San Francisco Rabble Brings Discredit on Antiwar Movement
by Justin Raimondo
March 21, 2003

The outrageous disruptions launched by alleged "antiwar" protesters in San Francisco had nothing to do with opposition to the war, nothing to do with changing the foreign policy of this country, and no rational person could possibly endorse them.

Masked thugs stopped cars, and tried to drag people out. These "peaceful" protesters had quite an array of weapons: stun guns, crowbars, brass knuckles, and other instruments of mayhem were confiscated from arrested demonstrators. They deliberately blocked streets, tied up the entire city for 8 hours, broke windows, threw rocks, and wreaked havoc, acting like the hooligans they are. Some of them wore masks, demonstrating that they are also cowards. News crews were assaulted with spraypaint, rocks, and other objects.

A milder version of these tactics were replicated in Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York City, and elsewhere, but San Francisco was, naturally, the worst. Over 1,000 people were arrested in the City by the Bay, but most were, unfortunately, released. Shouting their defiance – "We’ll be back! We’ll be back!" – they are still out there, as I write [10:00 PM, March 20], moving in groups from intersection to intersection, creating as much chaos as possible. They are organized, they are violent, and they are nuts.

It’s an outrage that they have been allowed to get away with this. The San Francisco Police Department tells us that these people were mostly cited and immediately released, but if they are arrested again they will be charged. What nonsense! Can anyone imagine what would happen if pro-war demonstrators went on a violent rampage in San Francisco? They would be charged with felony riot and thrown in jail for years.

Why is the Left – and I use the term really loosely, since it is flattering these people to ascribe political motives to their mindless actions – immune from the law? Doesn’t the city government have a responsibility to keep public order?

The San Francisco Chronicle cites one Benna Kollinsky, who was among those blocking the corner of Montgomery and Clay streets for more than two hours:

"This is a total shutdown,'' I thought we'd be lucky to close it down for an hour. We've run this block all morning.''

Can you believe the nerve of this arrogant thugette? As they say: Only in San Francisco!

These people are the lowest form of thrill-seekers, no better than roving packs of dogs, who go after any "target of opportunity" for any reason. The marauders who have taken over the streets of San Francisco are a free gift to the War Party, which is delighted to magnify their idiocy and broadcast it from coast to coast.

Peaceful, legal, and massive demonstrations are the only way to stop this war. The crazed actions of a few opportunistic nutballs put the broader antiwar movement in danger – and discredit legitimate, meaningful forms of dissent.

To have to sit and listen to a local news anchor interview some sneering ghoul of a woman named "Planet" justify mindless disruption because "Life can’t go on as usual," is just too much for me to bear. Spare us the self-righteous baloney, "Planet" – life will go on, in spite of George W. Bush and his cabal of warmongering chickenhawks, and thank God for that!

Oh, and do something about that hair, girlfriend – like washing it, for a start.

Justin Raimondo is the editorial director of Antiwar.com.