Thread by @QueerlyAutistic

"Rioters are playing into the government's hands."

No, YOU, the commentators and media, are playing into the government's hands by pear clutching about violence being bad rather than encouraging people to actually talk about why violence happens and combat those conditions.

You are complicit in reinforcing the kind of narrative that the government will use to push this bill through, and YOU are the ones directly harming any fight against it by refusing to do anything other than whine about violence rather than turn it back onto those in power.

YOU could play a role in challenging people's preconceptions, in changing the tone of the narrative, in shifting the way that the general public views all of this. But instead, you want to nod your head and agree tearfully with the authoritarians. That's on YOU.

YOU have power.

The people throwing rocks on the street? They don't have power. That's why they're throwing rocks.

Get off your fucking high horse and show some fucking courage and willingness to challenge the status quo.

The response to 'see, people threw rocks, we must limit the right to protest' is not 'yes sir, I'm sorry sir, you're right sir, will you let us keep our rights if we promise not to do it again sir?'.

It's 'no, hang on here, I don't accept that, let's fucking talk about it.'

You're so quick to condemn the anger of people on the ground literally fighting for their human rights, and that condemnation does nothing but drive the narrative the government will use to push this bill. Buck up your fucking ideas or stop talking, because you aren't helping.

I hate every single one of you right now, and I won't let you shift any pre-emptive blame onto the shoulders of people being beaten by police batons.

You should be fucking ashamed.