So tactics can be effective, 00:09:50.290 --> 00:09:51.291 they can be ineffective, 00:09:51.291 --> 00:09:53.245 but inherently they are neither.