[cays]

A gang of about 50 masked left-wing extremists on bicycles torched or trashed nearly 50 luxury cars over the weekend in attacks to protest gentrification of the once-low-rent districts near the center of the German capital.

The attacks just after midnight on Saturday and Sunday mornings caused an estimated $1.1 million in damage and left behind the smoldering remains of 48 Mercedes, BMWs and Porsches. Some of the masked attackers smashed the windows of the cars; others threw plastic containers with flammable materials through the broken windows.

“We're not going to let this left-wing mob take over our streets,” said Berlin's Interior Minister, Frank Henkel, who vowed the city would do everything in its power to stop the “street terror” before the arsonists struck again. “The horrifying images show that these left-wing anarchists are bent on destruction and have no respect for private property.”

There have been isolated cases in the past of expensive cars being set on fire in Berlin, a city with a thriving counterculture where rents were once extremely low. They have been rising steadily in recent years, and the attacks on cars — about 250 are set on fire each year — are seen as political statements against gentrification.

A peak was reached in 2011, when more than 400 luxury cars were set on fire. But never before had there been such a coordinated and massive attack as this weekend.

This weekend's attacks came in areas where rents have soared and property prices have skyrocketed more than five-fold in recent years to as much as $615 per square foot. Many squatters live in areas near the attacks. Last month, 500 police raided one of the largest buildings occupied by squatters after some of the residents had attacked and injured riot police. The illegal occupants are still there.

http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/...207-story.html

[Crimson92]

I would break their legs if I caught them.

You don't mess with people's cars.

[Rennsport3.2]

Originally Posted by Crimson92

I would break their legs if I caught them.

You don't mess with people's cars.

Do you think any of these low-rent deadbeats have ever owned anything of value? Violence is all they understand.

[Ragged Edge]

Originally Posted by Rennsport3.2

Do you think any of these low-rent deadbeats have ever owned anything of value? Violence is all they understand.

And they have nothing to lose. Beat them up all you like, it's been done to them their whole life, so they are not worried about it happening again. Plus, they get the chance to send you to jail for assault. They just want to take you down a notch... best not to engage, and let insurance deal with it.

[Rennsport3.2]

Originally Posted by Ragged Edge

And they have nothing to lose. Beat them up all you like, it's been done to them their whole life, so they are not worried about it happening again. Plus, they get the chance to send you to jail for assault. They just want to take you down a notch... best not to engage, and let insurance deal with it.

I didn't mean to retaliate with violence. I was referring to the destruction of property they carried out to get their "message" across instead of utilizing more civilized methods.

I do agree that they would love nothing more than to wind up in a hospital bed with a TV camera shoved in their face so that they can rail against those awful, evil, bourgeoisie that put them there.

[UglyBuzzard]

Only a matter of time for this or similar to happen here. Our country has been divided terribly. There is no middle anymore - you either have or you have not.

We have 2 parties - the party of keep and the party of give.

Time for a party of "those with, decide who to give to" I am sure that we have a group or cause to share wealth with. Just don't like being taxed and forced.

Geez, only Tuesday and I ready for my scotch IV.

[rr006rbc]

And the world we live in continues to get uglier..glad I have a garage where my F80 sleeps in comfortably at night away from hoodlums.

[UglyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by rr006rbc

And the world we live in continues to get uglier..glad I have a garage where my F80 sleeps in comfortably at night away from hoodlums.

Unfortunately, they will not stop at your garage door. Not talking doomsday by any means, just the vibe of entitlement and hatred for those with luxuries is getting very strong. Sadly, you see it every day from the media, hollywood, and our candidates - it is becoming embedded in mentally unstable folks.

[fecurtis]

Add yet another reason to the 4,684,298 existing reasons as to why I hate cyclists.

Ironically, here, once a neighborhood gets bike lanes, that's when you know gentrification is happening.

[PoorLurker]

I heard that they had torches protesting a cereal cafe too.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/wo...says.html?_r=0

[cays]

Originally Posted by PoorLurker

I heard that they had torches protesting a cereal cafe too.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/wo...says.html?_r=0

Yeah but did you see the photo of the inside of the store? I thought they were charging $4.50 for a bowl of homemade granola or some such. Instead they're charging $4.50 for a bowl of Cheerios.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by fecurtis

Add yet another reason to the 4,684,298 existing reasons as to why I hate cyclists.

Ironically, here, once a neighborhood gets bike lanes, that's when you know gentrification is happening.

lol

A gang of about 50 masked left-wing extremists on bicycles

Masked left-wing extremist on bikes = cyclists.