On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, Sampo Syreeni wrote:
the protection afforded by Black Blocs is quite thin (just indict them under organized crime or gang laws),
The similar clothing is enough to charge with gang membership and invoke RICO. Also, the 'black bloc' tactic has 'premeditated' written all over it. I'd say these kids haven't provided more protection for themselves; on the contrary, they've raised the stakes. The cops will have to arrest *more* people in order to deal with the bloc, but the people arrested when it happens are going to be charged with more serious crimes, like racketeering, conspiracy, and membership in a corrupt organization, than if they'd stuck with the simpler tactics. And most of what they might otherwise have claimed as defenses are going to crumble under that 'premeditation' thing. I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV, but this just looks like a silly mistake that's going to bite them in the butt to me. Bear