Posts by Rich Lock
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redacted as the attachment button appears to have stopped working.
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
during the Northern Ireland troubles there were around 30,000 security force members, 70,000 Sinn Fein supporters and maybe 400 hardcore IRA operators.
I'd say that's probably a very good example for Ben's zerging. The 400 (or cells/portions thereof) were able to effectively mass portions of the 70,000 when required. If I recall correctly, at one time it was a standard IRA tactic to incite a riot, wait for the security forces to turn up to contain it, and then take a few potshots at the squaddies.
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Russell Brown,
Just out of interest, how does Blackberry messaging work?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry_Messenger
Vaugely surprised that it's as popular as it seems to be in the UK. Hardly anyone in NZ seems to be using a blackberry now that smartphones are widely available.
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Rich Lock,
And I hope you'll both excuse me if I'm a little snappy - I'm a little on edge because I'm in the same position as Craig, having family and friends living in several of the areas now getting mentioned.
Perhaps some music will calm me down...
Maybe not...
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Russell Brown,
I recall the local anarchists always being very keen to run the police, and to organize to do so, and I do think that's where that flyer will have come from.
Yes, but they would generally put themselves in a situation (that someone else had organised) where they thought they could engineer a confrontation, rather than organise the underlying situation itself.
Essentially, small teams self-organize, a pack of idiots tend to zerg up, not realizing that the smaller teams can pretty much dictate where those packs go simply by communicating effectively.
You're right. However, I'll go on record now and state that I will be very surprised if it turns out that there are small hardcore teams operating in the shadows, effectively attempting to carry out their agenda by zerging the packs of idiots. I think it's a lot more spontaneous and disorganised than that.
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to George Darroch,
I reckon that's entirely post-facto. Militant anarchists might feel good about this, but there's little to suggest that there's been anything that follows their methods. No black-bloc style work, very little anti-capitalist intent actually on the streets.
Agreed, but also it's not out of line with what Russell was suggesting. The modus operandi of a lot of the Anarchist groups (and also Socialist Worker) in the UK was to piggyback on the single-issue causes that they knew would be popular and attract numbers. There would be large numbers at Anti-Fascist and Anti-Globalisation* demos such as 'reclaim the streets'. They weren't involved in the organising or stewarding in any way: they just turned up and looked for opportunities. The leafleting is entirely typical in that respect, and about as organised as they got.
*Yes, I know anti-globalisation isn't a single-issue subject. But that's an argument for another day.
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Idiot Savant,
Or, to put it another way, by the police failing in their duty of care towards those in their custody. It is largely a failure of police attitudes, of them not giving a shit.
I did intend to imply that in my response, yes. But I also wasn't too impressed by the implication in Vangams original post that it was all a variant on the old 'falling down a flight of stairs' trick.
And I hope you'll both excuse me if I'm a little snappy - I'm a little on edge because I'm in the same position as Craig, having family and friends living in several of the areas now getting mentioned.
Witness David Francis reports rioting in Camberwell Green, South London. He says he was punched in the face by "what felt like very reals pearls wrapped around a masked rioters' fist."
My old manor...
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Jean Hughes,
the weather was very hot and humid then too, a combination that is explosive for those with no control over either.
Summer of Discontent!
First! Copyright!
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to vangam,
How exactly does one die in custody from alcohol/drug abuse?
By throwing up in their own throat in an unmonitored cell and suffocating on it.
Does that answer your question?
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to BenWilson,
as Russell honestly notes, quite exciting. People realizing that their potential to cause damage can lead to real social change is empowering to them.
I suspect most of those involved aren't considering anything beyond the enormous rush. And the possibility of getting some new trainers.
As well as missing a couple of riots, I've also been caught up in a couple. I haven't really got the right words to describe the crowd dynamics and volatile atmosphere, but the punch-in-the-gut adrenaline ride you experience as a participant, even an unwilling and involuntary one.....