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Black bloc

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An example of protesters wearing black bloc
A drawing of how a black bloc protestor would look like

Black bloc is a protest strategy where people wear black clothes and cover up their faces. This helps them to not be recognized and to avoid pepper spray in their eyes.[1][2]

Overview

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People who do black bloc wear black clothes and shoes. Usually they wear matching clothes to blend in better in a crowd. They may also wear sunglasses to protect their eyes. To cover up their faces, they might wear hoodies, ski masks, and motorcycle helmets.

Black bloc was developed by leftists in West Germany in the 1980s. The idea became famous in Seattle, Washington in the United States in the 1990s in protests against the World Trade Organization.[1]

The purpose of black bloc is to not be recognized by the police and security cameras. This is because people wearing black bloc may do things that are considered wrong or illegal according to the people in power. Some of these things include rioting, vandalism, and protesting without a permit.

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 Sandrine Amiel (May 3, 2019). "Yellow vests, Black Blocs, casseurs, what's the difference?". Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  2. Sean Rossman (February 2, 2017). "G-20 summit protests: What is a Black Bloc?". USA Today. Retrieved May 13, 2021.