Anarchists call for Far-Left to converge on 2010 Olympics

[Greymatters]

Reproduced under the Fair Dealings Act:
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=384248dd-0088-4797-ac54-8ac2d049426d

Anarchists urged to converge on Vancouver for Olympics
CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, May 25, 2007
VANCOUVER -- A rallying cry has gone out to anarchists and radicals, urging them to converge on Vancouver to protest the 2010 Olympic Games.  A website set up by a far-left group features a poster reading: "Calling on all native warriors, anti-capitalists, anti-poverty activists, environmentalists and concerned individuals, to converge against the 2010 Winter Olympics."  The Anti-Poverty Committee has sparked public outrage in Vancouver in recent weeks by occupying buildings, disrupting city council and Olympic preparations, and trashing the office of Premier Gordon Campbell.  The group is protesting what it calls the eviction of poor people from the city's Downtown Eastside in advance of the Winter Games.  "We want people coming six months before the Olympics and two weeks before the Olympics," said group organizer David Cunningham.  Cunningham said the goal is for protesters to converge on Vancouver in the same way anti-globalization activists were drawn to the World Trade Organization summit of 1999 in Seattle, which led to massive protests and clashes with police in the streets.  The group calls its latest campaign Convergence February 2010 and has established a website: www.no2010.com.


...Seems like the games will be quite busy with this kind of activity scheduled.  Which of our units are going to be part of the lucky 3,000 scheduled to help local police with security efforts? 

 

[Jaydub]

I'm wondering if other counties have had this type of problems with past Olympics, and how they were dealt with.  Does anyone know?

 

[jonsey]

I'd be surprised if other host countries didn't have similar problems.

 

[larry Strong]

Well you probably won't hear from any dissidents in China

 

[Yrys]

Well you probably won't hear from any dissidents in China

At the moment, spitting in the streets of Beijing seems like beeing a dissident.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I guess the Biathlon teams are going to get the reactive targets  >

 

[Exarecr]

I can recall the same notice of intent we received by the various groups and organizations of the day when our Battalion was deployed to Montreal during the 76 Olympics. Nothing happened and the biggest problem we had was from the French Canadiens in the Jerry Park region because we couldn't speak French.Much scarier world this time around with the exception of course of the so called "Anarchists". These people are usually well to do, bored and out for a little bit of mayhem and wreckage at the expense of the City they invade. Arrest them,dress them in orange and pass out the brooms. Go Canada Go.

 

[Greymatters]

I find that extremely interesting. 

Can you recall what types of groups or organizations were of concern in '76?

 

[armyvern]

I find that extremely interesting. 

Can you recall what types of groups or organizations were of concern in '76?

Well the Montreal '76 Olympics occured shortly after the FLQ crisis in Quebec and only 4 short years after the massacre of Israeli athletes by terrorists during the '72 Munich games, so security concerns would have been very great.

Munich

The FLQ Crisis

 

[Greymatters]

Too true, but there isnt a lot of information out there on security concerns in Canada in the 1970's, other than the two you already mentioned.  Would be interested to hear from someone who 'was there' what groups they recall of the period.

 

[pbi]

Too true, but there isnt a lot of information out there on security concerns in Canada in the 1970's, other than the two you already mentioned.  Would be interested to hear from someone who 'was there' what groups they recall of the period.

I was part of Task Force Two (based on 2 CMBG) that was deployed in Montreal city. Since we were the HQ Defence Platoon, we were given fairly regular (but not very detailed) updates on possible threats. While there was a concern about the FLQ and about a possible reprise of the Munich incident by terror groups from Europe, there were not alot of other credible or significant groups, although I do recall being briefed about a group called the "Brown Berets" that was supposedly going to infiltrate from the US.  I don't know if this ever aactually happened. In retrospect, looking at OPGAMESCAN, it's hard to know if the baddies were deterred by the show of force, or if they were never really serious.

Cheers

 

[Benny]

I'd be surprised if other host countries didn't have similar problems.

After the disaster that was the World Economic Forum here in Melbourne, where the protesters effectively beat our police, our army formed a response group called the RRF (Reserve Response Force). It is the goal of the RRF to respond to threats to public events, and form part of the security cordon to protect them. The lessens were learnt well, and the 2006 Commonwealth games went smoothly, despite the usual bunch of tools having a crack.

 

[Marauder]

Hmmm, anarchists organizing together to pursue a collective agenda.....

I'd kill myself laughing if their hippie odour wasn't so damn offensive....

 

[Greymatters]

Anarchists and hippies are usually two different things...

 

[Dogboy]

ya hippies just lie around a complane, but Anarchists are willing to fight.
and Yes Anarchist do organise. its just in a different way with no leadership, so much harder to target.

 

[Roy Harding]

I'd give these types of groups more heed if they were actually FOR something, instead of being AGAINST everything.

I have yet to hear a solid, well thought out, coherent plan of action from any of these types - they're just AGAINST everything that IS being done.

From my point of view, they're just a collection of university students sowing their wild oats - as long as they don't cross the legal line(s), I could care less what they have to say.

Roy

 

[vonGarvin]

The problem is that these "idiots" are actually, in many cases, being manipulated by those with "other" motives.  This collection of "Lenin's Little Idiots" are dangerous and often DO cross the legal line with little in terms of consequences.

 

[jimb]

One of the nice things about the left, including the far left, is that they are so willing to use communications that are simple to interdict, for intelligence gathering.  Long gone are the days when it was important to use phone taps, to find out what they were up to, now they put it into email  and text messages to each other. And of course they also advertise their future plans as well, so counter planning by security forces can be  set in motion. 

AS to the 2010 Olympics, I think that their threats ( to disrupt the games ) need to be taken seriously, and a plan needs to be  made to  keep the international anarchists out of Canada, so we only have to deal with our own home grown ones. Considering the  isolated location of many of the Olympic venues, it may be possible to effect a  security cordon to reduce the chance of protestors even getting to the locations.  I don't think that many of them will want to buy a expensive access ticket to go and be arrested ?

In Vancouver, the city PD will have to have the resolve to stick with the program and not let the protestors get too comfortable in their disruption tactics, regardless of the moans of the press corps. When the leaders of the anti Olympics movement start to threaten to picket the homes of the  city councilers, the gloves are off.

Jim B. Toronto.

 

[Greymatters]

The problem is that these "idiots" are actually, in many cases, being manipulated by those with "other" motives.  This collection of "Lenin's Little Idiots" are dangerous and often DO cross the legal line with little in terms of consequences.

Its sad to see but a lot of young kids with leadership ptotential and self-motivation get fed a load of bull about how the real world works.  Mostly its from older adults emulating 'role models' and spouting rhetoric that the kids believe is true. 

Unfortunately they're arent just 'Lenonites', the're from a broad spectrum of special interest groups... environmentalists,... animal rights activists,... anti-war groups,... anti-globalization groups,... etc...

 

[Benny]

I'd give these types of groups more heed if they were actually FOR something, instead of being AGAINST everything.

I have yet to hear a solid, well thought out, coherent plan of action from any of these types - they're just AGAINST everything that IS being done.

From my point of view, they're just a collection of university students sowing their wild oats - as long as they don't cross the legal line(s), I could care less what they have to say.

Roy

They are a bunch of irresponsible farkwits living the affluent western lifestyle off other peoples work. You don't see too many Ethiopian Anarchists.
They have no plan besides 'wreck everything'. That anyone would violently protest against a G8 summit where combatting Aids and global warming were 2 of the main goals is just mind boggling.