Black Bloc in Le Monde, Anatomy of Radical Activism

dIn the main mobilization against the pension reform in France, which was imposed by the government of Elisabeth Bourne using Article 49.3, the excess of the movement is attributed to a certain “black bloc”. or a general term, often poorly defined, but almost systematically used in demonstrations. It defines the methods of ultra-leftist militants who are at the head of the march, dressed in black and equipped against the forces of order. In rare articles, it is used as a shortcut to challenge the demonstrators themselves, keeping its exact definition vague.

for the first time that the world Using the concept, journalist Patrice de Beer capitalizes it during anti-globalization demonstrations at the Summit of the Americas on April 23, 2001 in Quebec, Canada. The Special Envoy quotes the Canadian Mounted Police as confirming that this “provocateurs” is part of the group “American Anarchists”. The reaction of the then US President George Bush: “I understand that there are people who do not like to trade. I totally disagree with them. “”

In July 2001, the Black Bloc made history in Genoa, Italy, during the G8, following police violence that left hundreds injured and one dead, Carlo Giuliani, a member of the group. Autonomous groups » and “violent” that shakes and disrupts the anti-globalization movement, reports the Daily on July 27, 2001.

To analyze this mode of protest in public space, the world look at san francisco “rebuke”, Where the anti-war movement organized against the invasion of Iraq opens a new way of thinking about civil disobedience. “Faces masked by scarves, often wearing helmets, sometimes armed with iron bars and belts, Black Bloc militants, who call themselves some anarchists, some communists, see the “destruction of private property” as a legitimate regime. expression, summarizes Patrick Jareau on the pages of “Horizontes” newspaper of April 9, 2003.

“thugs”, “thugs”, “unemployed”, “non-carers”, “students”?

In France, this type of demonstration was mentioned only at the end of 2009, after the Minister of the Interior, Brice Hortefe, announced the dissolution of the ultra-left groups. The colloquial word black block is now written in lowercase letters. In an investigation published on November 9, 2009, Carolyn Mono and Isabel Mandro detail what the protester calls “Disappearance Strategy” : Black clothing, mask, balaclava, gloves to prevent DNA fingerprints and spare clothes “disappear into nature”.