Chris Teret, interviewed by Sander Hicks, 8/30/02

 

1. How did the protest compare to how you thought it would go?

I was expecting our numbers to far outweigh theirs. it was shocking and upsetting that we were about equal size.

 

2. What was your take on the Anti-Nazi violence you witnessed?

I didn't see much violence, just a lot of attempted violence. I didn't see anything happen that was life-threatening, just a legitimate effort to humiliate fascists. Their power and mystique rests on the threat of violence, and violence is necessary to counter that.

 

3. What did you believe about the role and bahavior of the police? Be specific.

The police were there to protect the fascists, and being Washington D.C. police, they had seen a lot of protests and knew who we were. They knew we were their enemies.

 

4. What could have been improved at the protest overall?

The movement of the protesters could have been better coordinated to overwhelm the police and confront the fascists. There could have been a more multi-racial, community-based feel to the more militant bloc of protesters. My main criticism is when I heard a protester yelling at the nazis to "go back to your trailers," implying that they should be ashamed of their class background and that we were of a different class background. This is counterproductive, anti-political, and upsetting.

THANKS, CHRIS!!!!

Read HICKS' view on the weekend, too.

or Charlie's (it was his first protest)

Oh, and don't forget—

How Can you Tell the Difference Between President Bush and the KKK?
You Can't Sometimes.