Fragmentos da revolta: apontamentos sobre a insurgência de black blocks em Belo Horizonte

Abstract

This work aims to investigate the insurgencies of black blocs in the city of Belo Horizonte in the years of 2013 and 2014. More specifically, we draw attention to the processes that made possible the emergence of the blocks, trying to apprehend the meaning of their actions to some of the militants. In order to accomplish our objectives, in the first place we localize the demonstrations of black blocs in the intersection between the current definitions and analysis on this sort of direct action and the historical, political and social context in which they emerged. Secondly, we analyze a corpus of data obtained from semi-structured interviews with some of the blocs participants articulating it with our perceptions as participant observers in protests, activist assemblies, events of sociability etc. Black blocs in Belo Horizonte seem to fit in conceptual frames as proposed by specialized literature up to a certain point, showing themselves as a militant, autonomous and horizontal self-defense tactic, whose activists engage anonymously in symbolic actions to denounce the political and economic system. On the other hand, insurgent blocs in the city have as a heritage a specific history of social struggles and are crossed by ideological, class and identity dynamics that have little to do with their American, Canadian and European versions. In addition to that, recent social change processes partly associated to the rising and popularization of information and communication technologies have led black blocs to ways of mobilization that differ from the traditional affinity groups.