(en) Alt. media - Book Review: Who's Afraid of the Black Blocs ? by Ruhe

Who?s Afraid of the Black Blocs? Anarchy in Action Around the World by Francis Dupuis-D?ri 
is an attempt to objectively explore and examine the black bloc tactic by casting aside 
the stereotypes and political dismissals common both in the mainstream media and amongst 
various radical groups. The book draws on extensive research including interviews with 
black bloc participants in various actions over the past 15 years (the Quebec student 
strike in 2012, the Toronto G20 Summit in 2010, the ?vian G8 Meeting in 2003, and the 
Quebec City Summit of the Americas in 2001), research into publications (communiqu?s, 
zines, etc) by black bloc participants, and observations garnered from the street. ---- 
The author?Francis Dupuis-D?ri?has been a close observer of black blocs and a participant 
in anti-capitalist politics, having been a member of the Convergence des luttes 
anticapitalistes (CLAC) in Montreal. The 2013 edition of this book is a completely revised 
English version of a book that was originally published in French in 2003.

The English edition offers entirely new perspectives, taking into account recent mass 
protests and new uses of the black bloc?effectively showing that the tactic, while always 
evolving, has remained a constant feature of anarchist street protests across the world 
for nearly 15 years. In the end, Dupuis-D?ri shows that the black bloc is a serious 
manifestation of anarchist beliefs and that as one of the more visible manifestation of 
anarchist politics, it is worthy of a nuanced exploration that moves beyond shallow analysis.

An Introduction for the Uninitiated

At its core, Who?s Afraid of the Black Blocs? provides an introduction to the black bloc 
tactic and the anarchist ideas that generally accompany it. The author gets the basics 
right, accurately describing the tactic, explaining its use, and making tentative 
statements about the politics of the black bloc. Whereas countless others over the 
years?from critics on the left to government agencies?have sought to portray the black 
bloc as a formal group, Dupuis-D?ri avoids making that mistake. Instead, the author 
explains that black blocs differ dramatically from bloc to bloc and that they tend to be 
an assemblage of affinity groups or individuals, depending on the level of organizing that 
has been done in advance. They can range from a dozen people to hundreds, with purposes 
that range from defense of demonstrations to aggressive attacks against property and police.

The author traces the history of the black bloc tactic to the autonomous movement that 
emerged in Germany in the early 1980s (24). The autonomous movement was an 
anti-authoritarian movement that blended a variety of ideological influences?Marxism, 
radical feminism, anarchism, and environmentalism?while advocating for a politics based on 
individual and collective autonomy in the ?here and now? (24-25). In practice, this meant 
rent strikes and squatting buildings which the movement used to develop a number of 
different hubs of activity from cafes and meeting spaces to infoshops (25). Black blocs 
originally grew out of street confrontations aimed at defending squats and attacking 
fascists, with the term being used to describe the autonomen would show up with a variety 
of helmets, shields, clubs, and projectiles and combat the police (25). According to 
Dupuis-D?ri, the tactic spread to North America through ?the punk and far left or 
ultra-left counterculture via fanzines, touring punk music groups, and personal contacts 
of traveling activists? (30). Early uses of the tactic took place at a protest in 
Washington DC in January 1991 against the Gulf War (30) and it was adopted by the militant 
anti-racist movement throughout the 1990s (31). Following the targeted property 
destruction undertaken by a black bloc at the Seattle World Trade Organization (WTO) 
protests in 1999, the black bloc got considerable media coverage, both in the mainstream 
and leftist press (33). This led to the spread of the tactic throughout the broad 
alter-globalization movement.

Dupuis-D?ri argues that the black bloc is a manifestation of anarchist ideas, a specific 
and direct response to capitalism and the state. Rather than being so-called ?irrational? 
acts of destruction, the confrontations and destruction undertaken by the black bloc are 
choices based on a specific worldview. Everything, from the way black blocs are organized 
to the choice of targets follows anarchist principles (42). Aside from demonstrating a 
political critique of the existing order, black blocs also are informed by emotion, with 
Dupuis-D?ri arguing that it is joy and rage that motivate many participants (83-85). The 
author asserts that these ??emotions are rooted in a social context and a political 
experience. Direct action is a reaction to feelings of injustice and to situations of 
domination, inequality, and systemic violence? (90). Through black bloc actions, 
anarchists are able to temporarily liberate space and create experiences outside the norms 
set by the state and representative political organizations (99). Similarly, while black 
blocs are often criticized as being divisive and destructive to various ?movements,? 
Dupuis-D?ri argues that black blocs embody a critique of representation, both of the state 
and various ?progressive? groups that routinely denounce black bloc tactics (127). The 
author rightfully points out that anarchists reject the politics of representation, 
arguing that efforts to ?represent? the interests of the multitude result in 
oversimplification (126). Therefore, the direct action that a black bloc engages in 
provides both a new direction and a critique of representation.

Re-Examining Old Controversies

Seemingly no discussion of the black bloc would be complete without examining the various 
?controversies? that have surrounded the black bloc tactic as it has spread across the 
globe. Many of the common debates are taken up, including the discussion of violence in 
social movements, that it invites repression, whether or not the participants are just 
apolitical, charges of sexism, charges that black blocs alienate the working-class, and more.

For those familiar recent anarchist history, most of these conversations have been had at 
length, even though clear conclusions may not not have been found. As would be expected 
from an author sympathetic to the black bloc, Dupuis-D?ri argues that the violence engaged 
in by the black bloc is insignificant when compared with the structural violence of the 
capitalism on a daily basis. It?s a relatively standard dismissal that many anarchists 
have already adopted, but is probably always worth pointing out. Dupuis-D?ri further 
argues that black blocs also do not engage in violence against people, with the exception 
being armored police who are prepared to do great harm to demonstrators. Similarly, 
charges that the black bloc invites repression are easily debunked, with Dupuis-D?ri 
providing numerous examples of authorities? intent to repress protests regardless of their 
militancy. While militant threats may be used to provide an immediate pretext for 
repression, it is often just a way to justify police tactics that were planned well in 
advance. Another common charge, that black bloc participants are just mindless hooligans 
or young thugs, is dealt with by way of the author pointing out that most of the black 
bloc participants he interviewed were experienced activists or were involved in various 
community and political organizations (37).

In discussing the question whether or not the black bloc is alienating to the ?working 
class? or the mainstream, Dupuis-D?ri offers some interesting insights. He provides 
numerous examples of experiences on the streets where diverse groups of people of 
different backgrounds have supported black bloc tactics both in the moment (even in some 
cases by joining in) and afterward in expressing support (sometimes formal as was the case 
with Brazil?s State Union of Education Professionals [SEPE]) (124). Furthermore, there is 
a good discussion of the idea of ?civil societies? and ?public opinions? (118). 
Dupuis-D?ri points out that rather than there being one monolithic ?public? or ?society? 
that can be alienated by black blocs, there are different segments of the population that 
respond differently based on their own individual feelings. As a black bloc participant 
points out, the assumption about a monolithic audience is usually that it is ?white and 
middle class? (118). The author acknowledges that while violence does attract and dominate 
media attention, it may have a more positive effect that what is often assumed (117). 
Citing a study of media coverage following the Seattle World Trade Organization (WTO) 
protests in 1999, Dupuis-D?ri explaining that it ?boosted public interest in anarchism? 
(118) by resulting in more visits to anarchist websites and more stories about aspects of 
anarchism beyond black blocs including ?anarchist soccer leagues, book fairs, and so on? 
(119). He concludes the discussion ?there is no truth to claims that the operations of the 
Black Blocs necessarily widen the gap between anarchism and ?ordinary? working-class 
citizens? (124).

As with the discussion of whether or not the black bloc is alienating, the charge of 
sexism often leveled at the black bloc goes in some interesting directions in Who?s Afraid 
of the Black Blocs. While highlighting various accounts and experiences of women and queer 
folks who have participated in black blocs, Dupuis-D?ri acknowledges that men have often 
retained aspects of their male privilege, including within black blocs (107). Based on 
firsthand interviews, there are stories of women making banners while men practiced their 
slingshot skills (107), women shopping for supplies (107), women doing more preparatory 
work in terms of reconnaissance while men took glamorous roles in the streets (107-108), 
and observations of men who often function as ?lone wolves? in ?individualistic ways 
(110-111). By discussing concrete examples rather than reducing the discussion to the 
all-too-common and ridiculous charges that violence is masculine, Dupuis-D?ri manages to 
give the discussion new relevancy.

While referencing more recent debates and controversies about the black bloc such as Chris 
Hedges ?cancer of Occupy,? Dupuis-D?ri doesn?t really delve into other shifts in anarchist 
thinking over the past ten or so years. For example, there is relatively little discussion 
of the role of insurrectionary anarchism, which has in some ways challenged the 
traditional idea of utilizing black blocs in the context of a mass street confrontation 
(60-61). At times, other criticisms are referenced, such as the ?After We Burnt 
Everything?? discussion about the Strasbourg NATO Summit and discussions happening in 
Greece about the use of black blocs (59). A 2002 piece ?Has The Black Bloc Tactic Reached 
The End Of Its Usefulness?? is referenced as well, but that question seems to be answered 
both in the book and in the streets as numerous black blocs have had varying degrees of 
?success? over the past decade.

In Conclusion

Ultimately for anarchists and others already familiar with the black bloc tactic and its 
history, Who?s Afraid of the Black Blocs? doesn?t cover much new ground. Aside from 
relaying some recent history of black bloc actions in the Montreal student strike of 2012 
and providing a relatively international perspective on the tactic, there isn?t a lot of 
new information here. The historical background isn?t substantially different from what 
one could find in shorter zines such as Can?t Stop Kaos: A Brief History of the Black 
Bloc, nor does it provide a practical and tactical introduction to using the black bloc 
tactic (for that, see zines such as Blocs, Black and Otherwise and How It Is To Be Fun). 
At the same time, the book doesn?t really have the level of passion that would draw in 
people new to anarchism. It gives a fine introduction and a detailed analysis, but it 
lacks the punch that would make readers want to set down the book and bloc up.

Francis Dupuis-D?ri, Who?s Afraid of the Black Blocs? Anarchy in Action Around the World, 
Translated by Lazer Lederhendler, (Toronto: Behind The Lines, 2013).

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