# "How we 86'd a police office from our protected space" - The most sensitive anarchists ever! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300 "2010-07-20T00:36:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/41 "2010-07-20T15:57:04Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > What followed from the Chicago anarchists were the absolute most self-righteous, hyperdouchebaggeriffic rants ever written in any language. They were astonishing. I’d go search for them to post them, except I’m afraid raising my blood pressure that high again would be fatal. Oh, please, do share. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/42 "2010-07-20T15:59:20Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Also, that second pic that was linked to above – is that a group picketing the cafe? Because it looks like one of the signs says “Boycott Red and Black.” If you read the cafe’s website - 2 people came out with boycott signs, and a bunch of customers stood behind them in support of the cafe. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/43 "2010-07-20T16:04:11Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > …it looks like one of the signs says “Boycott Red and Black.” Close – they reversed the colors. It actually says “Boycott Black & Red Cafe.” ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/44 "2010-07-20T16:07:54Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > The cops are… buying coffee? And paying for it? And making pleasant conversation? To the barricades! Look, don’t get me wrong here. I am very aware that being an Anarchist is pretty much something that only middle class 20-somethings with a whole lot of white privilege can do. So I don’t pretend that their positions are entirely reasonable. In a lot of ways they are a lot like the Libertarians in that their political ideology seems to not take actual human nature into account and has no real chance in the real world. However, that does not mean that some of the points that they make do not have some validity. The fact is that at the moment the Police and the State have forgotten that they are here to serve the people and not the other way around. More and more cases of police brutality come to light seemingly every day. Citizens are not allowed to film police (or at least that is what they are trying for). We have a shocking number of citizens incarcerated and the State seems to have more power than ever before and seem to be becoming hopelessly corrupted by it. At this point when you see a police officer it is actually a fairly intelligent reaction based on evidence to be afraid. I am saying this as a law-abiding tax paying 100% above board citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/45 "2010-07-20T16:34:29Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Now I’m wondering what characteristics of mine might trigger someone to ask me to leave a place. Your dislike of anarchists. Duh. [QUOTE=BinaryDrone] So, am I supposed to believe that this police officer that was born and raised in Portland just innocently wanted a cup of coffee and had no idea the type of establishment that he was walking into and the probably reaction that he would cause? Really? [/QUOTE] You’re not supposed to believe anything. Clearly, you’re a total fucking idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/46 "2010-07-20T16:41:27Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Your dislike of anarchists. Duh. > > You’re not supposed to believe anything. Clearly, you’re a total fucking idiot. Yeah, but I am at least able to read and follow the forum rules. So I have that going for me. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/47 "2010-07-20T16:43:36Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > Yeah, but I am at least able to read and follow the forum rules. So I have that going for me. Whoops. I just randomly assumed this was in the Pit. I do apologize. :smack: Reported my post. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/48 "2010-07-20T16:48:36Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Whoops. I just randomly assumed this was in the Pit. I do apologize. :smack: Reported my post. No worries. I am curious, though, as to why you think that my assumption about that cop is wrong. I would have to assume that if you are born and raised in the area that you would know where the Anarchist cafe is. I would also assume that an officer of the law would have a pretty good idea about the way that him walking into an Anarchist cafe would make a lot of the people there feel. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/49 "2010-07-20T17:01:32Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Why don’t you explain what you meant to say befiore you demand that other s do it? > > Protected classes don’t matter anyway because the cop was not denied service. He was denied use of the premises; he was asked to leave, while everyone else was permitted to remain. That said, “police officer” is not a protected class. Cafe owner didn’t do anything illegal; he’s just an ass. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/50 "2010-07-20T17:05:52Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > No worries. I am curious, though, as to why you think that my assumption about that cop is wrong. I would have to assume that if you are born and raised in the area that you would know where the Anarchist cafe is. I would also assume that an officer of the law would have a pretty good idea about the way that him walking into an Anarchist cafe would make a lot of the people there feel. I’ve lived in two major cities in my lifetime, both of which I _assume_ have the same token anarchist presence as anyplace else, and I’ve never even _heard_ of an “anarchist cafe”. Unless the cop happened to be more politically savvy than most Americans, there’s no reason to believe he’d know that red and black are popular symbols of the anarchist movement. Did they have a big A in a circle in the shop window, or something? Doubtful. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/51 "2010-07-20T17:10:48Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > So, am I supposed to believe that this police officer that was born and raised in Portland just innocently wanted a cup of coffee and had no idea the type of establishment that he was walking into and the probably reaction that he would cause? Really? Given that he was in the area on other business, limited on time, and headed right out once he had his coffee, yes. > [@](#): > > Motherfucker was stirring the pot and knew it. Well, you seem to know it (I guess that mindreading course really worked). For those of us who don’t automatically assume nefarious motives and who believe that buying a cup of coffee is sometimes just buying a cup of coffee, it’s quite plausible that he had no such thought in mind. Might have even thought that being a pleasant customer, in and out without hassling anybody, would be a step in improving relations. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/52 "2010-07-20T17:13:00Z")
And the owner, despite being afraid of the power of the police and THE STATE, still had the nerve to order the cop off the premises, thus inviting a beat-down(that didn’t happen). Along with needing to have a business license, conforming to the health code, paying wages and taxes under the Labor code, etc. Hows that anarchy, rebelly thing workin’ for you? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/53 "2010-07-20T17:28:49Z")
> [@Binarydrone](#): > > Also, Shodan, there is a huge difference between this incident and Jim Crow and you should know that. No, actually there isn’t. “I don’t like members of group X in my store”. You don’t object to one value of X, don’t expect much sympathy when X = some group you favor. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/54 "2010-07-20T17:34:40Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > No, actually there isn’t. > > “I don’t like members of group X in my store”. You don’t object to one value of X, don’t expect much sympathy when X = some group you favor. > > Regards, > Shodan You really see no difference between a culturally and economically dominant group passing laws to codify unequal treatment of a non- dominant group and an Anarchist collective establishment asking a police officer to leave? Really? I have not been around for a while, and I had forgotten how incapable on honesty and nuanced thinking that you are. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/55 "2010-07-20T17:37:56Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Your dislike of anarchists. Duh. I didn’t even know that I disliked anarchists. I would totally have tried their vegan coffee. > [@Binarydrone](#): > > I would have to assume that if you are born and raised in the area that you would know where the Anarchist cafe is. I would also assume that an officer of the law would have a pretty good idea about the way that him walking into an Anarchist cafe would make a lot of the people there feel. Aren’t pretty much all of the potential clientele of an anarchist cafe cogs in the wheel of the oppressor (except for the “houseless” people, maybe)? Why would a cop necessarily be specifically unwelcome? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/56 "2010-07-20T17:41:02Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It was a lame thing and toolish thing for the store owner to do, but let’s not over do it. I think the horse is out of the barn there. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/57 "2010-07-20T17:45:15Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I would imagine the coffee is terrible. The coffee is fine, but the tea tastes awful. But what do you expect from a bunch of people who think proper tea is theft? ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/58 "2010-07-20T17:45:40Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > …Aren’t pretty much all of the potential clientele of an anarchist cafe cogs in the wheel of the oppressor (except for the “houseless” people, maybe)? Why would a cop necessarily be specifically unwelcome? My understanding is that Anarchy is the belief that society should function without hierarchy and that all decisions should be consensus based. As such, they would tend to see a big difference between some random guy like me (an unwilling participant in an oppressive system only needing to be liberated and shown the way) and a cop (someone who has made it their calling to be an actual instrument of the oppressors and is actively helping to maintain an oppressive and unjust system). Or something. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/59 "2010-07-20T17:46:57Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Well, you seem to know it (I guess that mindreading course really worked). For those of us who don’t automatically assume nefarious motives and who believe that buying a cup of coffee is sometimes just buying a cup of coffee, it’s quite plausible that he had no such thought in mind. Might have even thought that being a pleasant customer, in and out without hassling anybody, would be a step in improving relations. Oh that fucking sneaky bastard! I bet he didnt even leave a tip in the “make hemp legal” jar. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300/60 "2010-07-20T17:48:22Z")
I notice the anarchist baristas specifically ask for tips. Isn’t tipping the kind of socially imposed expectation that anarchists would rebel against? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-we-86d-a-police-office-from-our-protected-space-the-most-sensitive-anarchists-ever/547300.md?page=4)