Few actual anarchists turn out for protest Many more police, spectators, media in downtown area

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 6/26/5 | Ulysses Torassa

[SmithL]

PALO ALTO: After neatly spreading out a red-and-white checkered blanket with the contents of two wicker picnic baskets, Shannon Clark and Mike Reis settled in for the evening's entertainment: an anarchist protest rally in Palo Alto's Lytton Plaza that police feared might turn violent.

"We are spectators," said Palo Alto resident Clark, 18, heading to UCLA in the fall who describes herself as a pro-Bush libertarian. "This is kind of our Saturday-night-out event."

Indeed, the "Revolutionary March Against War & Empire" by the Palo Alto chapter of Anarchist Action -- targeting the war in Iraq and corporate greed -- brought out many more media, hangers on, spectators and police than actual anarchists.

A group of about 100 black-clad young people danced to club music and rallied in the plaza before marching down University Avenue, where they passed several phalanxes of police in riot gear.

Palo Alto police, spooked by a protest in May that culminated in broken windows at several businesses, feared as many as 800 mischief-inclined demonstrators might show up. So they brought in 300 officers, including some from every department in Santa Clara County and the California Highway Patrol.

[SmithL]

Downtown Palo Alto was swarming with law enforcement and curious onlookers as anarchists marched down University Avenue.

Between the organized anarchist parade in Palo Alto and the disorganized homosexual parade in San Francisco, it's been a Freak Show kind of weekend in the Bay Area.

[Semper Paratus]

Palo Alto chapter of Anarchist Action

An organized anarchist group is an oxymoron.

[TheGeezer]

An Anarchist Action member, who identified himself only as Ali, said the group does not advocate violence, and that the damage done in the May 20 protest was undertaken by individuals acting on their own. But, he added, "Philosophically, we support their actions."

Hmmmm. The group does not advocate violence, but "Philosophically, we support their actions."

I guess anarchists who join organizations apply anarchy to their thinking as well.

[IronJack]

One look at these punks and you know that the only reason they're "protesting" is because their Nintendos are broken.

[SIDENET]

That loser in the picture looks to be either about 15, or a female.

[SampleMan]

Anarchy should be illegal in that it promotes the overthrow or intimidation of democratic process through violence.

The best answer to an anarchist is to agree with them that anarchy is a great way of settling things, immediately followed by a hard right hook into their nose. Then looking down, you ask, "How do you like anarchy so far?"