(en) Australia, Brisbane, Media, Anarchist Black Bloc would protest G20

Protesters linked to the Black Bloc movement targeted the G20 summit in Toronto in 2010.
The high-profile Black Bloc anarchist protest group is likely to be in Brisbane for 
November's G20 Leaders' Summit, a researcher into previous G20 summits in Toronto and 
London believes. ---- Associate Professor Janet Ransley, who heads Griffith University's 
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, believes the ease of travel makes it more 
likely that Black Bloc members ? anarchist anti-capitalism protesters ? could come to 
Australia for the Brisbane G20. ---- "I think it would be naive to think that Black Bloc 
and some of those groups are not mobilising," Professor Ransley said. ---- "I know there 
has been some chatter on social media about them trying to get a presence in Brisbane."

Professor Ransley said not all Black Bloc protest participants were "super violent".

"There's peaceful anarchists as well as violent anarchists," she said.

"The challenge for police is to work out which ones are the real danger and which ones 
simply want to be there."

Black Bloc is a loose association of anti-capitalism protesters that began in Europe in 
the 1980s and operates now more as a tactic against police than as a strict organisation.

Black Bloc protested at Melbourne's 2006 G20 conference, one organiser told security 
writer Clive Williams from Macquarie University in 2011.

"One of the Melbourne demonstration organisers, Mick Armstrong, noted 'I was one of the 
organisers of the G20 demo from the Stop the War coalition and I am also in Socialist 
Alternative'," he told Professor Williams.

Professor Ransley said Black Bloc commonly protested in Europe, Britain and North America 
against what it believed were the adverse effects of capitalism after the global financial 
crisis in the late 2000s.

She said they were seen during several of the Occupy protests in North America in recent 
years.

Occupy has raised its profile in south-east Queensland in the past two years, camping in 
Post Office Square in Brisbane in 2011 as "Occupy Brisbane" before being evicted.

For G20, Occupy Brisbane is working under the banner of the Brisbane Community Action 
Network-G20 group, going by the name BrisCAN-G20.

BrisCAN-G20 is a group of community groups that have organised one large G20 protest march 
on Saturday, November 15, which leaves Roma Street Forum at 11am.

They have also organised a three-day "people's alternative G20", including indigenous, 
climate change and civil rights speakers from November 12-14, immediately before the G20 
leaders' forum.

The G20 summit runs from Friday, November 14-16 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition 
Centre.

Spokesman Max Riethmuller said Occupy Brisbane doubted that Black Bloc would be coming to 
Brisbane, but agreed with Professor Ransley that it was naive to rule it out.

"I think it unlikely that Black Bloc will appear for a number of reasons," Mr Riethmuller 
said.

"We are not ruling it out, however.

"But there has been a softening in the anti-global agenda in recent times and we've also 
heard that Black Bloc aren't interested because it is too far away and it is not worth the 
investment in time and energy."

He said, though, that these were just rumours.

"We think that is possible that they will turn up. It is certainly naive to say that it is 
not possible," Mr Riethmuller said.

He said Occupy Brisbane and BrisCAN-G20 were interested only in putting an alternative to 
the G20 world leaders' summit.

"We are not out there to cause trouble," he said.

"We would rather stimulate a positive debate - and in terms of the march ? we want to get 
people questioning the existing paradigm.

"But we don't want to replace it with one that is just as violent."

He said if Black Bloc protesters appeared it would be a matter for police.

"We just want to have our say. If other people turn up and cause trouble, then it is 
between them and the authorities."

Police say 21 protest groups have registered to demonstrate at the G20 leaders' forum.

Assistant Commissioner Katarina Carroll, who heads the Queensland Police G20 Group, said 
while they had been given the heads-up on 21 protests, more clandestine protests were likely.

"I definitely expect that and, for those groups, we're purposely reaching out to them," 
she said.

"...But I do expect, like any major event, that there will be some groups that are unknown 
to us until very late in the day."

Ms Carroll said police were aware of protests planned up to a week before the November 
15-16 summit.

She said enhanced police powers were already in place through amendments to the G20 
(Safety and Security) Act, which was passed in State Parliament last October.

Anarchy on the streets of Brisbane: Protesters vow to 'smash the G20' summit next month 
with violent demonstrations, while police launch a special court for mass arrests
Local activist factions are planning violent protests
An activist medic team has launched to treat protesters on site
Police have planned a 24 hour special court in Brisbane
Experts believe notorious international groups such as Black Bloc could be mobilising for 
the event
G20 meetings have been met with large scale riots in the past

A number of online anarchist groups have emerged, threatening to hold violent protests 
before and during next month's G20 summit in Brisbane.
The news comes as authorities announced plans for a 24-hour court to deal with the 
expected mass arrests.
Numerous groups have launched online campaigns threatening violence, with one saying that 
vandalism is 'not violent protest'.

The court, which will open on November 10, mirrors the approach of Toronto police during 
the 2010 summit, when 1100 people were arrested and dealt with in a specialised court.
One group, calling itself Plan B, says it opposes the G20 group of nations, who will meet 
on November 15-16 at Brisbane's Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Anonymous anarchists have posted on their website: 'We are encouraging individuals and 
groups to take action which they see as effective and necessary given their circumstances. 
We do not see property destruction as an inherently violent act.'
In a separate post, they wrote: 'While the p**s are helplessly patrolling the streets of 
Brisbane's CBD in their ridiculous armour with their intimidating vehicles, decentralised 
waves of creation and destruction will ebb and flow right across the country.'
Other groups such as the Autonomous Action Radio, which broadcasts a weekly community 
radio show, has created posters which are on display across Brisbane depicting 
balaclava-clad protesters throwing objects and toppling over bins.

The poster carries the accompanying message 'Smash the G20. For decentralised attacks on 
capital in mid-November: Capitalism is stumbling, let's make sure it falls. '
Another recently formed group is the Brisbane Street Medics, who say they are 'Street 
Medics serving the activist community in Brisbane, Australia,' on their official Facebook 
page.
In addition to local factions, there are concerns that notorious international groups such 
as Black Bloc, thought to be responsible for the riot in the 2010 G20 summit in Toronto, 
are attempting to mobilise in Brisbane.
Associate Professor Janet Ransley, who heads Griffith University's School of Criminology 
and Criminal Justice, told Brisbane Times 'I think it would be naive to think that Black 
Bloc and some of those groups are not mobilising.
'I know there has been some chatter on social media about them trying to get a presence in 
Brisbane.' Ms Ransley said.
Assistant Commissioner Katarina Carroll, who is responsible for the Queensland police's 
response to the G20 protests, says they will keep a close eye on all the groups involved.
'Our top priority at all times is to ensure that members of the Queensland community are 
safe. Our top priority at all times is to ensure that members of the Queensland community 
are safe,' Ms Carroll said.
There are currently 21 planned protests to the event, but more clandestine are radical 
protests are expected to appear on the day.
The 2010 G20 Toronto summit protests saw $750,000 worth of damage wreaked on the streets, 
including police cars being set ablaze and mass looting of stores.