May Day Anarchists Will Compensate Small Businesses Whose Windows Were Smashed
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Fri, May 3, 2013 at 11:28 AM
On May Day, as police broke up a downtown demonstration and pushed activists (including anarchists) up Capitol Hill, some windows were broken at local bar Bill's Off Broadway, local bar/distillery Sun Liquor, and a Walgreens drug store.
This prompted some immediate debate about who broke them and why. I heard activist types saying variations on: I'd gladly smash a Bank of America window, but I'd never—and I don't know anyone who would ever—want to break the window of a neighborhood bar or pizzeria. What the hell happened there? There were theories: agents provocateur? That sounds nutty at first, but there were some sloppily disguised undercover types in the crowd. (And it turns out that fellow in the photo on the left, who I'd speculated about on May Day, was in fact briefly undercover—last night, someone sent me photos and descriptions of him working as a police officer. I recognized the guy by his shoes.)
Or was it random folks who just got excited at the prospect of smashing anything? Or some demonstrators who forgot the "targeted" part of "targeted property damage"?
Regardless, the next day some group who wanted to be credited as "the Anarchists of the Puget Sound" sent me an email saying:
"We support everything that happened last night but feel that it is our responsibility to support our neighborhood small businesses as well... We would like to throw a benefit for Bill's Off Broadway and other small businesses to help them with the cost of replacing their windows. This does not include Walgreens, for obvious reasons."
Both Bill's and Sun Liquor soon responded to that gesture. From Sun Liquor:
"If anything was immediately apparent last night it was that we have an amazingly supportive and loving community on Capitol Hill. So many people reached out to us in person and via social media to express their outrage as well as their love that we can't help but feel strengthened by the incident. Having you reach out to us only emphasizes that feeling... We have a temporary repair in place and our insurance will handle the rest. If any funds are raised we would ask that they be redirected to an organization or organizations whose work represents what May Day is really about."
So activists set up an Indiegogo campaign to raise money to offset the bars' costs,* with extra proceeds going to "organizations supporting fair labor."
Then Bill's Off Broadway talked to activists and allegedly said they aren't that concerned about the window, but want people to come support the staff. Another group organized this on May 8:
"Bill's Off Broadway Worker Solidarity Fundrasier"
Come show solidarity with the staff of Bill's Off Broadway impacted by the May Day Anti Capitalist March.
Mr. Bill is not interested in money for the window. He is more concerned about the staff working that evening, the dishwasher, waitstaff, and bartender. He said the best thing we can do is come in, order pizza, drink some beer, and show solidarity.
Mr. Bill said: "The window was only a physical thing."
Our argument is with the corporations and government not small businesses or workers.
Come, order some food, order some drinks, tip well, and have fun! This is a party and celebration!
The activists added, in a press release, that no matter who broke the windows, for whatever reason, "our battle is directed, not towards local businesses, but towards the symbols and harbingers of both government and corporate excess." Good to know.
If you want to give those neighborhood businesses a hand, you can donate here* or go eat and drink at Bill's next Wednesday—and expect undercover police officers.
* Of course, these folks are anonymous and we have no way to guarantee who they are or what they might do with money.
aerdil posted:theres literally a walgreens every block in downtown san francisco, walgreens doesnt get enough shit for the looming pervasive virus that it is
walls and walls of cvswalgreenscvswalgreens. i like it when there are dueling 24 hr locations like the starbucks here too.
anyways, seattle is gem of the U.S. a consensus of chillaxing and pizza parties has been achieved.
animedad posted:lol at those anarchists being idiot fags
hey this is just a diff flavor of may day, comrade. jealous you didn't think to turn it into a week long apology festival with your hasiltly placed kicks???
aerdil posted:theres literally a walgreens every block in downtown san francisco, walgreens doesnt get enough shit for the looming pervasive virus that it is
in my town the cvs walk-in clinic is the primary health care provider ever since one doctor retired and the other decided his botox clinic the next town over was more worthy of his time
it's pretty awesome the ukranian nurse asssistant drops flu vaccine needles on the floor and doesn't speak english
animedad posted:apology festival is a good phrase. it's funny that they would repay small business on May Day of all days. i bet Bank of America has better benefits than most small businesses
however, working at bank of america is treachery to the anti-capitalist cause whereas working at a small local business is giving power to the people--think twice before you speak your insolent noises
AmericanNazbro posted:oi mate, i'm foit'n capital by working at 'ah local dollar store. come at me bro
hahha thnks for reminding me how much i love that russell crowe bit in south park