May Day Seattle is going insane

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the May Day protests in Seattle, exploring the nature of the violence and vandalism associated with these events. Participants express their views on the motivations behind the actions of certain groups, the implications for the city, and comparisons to other locations and historical contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the motivations behind the violence, suggesting it may stem from a desire for chaos rather than specific grievances.
  • Others express disdain for the anarchists involved, labeling them as "idiots" and "thugs," and calling for police action against them.
  • A few participants highlight the irony of protests being marred by violence, particularly when aimed at businesses that are struggling.
  • There is mention of "black bloc" anarchists, with some participants arguing that they misrepresent the broader protest movements.
  • Concerns are raised about the potential for violence to escalate due to growing income inequality in the U.S., with some suggesting historical patterns of unrest may repeat.
  • Participants share observations of police presence and security measures in their own cities, noting differences in protest activity across locations.
  • Some express skepticism about the effectiveness of the protests, suggesting that the actions of a few could alienate public support for broader movements.
  • There are references to similar incidents in other cities, indicating that the issues discussed are not isolated to Seattle.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express strong disagreement regarding the actions of the protesters, particularly those engaging in violence. However, there is no consensus on the motivations behind these actions or the broader implications for social movements.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the complexity of the protest movements, suggesting that various sub-groups with differing agendas complicate the narrative. There is also mention of historical contexts and comparisons to other countries, which remain unresolved in the discussion.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in social movements, political protests, and urban studies may find the perspectives shared in this discussion relevant.

  • #31
Evo said:
It's just a handful of people that got together to destroy things. It is disapproved of by the public, so no, I wouldn't say violent unrest is growing, if anything it shows that American citizens will not condone violence.

I hope you're right. I worry that it's the seed of something more serious.
 
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  • #32
Ms Music said:
On the surface it could look like that, but here in Seattle it is a little more convoluted than that. Unfortunately I don't have time to explain at the moment, maybe I can type thoughts into a word doc through out the day and post later.

Well, that sure didn't happen! So I will just say this in a nutshell. I do think it is possible many of those kids were not from Seattle area, but as for imported for a purpose? Too tough to believe. Most conspiracy theories that might be believable in other cities would not hold water here in Seattle. The only theory that I couldn't poke holes in would be they were cops trying to get power back, but I still find that unlikely.

Still most likely a group of kids that want to break things for fun, and organized this whole event and just picked cities to target. I find it too bad that Seattle cops had their hands tied, and weren't able to show a tougher presence and nip... it... in... the... bud.:wink:
 
  • #33
phyzguy said:
1. It appears that violent unrest in the US is growing, does it not? I think that's what started the thread.

2. I'm not sure, but there is certainly more violent crime in the US than in Europe.

3. The Russian revolution was driven by economic inequality and was only 100 years ago. Isn't this modern?
I'm going to start a new thread about this...

New thread here: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=3895067#post3895067
 
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  • #34
Ms Music said:
Well, that sure didn't happen! So I will just say this in a nutshell. I do think it is possible many of those kids were not from Seattle area, but as for imported for a purpose? Too tough to believe. Most conspiracy theories that might be believable in other cities would not hold water here in Seattle. The only theory that I couldn't poke holes in would be they were cops trying to get power back, but I still find that unlikely.

Still most likely a group of kids that want to break things for fun, and organized this whole event and just picked cities to target. I find it too bad that Seattle cops had their hands tied, and weren't able to show a tougher presence and nip... it... in... the... bud.:wink:
Back in the 60's, among other "dirty tricks", the FBI set up fake protest groups to discredit the real ones, so this came to mind when you said they weren't from Seattle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO
 
  • #35
zoobyshoe said:
Back in the 60's, among other "dirty tricks", the FBI set up fake protest groups to discredit the real ones, so this came to mind when you said they weren't from Seattle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO
Yes, they infiltrated and caused dissention among the groups, but there is no mention of them actually doing gang violence like this group. Let's not get into conspiracy theories.

The "occupy" group has many people that come in from out of town to join the demonstrations.