Here’s the but – I’m an anarchist and now I find myself lumped in a list that includes sexual harassers and racists. Clearly I’m not happy with that. I think you need to be careful if you want to avoid alienating people. You see I’m an anarchist but I’m not black bloc. The 2 are not synonymous. And even if they were that doesn’t make black bloc comparable to racists and sexual harassers.

On previous mobilisations I’ve been involved in dialogue with the black bloc about finding ways in which everyone can protest in the way they see fit. I’ve come to an understanding that the black bloc are not just randomly kicking off, but have a deeply help political philosophy. I disagree with it strongly. I’m with the Alliance of Community Trainers when they write that nonviolence is the strategic way forward for the Occupy movement. I also appreciate how the black bloc make it easier for agent provocateurs to enter a movement.

There may be some people who just come along for the ride and can’t be said to have any political philosophy, violent or otherwise. That happens on any and every protest.

But I also think that the black bloc are not the enemy. The enemy is the violence, greed, lack of accountability and destruction of capitalism. The black bloc are also trying to bring about its end, however distasteful others might find their tactics.

What we need is dialogue. We need to be able to talk about how violent tactics sometimes stop others from being able to protest. Any self-respecting anarchist will appreciate that if my autonomy prevents yours we have a problem and need to talk. This has worked in the past on some mass mobilisations.

So maybe more dialogue and less blanket applying of the term asshole?