UPDATE: A Facebook page has been created calling for people to take action to disrupt transportation across the country in solidarity with Ryan Deranger’s call to blockade Highway 63.
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Three weeks ago this site exposed the mark of the Activistocrat– a tattoo shared by many of the NGO connected environmental activists operating in Canada. Today we expose a new Activistocrat, an oil sands protester who goes by the moniker “Gitz Crazyboy”- his real name is Ryan Deranger.
On July 5th Deranger showed up at the Tar Sands Healing Walk in Fort McMurray Alberta where he was accompanied by some of the biggest stars in environmentalist circles including Bill McKibben of 350.org, former Hollyhock board member Tzeporah Berman, and red diaper baby Naomi Klein, and three of his tattooed comrades. At the final feast on July 6th Deranger stood up and made a speech- beginning with his appreciation of the Oka Crisis (where a police officer was murdered), and calling for a direct action to block Highway 63, the primary road used to carry workers and supplies to oil sands facilities.
Your humble narrator first came across Deranger at a Toronto Idle No More rally back on June 21st. He shared the stage that day with Swamp Line 9 arrestee (and Occupy Toronto Livestreamer) Gary Wassaykeesic, Sayed Hussan of No One Is Illegal (who admitted Line 9 was an anti-capitalist action), and an angry postman who was on a hunger strike. Deranger’s speech was part about exciting the crowd, and to invite people to come attend the Healing Walk. A few days later he was speaking in Alberta:
Deranger, and his Activistocrat friends try to give the impression that he’s a ‘grassroots’ activist who goes against the grain of the NGO’s and unions who support the oil sands protests. One of his supporters, Franklin Lopez, put out a video this week attacking McKibben and Berman while presenting Deranger as a ‘legitimate’ militant. But, if you look into his history and connections, this appears to be a ruse.
For example, Daranger has been deeply involved with the Ruckus Society, a TIDES Foundation funded NGO that’s most famous for their involvement in the violence at the Seattle WTO riots in 1999. And, you may recognize his last name, his relative (his sister?) Eriel Deranger also has the same tattoo. In June, she was a featured speaker at the the Hollyhock Social Change Institute. Hollyhock was founded by faux Pulitzer nominee Rex Weyler of Greenpeace, and receives direct support from TIDES Canada.
Then there’s the matter of all the travelling he does. Deranger spends enormous amounts of money crossing the country, regularly appearing for speaking engagements from coast to coast- he often does this the company of NGO funded activists. Like this video taken by (tattoo wearer) Dave Vasey in Ottawa last year that was full of the usual suspects in the NGO crowd- you can see from Vasey’s coverage of their travel that an enormous amount of money was spent:
Back in 2010 Hollyhocker Ben West invited Sun News’ Ezra Levant to a debate. At the time West was working with the Wilderness Committee NGO, today he works as a director for Forest Ethics. It turned out that West had planned a dirty trick- inviting Deranger on the stage to accost Levant in an unexpected appearance. The deeper you look into the “love is the movement” crowd, the more connections one finds to Hollyhock and the NGO’s.
Deranger’s call to blockade Highway 63 was originally called for on August 23rd. But, according to chatter on the anarchist Media Co-Op, it seems they may be planning another date now. One commenter has stated that, for security reasons, the event won’t be promoted on a Facebook page or other social media. Speculation is that they’ll be using RiseUp.net to communicate- an anarchist website that enables protesters to communicate privately.
So, should we be expecting another Oka next month? Perhaps, there’s a distinct possibility that the anarchists are planning to ramp things up- and, a number of people who support the use of violence have already been engaging in the discussion. That said, it’s equally possible they will plan a ‘peaceful’ blockade.
One last thing, word on the street is that there are actions being planned in other cities too- perhaps a national campaign. Stay-tuned to this site for more information, I’ll be posting as it becomes available…
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“That said, it’s equally possible they will plan a ‘peaceful’ blockade.”
I am glad you put “peaceful” in quotes. Blocking a highway is a nuisance, which is wrong. General equity requires that roads be kept open. That the level of literacy in Canada has degenerated (not accusing you, I think you know why blocking roads is an unreasonable “ends justify the means” sort of fallacy) this far is unfortunate.
Author
Indeed, which is exactly why I put the quotation marks around it. Blocking traffic is the opposite of being peaceful…
“Blocking traffic is the opposite of peaceful.” The opposite of peaceful is violent. Are you honestly saying blocking traffic is violent?
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That’s a jump of logic…
Violence is basically the same thing as force. In latin, it is called vi, which is typically translated force, tho it could be translated violence.
So, you would be right to say it is not “violence” in the narrow way that the common people speak, but you many have the childish Simpsons-esque view of violence—you know, the one where Lisa starts scissor-kicking and moving forward, Bart starts spinning his arms, moving toward Lisa, and they both insist that it will be the fault of the other if they happen to get in the way. A blockade is rather similar.
The whole idea to a blockade is to _force_ traffic to stop. And whether that is because they do not wish to hurt the blockaders (as in a human blockade) or because they do not want their tires blown out (as in a blockade with nails, broken metal, etc.) the blockade is basically the same: a nuisance created by the application of force, or, if you prefer, violence.
“violence (n.)
late 13c., “physical force used to inflict injury or damage,” from Anglo-French and Old French violence, from Latin violentia “vehemence, impetuosity,” from violentus “vehement, forcible,” probably related to violare (see violation). Weakened sense of “improper treatment” is attested from 1590s.”
So, blocking a road is physical force, and it is an injury. Injuries are not just blows to the face and so on. Injury has a wide legal meaning which can include monetary loss, damage to reputation, etc.
Blocking traffic (committing the crime of creating a nuisance) for the purpose of altering the laws or protesting politically is something that, in my view, should be treated as a riot. A lawyer once told me that the reason the riot act is rarely read these days has nothing to do with a lack of riots: it has to do with the reading of the riot act voiding most insurance coverage in the area. I don’t know how correct that is, but I would not be surprised. The reading of the riot act creates a justification for police to use sufficient force to remove the nuisance and create a severe criminal consequence for any who disobey the proclamation. If they want more force to it, as by using an elected official, they can bring out a mayor. If they want yet more force, as by using a Superior Magistrate, they can have a Superior Court Justice come out and read the riot act.
Also, in the criminal code there is a provision that if a mayor, justice, etc. is notified of a riot and does nothing, he may be guilty of an offense. Whose streets? Her Majesty’s Streets! Use them properly or have a time-out is the view I am developing.
Anytime you take it upon yourself to violate the rights of someone else it is not peaceful. And a blockade is a violation of the rights of others freedom of movement.
Blockading traffic is an aggressive action by bullies and is hardly peaceful. If you cause someone to be late for work and get fired or miss a medical appointment you’ve caused harm.
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I’d add that it’s incredibly hypocritical watching climate change activists causing so many cars and trucks to be left idling…
Yes and the carbon footprint of Hollyhock is massive and The Tides Foundations is global. Rex’s plan to cash in on online seminars crashed so the planes and cars keep coming.
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Not to mention that septic tank residents of the island complained to me about…
25000 gal of sewage was pumped into the Aquifer daily when Rex was there.
How would they react if a group blocked access to their favorite coffee shop? Or to their union hall? What if a group got together to blockade their blockade? I bet they would start crying real fast. It all goes to the sense of entitlement too many of these people have. They believe they are above everyone else.
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