Have a Riot in Berzerkeley
Another Free Speech Rant by Doug Smith

I forgot who said it first, but Berkeley is best described as "over-described". Cliche's about the political protests of the 1960's are now a part of the American cultural landscape.

When you mention the word Berkeley, people don't think of mild mannered Eighteenth century Irish Bishop George Berkeley ("Westward the course of nations takes its way."), nor do they think of the iron gated park in London named for Bishop Berkeley. Instead they think of the traditional Riot and Loot capital of California: Berkeley.

Here is a short list of some of the recent Riots in Berkeley:

August 26, 2001 Sunday 2:00 AM  outside Pauley Pavilion and Telegraph Ave.

October 15, 2000 Sunday 2:00 AM outside Pauley Pavilion, and Telegraph Ave.

July 17, 1999 KPFA Protest

May 16, 1998 Global Street Party

Oct 13, 1995 UC Anti-Affirmitive Action Ban Protest

May 19, 1989 People's Park 20th Anniversary

Hey - is there a pattern here? Well, gee I dunno. I guess its something having to do with free speach or something!  Notice how the further back in time you go, the more the riots are tied in to "the struggle", but now right now it has more to do with Fraternity Dances?

Naturally, the fingers of blame have already been pointed and posse's have been formed. As of August 28th, 2001, future dances scheduled for Pauley Pavilion have been put on hold until the end of the semester.

Who is to blame? The police? The University of California? The City Council? Nobody is blaming the people who riot, loot, burgularize houses, and beat up bystanders here. After all, they are but innocent people being led astray by poor communication among the law enforcement agencies, who are certainly at fault in these riots? Just ask well meaning, but misguided Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who blames the UC Campus Police. (Of course this is after he first chastises the finger pointers at the University). Kriss has good intentions, and wants to help the poor and downtrodden, but he keeps getting criminal vandals mixed up with the poor and downtroden. There might be some overlap there, since the rich and mighty are not your usual riot participants. Day-after-riot finger pointing and blaming the "other side" is no doubt amusing to the participants in the riots who most likely are neither students nor Berkeley residents.

The standard Police policy for riots in Berkeley is: keeping distance from rioters and maintaining an orderly line while the fire burn itself out. In other words: don't interfere. It is particularly  interesting to note that some past Berkeley riot participants have posted accounts of particular Berkeley riots (referred to as 'parties') Here is  quote from a riot participant in the "May 16, 1998 Global Street Party":

"Talk about FUCK SHIT UP!!! I was so amazed I was almost embarassed. Berkeley sure knows how to show SF how to party. I was amazed at the cops and complemented them on thir restraint... They not only corked for the parade and stood patiently by in riot gear while a bonfire raged, TV's were being stomped to hell, while coke bottles were being thrown at them and as an overturned car was being used as a primal rage therapy toy by and angry mob of sledgehammer-wielding crazies -- they even went to the party's defense to stop some local apartment dwellers from throwing water baloons on the crowd below."

This is the most awesome video I have ever filmed. (And, yes Chalk Terrorist, we did have irfared stealth cameras! A GPS will be on hand next time since the simple compass didn't suffice this time.) If you have ideas on if and where we can secretly show this incriminating evidence of a FUCKING GOOD TIME, I'd love to chat about it. I'd also love to include some of out MayDay footage too, if possible. -J  P/S, I don't know if the Berkeley cops were always this way or if something happened recently at CM to cause this hehavior, but they make the SF cops look like blood-thirsty control-freak Nasi-wanna-bees by comparison. (Hey wait a minute. Maybe that because that's what the SF cops are? Naaah, couldn't be.) "

Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned, but I think that perhaps it's time for the Berkeley police to adopt a zero tolerance policy for destruction of private property, fighting, looting and breaking and entering. In otherwords, "Could we please have some law enforcement here?".  I'm not advocating aggressive police action, but there has to be some sort of response. How about a $10 parking ticket for overturning some guys car? Or a $15 file for breaking store windows and walking out with goods (in other words, looting!)?

I guess the city policy is that its better, and possibly cheaper, (thanks to the ACLU and the legacy of the 60's) to leave rioters alone to their silly destruction. Intelligent people think they are rebels without causes. Especially us people that protested for real issues like ending a war in Vietnam and ending Apartheid in South Africa.. These nouveau political protesters wannabe's seem to feed on media attention. And nothing brings on the media attention like a few cops in riot gear hitting protesters with their batons.

The fraternity rioters are a different breed. There is no polical agenda. It is pure impulse and lack of respect for anyone else. Unfortunately, in Berkeley the political status quo makes no distintion between a looting riot and an organized protest. Furthermore, the two are looking more and more alike as violent anarchistic types seem to show up at otherwise peaceful protests.  Berkeley politics is such that even a purely criminal riot, consisting of opportunistic looters and vandals, is pedastalized as if it were one of the sacred political free-speech protests of the past.

In Berkeley, a riot hardly raises an eyebrow these days. It's just part of the show ....