MetaFilter posts tagged with riot

Here lies a local culture

AmbroseChapel — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:07:42 -0800

It was one of the biggest riots in the nation's history. An estimated four thousand sailors and locals -- an unlikely alliance of the young and unemployed, the gay community, the rockers -- fought with police, threw rocks and burned cars. Echoes of Stonewall, or of similar riots in the UK and USA? It was immortalised in song, and the tale grew in the telling. The media coverage made international news ... maybe the free beer was a mistake? Thirty years later: a toast to the Star Hotel.

Dispatch and Tit-Bits treasure hunts

tellurian — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:59:07 -0800

Secret London has the story of a circulation promotion gimmick that runs awry.

Reading the Riot Act

Jakey — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:42:40 -0800

Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act made in the first year of King George, for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King! 31 January 1919 saw the last reading(autoplay video) of the Riot Act in the UK. 60 000 demonstrators gathered in Glasgow's George Square to demonstrate in support of a 40 hour work week. An unprovoked attack by the police resulted in a riot that resulted in the mobilisation of the army, and was reported as far afield as New York. Key trade unionists, Socialist and Marxists were arrested after the event and tried for incitement to riot. These included future MPs William Gallacher and David Kirkwood and future Government Minister and Peer, Manny Shinwell. Just some of the people and events in the history of the Red Clydeside labour movement.

Armenia declares state of emergency

k8t — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:35:48 -0800

On February 19, Armenia hosted a presidential election. The winner with 52% of the vote was (as expected), current Prime Minister and BFF to the current president, Serge Sargsyan. The runner-up with 21.5% of the vote was former president (taken out by the current president in 1997), Levon Ter-Petrossian. The elections were flawed, lots of people protested over the past week, the protests have gotten violent, LTP is under house arrest and the government has issued a 20 day state of emergency. At least 3 (including a police officer) have been killed. BBC story, NYTimes story, ArmeniaNow (Western trained journalist, British and American editor, local reporters, UnZipped, a local English language blog, OneWorld Armenia, a British photojournalist's blog, Armenian Observer blog does an excellent job summarizing the Armenian and Russian language blogospheres as well as reporting his own material in English with text, videos and photos, although it is worth noting that he is not a fan of either candidate. There are many LiveJournal bloggers blogging as well, but Armenian Observer will likely summarize them. Armenian Observer has an excellent summary of the past week here. Here are some highlights: "The opposition protest, peaceful as it was, was held with violations of the RA Law on Gatherings and Peaceful protests. Usually, during the day, there would be from 20-40,000 opposition supporters gathering for the rally. The number tripled at least on one occasion, on February 26th, when people forcibly brought to the Republic square in Yerevan to support the pro-government candidate Serzh Sargsyan went over to join the rally in support of Serzh Sargsyan’s opponent - Ter-Petrossian." "Despite numerous warnings from police, the President - the protesters stayed in the Liberty square day and night, sleeping in tents put up in the square and burning bonfires to get warm. During the 9 days of the protests, authorities launched a massive propaganda campaign against the Ter-Petrossian supporters, portraying protesters as armed rioters, drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless. Meanwhile a number of arrests of vocal opposition figures as well as Yerkrapah members (a union of former Karabakh war freedom fighters) were carried out. A case was reported, when State Security servicemen had joined the rally disguised, and tried to provoke the peaceful protesters for more aggressive actions, but had been prevented from doing so by organizers of the opposition rally." "Today, after police strike, violence was reported, the opposition supporters tried to resist with stones and sticks. From what I know around 31 people have suffered so far, 6 of whom have been police officers. At the moment the Liberty square is chained by police forces." "Police are claiming, that they had evidence about preparations by the opposition forces to distribute weapons and start violent actions. However, this morning during, and after the police attack on protesters, journalists were prevented from taking photos and videos, the camera of a Yerkir-Media TV operators was broken. Later, the police footage shows various types of weapons found in the Liberty square after police had cleared the place of the protesters, however, considering all the propaganda and dirty methods of police action we have seen so far, it is hard to believe, that this is not fabricated evidence." "From various media reports we learn, that the police violently beat up those in the Liberty square and chased them down several streets. By 12 o’clock when I was near the French embassy, there were riot police forces blocking the area, with crowds of angry people squeezed between the police forces in front of the French embassy on Grigor Lusavorich street."

Critical Mass Arrests

taursir — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 01:34:51 -0800

Police overreact, and attack bikers with no provocation at Minneapolis Critical Mass. Responses from witnesses tell one picture of what happened, but local news says "nobody was hurt" despite squad cars knocking bicyclists from their bikes. What gives?

1967 Detroit Riot Remembered

The Deej — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:32:12 -0800

It's been 40 years since the 1967 Detroit riot. The Detroit News remembers. Where we stand, four decades after that fateful summer. Extensive coverage including galleries, video, audio, and articles.

i:wound

hama7 — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 20:06:56 -0800

i:wound

I Predict a Riot

chunking express — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:20:12 -0800

Protesters are accusing police of using undercover agents to provoke violent confrontations at the North American leaders' summit in Montebello, Que. The video of the events leading to the accusation can be found online.

Danish squat evicted

poweredbybeard — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 20:21:57 -0800

Three days of rioting and protest across Denmark, fueled by an influx of supporters from outside the country, was the result of the Danish police's sudden eviction of long-standing squat Ungdomshuset ("Youth House"). It was the last such social centre in Denmark, whose self-governed municipality of Christiana also began as a squat (though its future remains in question).

Squatting, the act of taking over abandoned property (sometimes surreptitiously as a way to secure housing for the homeless, sometimes publically as a way to exert political pressure) has a long history, and often meets with intense repression, though has sometimes been instrumental in city-building. In New York City's early days, homesteading was how many neighbourhoods began, and the squat movement which birthed the now-legal ABC No Rio community centre is linked to the city's community gardens, as well as its independent arts culture through publications such as World War 3. (WW3's co-founder Seth Tobocman receives continued attention for his graphic novel War In The Neighbourhood.)

Demolition of Ungdomshuset has already begun.

How do you Kent State in Chinese?

afu — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:10:27 -0800

Chinese students riot in Jiangxi province after being told that their diplomas would not be recognized by the government. Riot police and soldiers had to be brought in to stop the riots, reportedly under the pretext that Ethnic Muslim Uighurs were causing the riot.

Il est interdit d'interdire.

Zack_Replica — Wed, 03 May 2006 14:16:00 -0800

In May 1968 a general strike broke out across France. The strike started at the University of Nanterre and spread to the streets as 80,000 students, teachers and workers demanded the fall of Charles de Gaulle's government, and they were joined by many other people protesting the brutality of the police. Timeline. Reports shown in cinemas. An eyewitness account from Solidarity. This revolt also gave rise to some amazing posters, printed by the 'Popular Workshop' at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Also of note was the graffiti sprayed about the city, many taken from Guy Debord's Society of the Spectacle and the Situationalist International. 1968, it seems, was an interesting time to be around. Boredom is counterrevolutionary.

"It hit the public like a hurricane, like some uncontrolled primeval force".

matteo — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 08:38:23 -0800

The Riot of Spring. Théâtre Champs-Elysées, Paris, May 29, 1913. Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Marcel Proust, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy are among those present at the premiere of The Rite of Spring (the score is here), written by Igor Stravinsky and choreographed by the great Russian dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. The music and the choreography shocked the audience with its daring modernism, ripping up the rulebook of classical ballet with its heavy, savage movements. Many in the audience promptly booed, then yelled, insulting the performers and each other. Then fistfights broke out. The police was summoned, but was unable to stop an all-out riot.
Now the BBC has made a TV movie about that night. More inside.

Detroit, how hast thou fallen?

goatdog — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 11:47:21 -0800

"Oh, Detroit! Detroit, how hast thou fallen! No power in noonday to defend the helpless women and children from outlaws, till they have fully glutted their hellish appetites on the weak and defenseless." This full-text version of A Thrilling Narrative From the Lips of the Sufferers of the Late Detroit Riot, March 6, 1863, with the Hair Breadth Escapes of Men, Women and Children, and Destruction of Colored Men's Property, Not Less Than $15,000 contains firsthand testimonies from African American victims of this forgotten race/draft riot, which was overshadowed by a much larger one in New York City. [more inside]

The right to party ends in violence

urbanwhaleshark — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 14:09:47 -0800

In the Czech Republic over the weekend a free and legal techno party was stormed by heavily-armed riot police. One person died and dozens of participants were injured. The unprecedented attack has been heavily condemned by the League of Human Rights and the Czech Shadow Minister claiming it was politically motivated. See also 1 and 2. Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek (Social Democrats, CSSD) defended the action stating: The core of the techno enthusiasts is made up of "obsessed people with anarchist proclivities and international links," who "provoke massive violent demonstrations, fuelled by alcohol and drugs, against the peaceful society".

Videos: 1 2 3 4 and 5

Photos: 1.

Disco Sucks!

Bonzai — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 08:21:59 -0800

25 years ago a Chicago radio disc jockey had an idea for a promotional event. Steve Dahl invited his listeners to bring a disco record to a double-header White Sox game. Between games he was going to blow them up. What happened was a full scale riot that caused the White Sox to forfeit and disco to die.

Shame on the UN

kablam — Sat, 03 May 2003 20:42:00 -0800

Food Fight - When the Food Workers Union stages an impromptu walkout at the U.N., the diplomats start looting for lunch and booze. Disgusting. Delegates and patronage employees show their civility by looting the cafeterias, stealing everything not nailed down. I will remember this the next time anybody proposes the UN as a solution to world problems. Swine.

Vancouver Police turn to internet for help.

monkeymike — Thu, 23 Jan 2003 10:24:04 -0800

Vancouver Police turn to internet for help with Guns N' Roses riot. "Police have had little luck busting any of the riot ringleaders, so yesterday they unveiled an online picture gallery in the hope that someone will identify people photographed at the scene."

starvingartist — Mon, 17 Dec 2001 06:43:15 -0800

"It wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't World War III" Watch the Browns/Jaguars game? Maybe it was a bad call, but throwing plastic bottles full of beer? Anybody who knows me knows I speak out loudly and firmly against the ridiculous sports culture we have in this country. This incident makes me ashamed to be a Clevelander, even a transplanted one. What is it that gets people this riled up and stupid?

vbfg — Wed, 05 Sep 2001 04:56:32 -0800

I live in Bradford. This summer we had a series of riots which tarnished the image of a city which, whilst I might love the place, didn't exactly have a sparkling reputation in the first place. A major reason cited for the riots was the devisiveness in the local community of schools that cater only to one community, typically of course the community in which any given school happens to reside. The UK government today announced that it would be basing the future of British schools on the successes of the Bradford model. The future is single faith schools.

When I was 13 and choosing which lessons I was to take from that point up until I was 16 I made all the wrong choices, had others imposed upon me, and screwed up pretty badly ending up leaving at 15 with no qualifications at all (this is why I write '15' instead of 'fifteen' BTW). The future is also, apparantly, specialisation.

Discuss.

rschram — Tue, 26 Jun 2001 20:54:59 -0800

PNG Students' Anti-IMF Protests End in Riots, 3 Dead
University of Papua New Guinea students were petitioning the Prime Minister to stop economic reforms, and PNG's reliance on World Bank and IMF funds. Here's another report. The protests started in the capital, Port Moresby on June 25th. And the Peace Corps evacuated the other day. But that doesn't have anything to do with anything. I guess even recognized peoples have their problems too...

monkeyJuice — Sun, 17 Jun 2001 06:00:52 -0800

I generally don't have anytime for large scale protest's (wto riots - and mayday riots) and i dont agree with them when they start a vicious offence. Police are only defending themselves with water cannons and tear gas - *BUT THIS* is completly out of hand....

timbooker — Thu, 10 May 2001 08:17:18 -0800

Go to a football match. Police arrive with tear gas and start a riot. 130 people die. I wonder if the police get some kind of bonus for killing innocent civilians...

krakedhalo — Tue, 10 Apr 2001 19:47:18 -0800

Riots in Cincinnati. Cincinnati city police have this odd habit of killing unarmed young black males. In November, two men were killed. One was shot, another was crushed or suffocated while already in police custody and, according to witnesses, not resisting. Several weeks later a policeman shot and killed a twelve year old out joy-riding. Saturday night an officer chased down and shot a nineteen year old he 'thought he recognized' as someone with outstanding traffic warrants. Every time someone is killed Cincinnati city council promises to look into the matter but does nothing. Today someone decided to take action, even if it was in a destructive and politically impotent form of action.

john — Wed, 28 Feb 2001 04:13:53 -0800

Mardi Gras riots are a disturbing trend as almost every celebration these days turns bad. What's different that these things happen? My personal experience in Seattle inside (because it's a self-link)

NickBarat — Tue, 20 Jun 2000 09:58:20 -0800

Oh great...another sports riot. Let's hope soccer never catches on in the states. Just imagine what our football hooligans would be up to...