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Latest anti-tech protest targets Uber by blocking cars in Seattle

Latest anti-tech protest targets Uber by blocking cars in Seattle

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Uber's aggressive policies — and its outspoken CEO, Travis Kalanick — makes it an easy company to hate unless you're a fan of convenient, expensive taxi rides. And now the company's made itself a target of small groups of protesters who identify as The Counterforce.

In a new Wordpress blog dedicated to "the destruction of Uber," a writer identifying with the anarchist collective published details of an alleged attack on Uber vehicles in Seattle this past weekend. The writer notes that 10 vehicles were "detained" and "fliers were distributed to the drivers and passengers." The post continues: "Hundreds of people witnessed this act of defiance against one of the most disgusting tech companies in existence." The outrage against Uber centers around an accident last year in which a driver tragically killed a six-year-old girl in San Francisco.

San Franciscans who feel disenfranchised by continued gentrification, which they believe is caused by the growing tech industry, have led continued high-profile protests over the past few months. Some of these protesters identify with The Counterforce, while other fragmented supporters agreeing with the group have sprouted in Seattle. In the blog post published yesterday, the unidentified writer explains The Counterforce's aims thusly: "We want the abolition of the economy, the destruction of capitalism, and the immediate communization of all shareable resources." We've reached out to Uber for comment.

Update 4/28 12:00pm: In a statement sent to The Verge, Uber has denied knowledge of the alleged protests in Seattle:

We received no reports from riders or partner drivers last night regarding the alleged protest in Seattle.

Uber provides a technology platform that enables tens of thousands of Seattle residents to get home safely while supporting thousands of local, small businesses. We are proud of what we have built in Seattle and will continue to fight to keep residents safe and small businesses thriving.