Dr. Strangebed - or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Black Hoodie Anarchists.

I've never felt a great deal of connection to the now easily recognizable "anarchist kids" in their dark hoodies and bandana masks. Perhaps I'm just getting too old, but even as a youth I might have struggled. Once I discovered Marxism early on at university I was instantly a nuts-n-bolts kind of socialist. My dad was a Teamster, a truck driver. In other words, I was Lenin's dream - a working class intellectual in the making.

But most importantly I always knew that regardless of political system the trains need to run on time, the electricity needs to keep flowing and that humanity needs a plan.

I don't wish to turn this into a theoretical argument between socialism and anarchism. I simply wish to tip my hat to those rather intimidating looking young people in their disguises.

On April 1st 2009 I found myself trapped within a police cordon. I do not like being or feeling trapped. I was at the Who concert in Cincinnati where 11 people died. I know what it feels like to be lifted off your feet by the crushing power of a chaotic crowd. I know what a shoe in the face feels like. If you spot me at an even mildly crowded venue like a concert I'll undoubtedly be standing near an exit. Don't worry, in case of an incident once outside I'll stay close by to help make sure YOU make it out as well, but god damnit, I'm going to be one of the first ones out the door.

Like lots of other people at the demonstration it took me a while to make my way around to all the exit streets that spill into the large square that was home to the protest. At each "exit" I found a wall of cops allowing no one to leave - old people, women with kids, husbands pleading with cops because their wives had to use the toilet. One wall had already become the make-shift toilet for men but what about the women?

Once I realized I was trapped my blood pressure went up and my survival instincts kicked in. I started to move from exit street to exit street looking to see if any of the barricades were being challenged. I wanted out. Things would flare up at certain points and then die down. I moved on.

I settled on a spot that was close to the largest area the riot cops had to cover and began shouting with hundreds of others. Maybe 20 meters away the people who had been shut out of the demonstration pushed towards us. We wanted out and they wanted in - or maybe all of us just wanted to be together and express ourselves without being treated as if we were under arrest.

A few brave (or stupid, you say?) black hooded kids pushed thru from the outside only to be chased down by cops and beat upon. The crowd grew even angrier at the sight of such brutality.

When it happened it happened quick. Everyone around kind of glanced at each other and just surged forward.

It's one of those split decisions you have to make - do I fall back for fear of getting clubbed in the head or do I take this chance and try to make a break for my freedom? In the end it wasn't just a decision for myself it was a decision of solidarity - if not enough people surged then the cops would mercilessly beat them back. In other words, put up or shut the fuck up.

I surged.

The cops aren't stupid. They know when the jig is up. As we surged forward and the outside crowd pushed inward the police line collapsed and they scurried to the side. The police are a gang. They work only in numbers and by way of brute force. If their strength is temporarily overcome they will cower like the individual cowards that they are. (I'm sorry, but anyone in full protective riot gear who beats on 125 pound kids with a baton is nothing but a hired goon and a fucking coward).

I'm not sure how many made it through with me. I was too busy hauling ass to look around, let alone behind me. Then I thought I was safe. I was a good city block away from the original police cordon, around me people were coming in and out of shops, a guy was using an ATM.

All of a sudden 3 or 4 police vans come screeching down the street ahead of me and riot cops pile out, running full tilt towards me. Lucky for me there was one of London's many side alleys to the right of me. Along with maybe 20 other people I sprinted down it. We had to go single file through some construction barriers. I thought for sure the cops were going to appear in front of us at the next intersection. But I made it and kept running until I was close to St Paul's Cathedral.

Apparently, this whole police tactic of hemming people in and not letting them leave is nothing new here. So, no doubt some of the protestors came knowing this and were prepared to fight it. So? Good for them! The cops would have caged us in even if there hadn't been a "scary looking trouble maker" in the whole bunch. And then what? All 2000 of us would have played cards on the pavement, took turns shitting and pissing in a pile until the cops got tired and decided to let us go home?

In case some of you haven't been paying attention perhaps the greatest fraud, the greatest swindle in the history of human civilization is going on all around us. Bankers and assorted capitalists fire-stoked the economic system to grab as much cash and bonuses out of it as they could and when it all inevitably collapsed you and I have now been handed the bill. Remember the simple mantra - profits are kept private, debt is made public. They own the profits, you own the debt.

One can jibber jabber about things like "the police state" all day but it doesn't all become crystal clear until you see them standing there - lined up in full riot gear protecting, what? You? Me? Nope. They are protecting the system. They are the front line separating angry citizens from bankers and politicians. They are the army of the rich and powerful.

And who is there to fight against this raging injustice? Do you think any of it is going to change by everyone sitting at home and belly-aching about it? If you are someone who is truly pissed off by what is going on then don't believe a word the cops or the media say about these "trouble makers". You should be seeking them out and shaking their hand for leading the fight against crimes that we should all be out protesting against.

Within the confines of the demonstration 95% of the people were regular students and tree hugging young people of all varieties, old people, moms, dads, ageing quasi-activist intellectuals like me. But within that other 5% there were some soldiers. Soldiers without weapons. Soldiers armed only with convictions. If it wasn't for the bravery of those black hooded kids and their willingness to take a baton upside their heads I probably would have been stuck in the concentration camp until midnight with probably a few contusions of my own.

I can remember how Reagan tried to convince us the Contras in South America were "freedom fighters". Oh yeah, and I can remember they said the same thing about the proto-Taliban in Afghanistan. Nope. I've seen some freedom fighters. I have now fought side by side with them.

We might always have some ideological differences, but from now on, you young citizens in your black hoods and red and black flags - you're all right with me. Wherever I may happen to be you will now always have a ghetto pass.

Long live the freedom fighters.