I got an email the other day. It’s from a group claiming to be anarchists, claiming to be planning to disrupt the Republican National Convention next year.
“Highlights”:
!!BEAT THE REPUBLICANS TO THE PUNCH!!
In case you haven’t heard, the stage is already being set for the republicans visit in 2008. August 31st through September 3rd of 2007 (that’s Labor day weekend for all of you making big BBQ plans) will be the twin-cities pReNC. We want you to come, have fun, learn, plan, and share with us. You can get to know our cities, see all the great stuff we have going on, and take part in planning for the main event in 2008.
Don’t wait for the pReNC, however. Start thinking about what you want to see NOW and come with ideas to work with. We are putting up ride and housing boards soon. They will be linked off our website with a lot of other good stuff at www.nornc.org.
It’d almost be interesting to sign up to house some of these people. Lotta good info there.
Below is an agenda. We have a weekend of events planned, but we still want you to teach a workshop or organize an event. We have some ideas of the
sort of things we want, but if you have something special please let us know and we will do what we can to make it happen. Some of our ideas include: Un-arresting/ Street tactics, Gas masks, Medic training, Self defense training, Protest 101, Know your rights, DIY riot gear, Squatting basics, Urban gardens, etc. We will also set aside space for guerrilla workshops during the weekend.!!THIS TIME THE REVOLUTION’S GETTING AN EARLY START!!
And y’all know how I love it when Muffy and Joshua start talking “revolution”.
Seriously; the Saint Paul City Council – dominated as it is by far-left DFLers who romanticize the Sixties and its so-called protest culture – passed a resolution welcoming protesters to the RNC. Now, of course they’re referring to the legal ones. But while the police departments from both cities have made noises about dealing with the loonies who are likely to accompany the legitimate protesters, neither City Council has resolved to explicitly condemn and “un-welcome” those planning to disrupt either the convention or the rest of the city’s daily life.
Which isn’t to say that at least some of their hearts aren’t in the right place; at least one St. Paul City Council member has voiced disdain for the “anarchists” in a non-official capacity.
So why not make it official? Why not stand on the side of an orderly practice of the democratic process?
Here is some of what we have planned so far:
FRIDAY AUGUST 31ST
12:00am to 5:00pm at the Jack pine Community Center
Pick up a “welcoming guide” with the weekends plans. There will be snacks
and nice people. Stop by when you get into town so we can get an idea
of numbers and you can have updated information. We will also be giving
radical bike tours throughout the afternoon.
I might just take that afternoon off. A “radical bike tour” sounds like fun.
4:30
at Loring Park
A pre-Critical Mass discussion on de-arresting. We don’t want anyone in jail
for this super fun weekend so let’s figure out how to look out for each other.
This, I want to attend.
As well as this:
9:00pm and on
EVERYWHERE
Night games!
Hm.
And finally:
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 3RD
10:00am starting location TBA
Intelligence/info gathering march through St. Paul. NO CHANTS ALLOWED.
March through St. Paul and gather information, take measurements, check
drain covers etc.
Drain covers?
Someone wanna ‘splain me that one?
RNC Welcoming Committee
Come visit in September 2008!
It might just be time to start organizing the counterprotests.
anarchists, claiming to be planning
Anarchists…..planning……..that always cracks me up.
Muffy and Jeff. Revolution. The World Can’t Wait, you know.
Mitch, are you familiar with “Protest Warrior”? Very effective conservative counter-demonstrators. We may need to get something going with them. The lefties hate counter-demonstrators.
“super fun weekend”
What, was this written by giggly 14 year old girls?
Never mind. I think I answered my own question.
What a sorry group of “anarchists”. In the traditional socialist sense of the word this means they reject organizations beyond their labor affiliation. No traditional government, only unions, or “workers collectives”.
Do any of these people even have jobs? Other than applying for grants or working an email list?
Mitch, are you familiar with “Protest Warrior”? Very effective conservative counter-demonstrators. We may need to get something going with them. The lefties hate counter-demonstrators.
As co-leader of the MN chapter of Protest Warrior, I can tell you that we are planning on being there!
Gee, I thought conservatives were too busy with jobs and whatnot for protesting.
Will this be a NARN subject this Saturday? I noticed your broadcast partner also posted about this today: Visiting Misery On The Twin Cities.
Count on it.
Gee, I thought conservatives were too busy with jobs and whatnot for protesting.
We have the elite jobs where there’s lots of vacation!!!
“Gee, I thought conservatives were too busy with jobs and whatnot for protesting.”
I live 12 minutes from downtown St Paul. Can make it work without missing any time on the job.
And I do have over 2 months of vaca time built up. Can save some of that for next year.
“As co-leader of the MN chapter of Protest Warrior, I can tell you that we are planning on being there!”
Hey Brad, I may have to join the organization. I always find conservative protesters to be most polite and reasonable. Make a statement not just with the signs, but with behavior.
I live a ten minute drive or a 20 minute bus ride from the convo site.
I’ll have about three weeks extra vaca built up by then.
I think I can manage.
I’ve done a PW event and our impromptu counter protest this spring. I’d like to make this one too.
Elite jobs give you plenty of vacation, Drab, but you’re too important to take it. And two months saved up, Chuckwagon?
Sounds like both you guys have state jobs.
Negative on the gov’t job, just don’t take much vaca. Actually the hours are long but flexible here. Need a day off….fine as most of us work far more then 40 hours anyway, so don’t always have to use vaca time, so it builds up.
Perhaps Shotinthedark can be a clearinghouse for PW info.
…..but you’re too important to take it.
Bet me!! I was on vacation all last week.
I get a pretty darn good retirement plan, great health & dental plans, 21 days of vacation/year, and full time wages, yet I only have to work 12 days each month. Did I mention I’m in the top income quintile?
Gotta love that secret republican handshake.
I’m in (ProtestWarrior alumni). 🙂
The first official Protest Warrior gathering took place in October 2004 at the “Vote for Change” concert in St Paul.
Video footage and pictures of the get-together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjOOdJlguvY
http://www.starbittrune.com/pw/Small/pw.html
Count me in. We need to organize bloggers and others to EXPOSE the protesters.
“NO CHANTS ALLOWED”???
What? Do they really think that nobody will notice a group of beatnicks measuring drain covers and asking about PD patrol frequencies in our state capital city?
Oh yeah, they might not be beatnicks. I apolgise to the beatnick community for thinking that they might hate Republicans, or conspire against them.
Perhaps I can infiltrate as an undercover investigator so I don’t have to use any of my 3 weeks of vacation. 😉 Working for a living doth have it’s benefits.
Guys, I’m definitely in with PW also.
The MSM loves left wing protestors. And those types love the attention, therefore hate competition.
I remeber I stood holding a PW sign during the counterprotest and a prematurely greying birkenstock wearer looked at me quizzically and asked if I was getting paid to do this.
Just saw this in your original post
“a group claiming to be anarchists” THAT pegs the cognitive dissonance meter
I bet if you attended one of these anarchist gatherings & punched out someone they would call the cops.