Anarchist Hipster Ninjas Take On Tea Shop, Trash Cans

Yesterday we got an email about some kids knocking down garbage cans in Williamsburg over the weekend... but it never mentioned ninjas! Over at Free Williamsburg they have a more detailed and intriguing tip regarding the incident:

"I wanted to see if you had heard anything about another vigilante attack on N 6th St last night (Sat 4/17) between Bedford and Berry. I live on the block, and my friends and roommate reported seeing a 'Ninja looking' crew dressed in all black run[ning] down the street from Bedford to Berry and smash[ing] the drivers side window of every car on the block. I saw patches of glass all the way down N 6th."

Another tipster confirmed the chaotic scene, also noting garbage cans were being turned over, and that the window of the tea house on the corner of North 8th was smashed. Allegedly during their menacing attack they yelled: "Take back the night!"

We just talked to an officer at the local precinct who told us that there were "some kids protesting something that night" and "we locked some of them up." So, maybe this recent incident and the American Apparel riot not too long ago were both the handiwork of the Independent Anarchist Media Collective? On April 13th two individuals of that group were arrested for outstanding Criminal Court summonses, just days before their Anarchist Film Festival. The officer we spoke with couldn't confirm that the two were related, but assuming they are, what do you think these kids have against bubble tea?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on April 20, 2010 10:30 AM

Comments [rss]

LB

Crazy ass cracka's !

fosiacat

llllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh god. williamsburg.

petebfd

"o, maybe this recent incident and the American Apparel riot not too long ago were both the handiwork of the Independent Anarchist Media Collective?"

what leads you to that conclusion? what does a MEDIA collective have to do with this. gothamist is a nyc media blog + 9/11 happened in nyc = gothamist planned 9/11!!!

jen chung your reporting is truly pathetic..

Wza

Cornballs.

atmanone

Not Vigilantes. bored white kids

atmanone

or misguided at least

Boogie Down

I thought that "take back the night" was a slogan used by advocacy groups to protest violent acts against women. I've certainly never heard it used in this context.

youngpro

yes, i have, too.

weissadam

hmm... http://www.columbia.edu/cu/tbtn/

SighR

wait, so... is this not considered "Wildin'" because we don't know if they're black yet?

steen

Exactly my thoughts. How is this not wilding?

luke*

"Take back the night!" Hahaha, what a lame slogan. I am imagining some Shakespearean actor skipping across a stage in a period correct outfit, complete with funny shoes and tights while yelling this.

It can be safely assumed that anyone using such phrases will never actually succeed in taking back the night.

ckl

Maybe you are 12, but "Take Back the Night" is something that has been around for years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Back_the_Night

Although God knows why these dudes were yellin it.

grizzzly

Let's hope this gets some morons some stick time - I mean, come on, tipping trash cans just sends more litter into the river and some extra foul oaths spoken from the DSNY folks - but it's also seriously uncool for Gothamist to insinuate that these idiots are related to any other group of people in the absence of facts, even if it's clearly just to make a joke at the end.

But seriously, who the fuck wants bubbles all clogging up your straw while you're trying to drink tea?

ckl

The bubbles are awesome. They are the perfect size/weight for maximum pea-shooter-style shooting enjoyment. I've fired many a tapioca ball through second-story LES/Chinatown windows.

grizzzly

I'll be the last to deny their utility as ammunition, but as an augment to the flavor and flow of tea, they are an abomination. I suggest an outright ban, or at least a 5 cent/bubble tax.

chuzzlewit

"So, maybe this recent incident and the American Apparel riot not too long ago were both the handiwork of the Independent Anarchist Media Collective?"

wait - how'dja come up with that?