[I originally posted this in chapotraphouse, but it was deleted for being “pro-cop” even though that very much wasn’t the case. (I believe PSL was actually involved in organizing the protest if I’m not mistaken.) The mod that deleted it openly broke the sectarian rule too.]
Been seeing a lot of people hating on what the protest marshals did during the pro-Gaza protests at the DNC and I feel they definitely did the right thing. Instigating stuff like going up against the cops under the guise of “revolutionary” action just gets a lot of people arrested and doesn’t accomplish anything.
EDIT: Users who were present at the protests have said, counter to what is claimed in the screenshot, that the protest marshals did NOT call for the police. Thank you for clearing this up, comrades!
like fuck, maybe fighting cops isn't always about Doing The Revolution. maybe i just want to fight a cop. maybe i don't like how he's looking at me. what fucking business is it of yours? whose side are you fucking on?
Fine for you, I guess. Not fine for the other people present who don’t want things to escalate that way.
A person being violent is not forcing everyone in the vicinity to be violent.
A "protest marshal" corraling someone for the police is an attempt to force them to be nonviolent.
Do you understand the difference here in terms of autonomy and coercion?
You probably have "but the media will smear everyone as being violent" up your sleeve. Sure, that can and will happen. A corollary of this is that they don't even need any real material; cops could send anyone in to throw hands or rocks and invoke the same media treatment on a 100% peaceful protest.
I wish you well. I'm a fucking coward. Given how Illinois cops will execute a woman for leaving on a kettle, not sure how much I got it in me to throw hands.