protesters touched down in my fair city today: Montreal Police Use Tear Gas Against G20 Protests. It’s actually quite probably locals who organized it (and I support such demonstrations, I should be clear). We have a good strong tradition of anti-rapacious-capitalism here, that includes several acquaintances of mine.

Although I do support the protests in principle, it also bears mentioning that protest must occur where the power is expressed. And since Viet-Nam (at least) in North America, power and capital have long since ceded the streets and moved power elsewhere. Notably, into the wires – which is why I think hacktivism is so heavily punished. It hits ’em where it hurts, while street protests are largely showpieces on both sides. See also Critical Art Ensemble‘s books The Electronic Disturbance and Electronic Civil Disobedience, among others.