In Other Media

Concerning the Violent Peace Police by David Graeber

from n+1 An open letter to Chris Hedges I am writing this on the premise that you are a well-meaning person who wishes Occupy Wall Street to succeed. I am also writing as someone who was deeply involved in the early stages of planning Occupy in New York. I am also an anarchist who has participated in many Black Blocs. While I have never personally engaged in acts of property destruction, I have on more than one occasion taken part in Blocs where property damage has occurred. (I have taken … Continued

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Hedge’s Hypocrisies: The Surgeons of Occupy

from Counterpunch by PETER GELDERLOOS In his February 6 article entitled, “The Cancer of Occupy,”Chris Hedges attempts to analyze the political beliefs and practices of the black bloc, a group he characterizes as the scourge of the Occupy movement. Although Mr. Hedges evidently conducted at least a little to research his article, he does not quote a single proponent or participant of a black bloc, neither within the Occupy movement nor from any of the many other black blocs that have been organized in the United States. Such research would … Continued

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Chris Hedges’ Very Public Meltdown

From Daily Kos Many people have been taken aback by Chris Hedges’ vehement and incendiary denunciation of “the Black Bloc anarchists” in his latest Truthdig effort titled “The Cancer in Occupy.” While Hedges has long been known for pulling no rhetorical punches when it comes to the High and the Mighty, the Ruling Elites, the Liberal Class, and so forth, this piece seems distinctly out of character for him. As a rule, he does not attack the powerless, nor does he dispute the necessity for rebels and activists to “stand … Continued

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To Be Fair, He Is a Journalist: A Short Response to Chris Hedges on the Black Bloc

by Don Gato of Facing Reality It was a little weird to wake up today to an article by Chris Hedges on a website called “Truth-Out” when “truth” is in such short supply in the piece. Hedges was trained as a journalist and worked for years at such luminaries of lies like the New York Times, so it shouldn’t be a secret where he’s gotten his sensationalism, his tendency to lie, his hyperbole, and, most of all, his seeming inability to do rudimentary research. Nonetheless, when activist celebrities like Hedges … Continued

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Hedging Our Bets on the Black Bloc

from infoshop news Chris Hedges has written some of the most insightful analysis of the U.S. war machine in recent years. His 2009 book “The Empire of Illusion” was an exploration of how exhibition has eclipsed truth and meaningful connection in American society. His acknowledgment of the ease in which one can buy into such spectacles is a small part of why it was so odd to read his article on Truthdig attacking both anarchists and black bloc tactics entitled “The Cancer in Occupy.” It is patently clear that Hedges’ … Continued

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Many Arrested, But Few Charged

Eleven Occupy protesters ordered to stay away from Oakland City Hall and the Convention Reposted from Bay Citizen By Aaron Glantz on January 31, 2012 – 8:05 p.m. PST 7 Updated Feb. 1, 2012, 10:15 a.m. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley has decided to charge just 12 of the 409 people arrested during an Occupy Oakland protest last Saturday, her office announced Tuesday. Prosecutors charged four people with felonies and eight with misdemeanors. None of the four facing felony charges is from Oakland, according to information provided by the … Continued

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Occupy Oakland Mass Arrest Leads to Only 12 Charges

The largest mass arrest in 30 years in Alameda County led to only 12 people charged with crimes. Reposted from NBC news By Chris Roberts |  Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012 A total of 409 people were arrested Saturday during an Occupy Oakland demonstration that devolved into clashes between police and protesters. Of those, only 12 were charged with crimes by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, according to the Bay Citizen. Eleven demonstrators were slapped with stay away orders, which means they face legal action if found within 300 feet … Continued

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Occupy Oakland and State Repression

Re-posted from Counterpunch January 31, 2012 by MIKE KING A crowd of several hundred quickly swelled to a couple thousand, as Occupy Oakland attempted to occupy the vacant Kaiser Convention Center.  The goal was to use it as an indoor base for Occupy Oakland – a place to have General Assemblies and meetings, share food and get shelter for the winter.  This was in keeping with what Occupy Oakland has always done, a goal that is simple, though not simple enough for the mainstream media to understand and honestly report.  … Continued

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Charges Dropped Against Many Occupy Protesters Arrested In Oakland

February 1, 2012 8:12 AM Reporting Chris Filippi KCBS OAKLAND (KCBS) – Charges were dropped against many of the more than 400 people who were arrested on Saturday during a daylong Occupy Oakland protest. A spokesperson for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said that eight protesters are facing misdemeanor charges while four are accused of felonies. Those include allegations of interfering with or assaulting a police officer. KCBS’ Chris Filippi Reports: Charges Dropped Against Many Occupy Protesters Arrested In Oakland The other protesters are being released but could be … Continued

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Deadly Secrets: How California Law Has Shielded Oakland Police Violence

Reposted from Colorlines This story was produced with the support of the Investigative Fund of the Nation Institute and the Investigative Reporting Program at UC-Berkeley. March 21, 2009, was one of the bloodiest days in the history of the Oakland Police Department and California law enforcement. It began with a trifle: Two traffic officers, Sergeant Mark Dunakin and Officer John Hege, pulled over 26-year-old parolee Lovelle Mixon for running a traffic light. After Dunakin radioed in Mixon’s driver’s license and learned it was fake, both officers approached the car with the … Continued

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