In a creepy posting, the Occupy movement is calling for a "Halloween night party" in Washington, D.C., next month in which protesters are asked to wear masks to "trick or treat" Congress and "party like we've never partied before."
The odd event is slated for dusk Oct. 31. The event was announced on the Adbusters website, which serves as one of the main planning hubs of the Occupy movement.
The dictate for Halloween protesters to bring masks may be telling. In May, Adbusters announced a shift in Occupy tactics away from routine protests and toward anarchy actions, including what is known as Black Bloc tactics.
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Black Bloc is a tactic in which protesters wear black clothing, scarves, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding or other face-concealing items. Black Bloc anarchists use the concealment to commit violent or illegal acts.
In an article titled “Battle for the Soul of Occupy,” the Adbusters activist magazine hailed May Day strikes last May, noting the “May Day General Strike was a surprising and bold success for the visceral side of the movement,” referring specifically to anarchy groups using Black Bloc tactics.
Adbusters criticized Occupy’s collaboration with unions and labor groups as too mild to make progress, while crediting anarchists with taking the Occupy movement to the next stage of revolution.
"While most of Occupy put its energy into building coalitions with 'legacy progressive groups,' labor unions and immigrant rights organizations, these efforts did not yield the anticipated results," the magazine said. "In New York, for example, despite amassing a coalition of over a hundred organizations and rallying a crowd of more than 30,000, occupiers were thwarted in their attempts to shut down banks or re-occupy Wall Street. And some Zuccottis have complained that union representatives actively blocked an attempt to lead the crowd toward direct action at the end of the night.
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“Meanwhile in Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, New Orleans and elsewhere, anarchists using Black Bloc tactics stole the show.”
Abusters stated that “for many, the Black Bloc represents a tactical innovation that suggests the future of Occupy.”
Continued the magazine: “And Black Bloc tactics are just one aspect of the overall rejuvenation of anarchism that is happening right now including the increase of infoshops (there are two near Occupy Oakland: The Holdout and The Longhaul); the creation of bottom-up solidarity networks to replace top-down unions; providing free food on the model of Food Not Bombs; offering a compelling DIY aesthetic.”
Abusters declares that “anarchist occupiers are energized and their visceral tactics are attracting members.”
“Now, the power of the Black Bloc is growing within Occupy and pushing the movement in unexpected directions,” the magazine added.
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Adbusters has been behind Occupy since the movement’s onset. The radical publication is reported to have come up with the Occupy Wall Street idea after so-called Arab Spring protests toppled governments in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia.
The Adbusters website serves as one of two central hubs for Occupy’s online planning. Adbusters is funded by the George Soros-financed Tides Center.
In April, WND reported Occupy had partnered with anarchy groups to engage in joint “direct action” at the May Day protests.
With research by Brenda J. Elliott
