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Hehe, where I live in germany, there are regulary demonstrations and clashes between nazis, antifa and police. And I used to find it entertaining, to cycle arou
by hutzlibu 3y ago
Hehe, where I live in germany, there are regulary demonstrations and clashes between nazis, antifa and police. And I used to find it entertaining, to cycle around those areas, as a sort of a demo tourist (while keeping some distance). So I can say, most of it is just show (of force) and it is indeed all about intimitation (from police as well as protestors).
So yes, suddenly being trapped inside and facing riot police can be scary. That's by design.
But when you know the details, you can say quite easily, if there is any real danger of violence, or not. Usually it isn't.
But violence can sometimes erupt spontaneously though, so be aware (and fast) if you are close. Also, if you are good with words and kettled in, usually you can convince the police that you are just a tourist passing through (don't ask those, who face the heat, go to the quiet corners and ask someone in charge who does not look stressed out, the low ranks won't let you through, if they have the order to block everyone and their superiors are watching, so rather ask those a little bit higher up, but not too high, or find someone who is not being watched)
- einpoklum 3y agoOne of these days, the police will sic the Nazis on you, or the Nazis will sic the police on you, and then you might rethink whether it's really that entertaining.
- SauciestGNU 3y agoI've demonstrated against Nazis countless times, and almost every single time the Nazis and police join forces to assault the protestors.
- einpoklum 3y agoI remember being told more than a decade ago that the German police were unofficially more friendly to far-right/Nazi street activities than to those opposing them. I guess it's more out in the open now. Although it's probably also location-dependent.
- SauciestGNU 3y agoI'm in the USA, sorry if I gave another impression.
- hutzlibu 3y agoIronic is, that both sides accuse the police and state to be soft on the other side, but hard on them.
- chefandy 3y agoIn the United States, at least, only one side can even attempt to empirically back that claim up: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-police-extremism/ https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-poli...
- hutzlibu 3y agoOr they will sic the antifa on me. Extreme sports can be dangerous, I know. Apart from that, why would they? But I suppose you think, I must choose a side here? Hell no. The common antifa that I got to know, is made up of hypocrite, messed up people as well and is often standing for left wing totalitarism. To clarify, I am a antifashist, but the term antifa, stands for something different now. Peaceful protests against nazis I will join. But those demos I talked about, were rather action events.