Faced with a widely despised government forcing through a new wave of neoliberalism and using a police force still rife with fascists to enforce it, I utterly applaud those who are fighting back.
Nonviolent protest has undoubtedly won victories in the past; so has violent protest.
Violence is not something to be entered into lightly, it is a sacrifice of peace. But all of us can think of instances where it is justified and tactically right.
In what way is the Greek stuff 'unchannelled'?
There's been riots, targetted almost entirely at banks, police and multinational corporates.
There has also been other stuff; occupying buildings, placard-demos, big free gigs, even flowers-to-cops stuff.
The burning of stuff in the streets has happened for several reasons; sometimes it's been attacks on banks and the shops of extreme wealth; often it's been to counteract tear gas.
When people are taking over TV and radio stations, when its not just universities but operahouses that are occupied in solidarity, there's something really remarkable happening.
I find it curious how the potential and the basic aims of the Paris 68 uprising are supported now when they weren't at the time. I wonder what our response would have been at the time, especially if we'd had today's blow-by-blow media.
Talking of which, there's another detailed Greece blog here.
http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/
and a big interview here
http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2008/12/25/how-to-organize-an-insurrection/
