Here is a repost of something I wrote prior to the 2004 g8 in Savannah. That protest was organized shortly after a huge protest in Miami which, by the protesters' count, drew some 10,000. For the sake of my own argument I accepted their count.

Regarding the reference to Savannah surviving Sherman, I should point out that Sherman came through Atlanta too and he set fire to it. I will also point out that setting fire to Atlanta did nothing to improve anybody's opinions of black people, northerners or the federal government. Sherman is still hated, is still mentioned out loud regularly and his name is used to salt down a variety of negative opinions. So any activists who were involved in setting fire to Ferguson who might be thinking of presenting an encore in Atlanta might consider that.

Here is the repeat of my posting from 2004:



11Re: [southerngpusa] G-8 protesters step out

Jan 7, 2004

I am going to do what I am well known for, which is to

be ruthlessly frank and make people mad.

These quotes from the article below constitute

threats:

"we know we can't control everything.

We do want to offer safe possibilities for

everybody who's interested in keeping this a peaceful,

nonviolent city."

"the city needs to not ignore this and

not think that if they don't support this�it won't

happen. Well, it will happen."

Savannah survivied General Sherman and the people

who live in Savannah are not inclined to allow a bunch

of hoodlums to mess it up now.

And yes I said hoodlums.

If they were just political protesters then why

are the organizers demanding concessions from the city

in order to stop them from being violent?

And the truth is that no amount of concession from

the city will prevent violence, because by now these

events have attracted a contingent of rowdies, like

soccer thugs, who go there because they LIKE

assaulting police and tearing things up.

And don't even start whimpering about the right to

protest. If those 10,000 people who went to Miami had

spent the same amount of money and effort right in

their own cities and neighborhoods, there could have

been some HUGE progress.

10,000 people times 0 ... and 0 is a pretty

conservative estimate of a trip to Miami for a week or

more ... is two million bucks worth of protest across

the country, with nothing wasted on plane fare, gas

and lodging.

The main difference is, that if you stay home and

do it, you can't attack the police, you can't act like

a criminal when your boss might see you, and you can't

tear things up and dissapear without paying for it.

And next, according to routine into which these

things have fallen, somebody starts to cry, oh, but

we're NON-VIOLENT. Well no. You can't speak for 10,000

other people, especially 10,000 other people that you

never met.

So if you want to conquer corporate slavery on a

global basis then grow up. Stop galavanting all over

the country and the world, flitting from one resort

city to another, camping in the streets and partying

round the clock between rampages.

Stay home, roll up your sleeves and get to work

like responsible people.



--- Kellie Gasink wrote:

> Activists Plan Savannah G-8 Events

> City Spokesperson Calls Plans "Premature"

> Steve Ference

> WSAV News 3

> http://www.wsav.com

> Tuesday, January 6, 2004

>

> The city is currently reviewing plans for activities

> local activists hope will keep protestors busy and

> non-violent.

>

> Kellie Gasink, head of the National Coalition to

> Repeal the PATRIOT Act said in a press conference

> Tuesday, "the city needs to not ignore this and not

> think that if they don't support this�it won't

> happen. Well, it will happen."

>

> Meeting in downtown's Wright Square, local activists

> talked about their hope for the many protesters

> Savannah will likely host during the G-8 summit on

> Sea Island.

>

> Because the media will be based in Savannah,

> protesters will likely also base themselves in the

> historic city as a result, they say.

>

> Margy Betz, spokesperson for the organizing group

> G-8 Carnival,who also spoke at the press conference,

> said, "we know we can't control everything. We do

> want to offer safe possibilities for everybody who's

> interested in keeping this a peaceful, nonviolent

> city."

>

auntieracist

https://sites.google.com/site/theheartofresistance/

Looting is usually local. The travelers tend to be the people who can afford to travel, and it's not 2004 anymore. It's not that cool to jet-set to protest. Travelers generally don't want to get arrested, because they have to fly in to make court appearances.

Everything I've read about Ferguson indicates that the looting and arson, while not necessarily from Ferguson, were done by people within a short drive. I would guess that it's not just the protest, but the opportunity, that causes looting. It may also be a longer-term conflict involving the property owner.

Also, note that "Black" arson tends to target commercial space. "White" arson tends to be more focused on burning Black churches and Black homes.