when revolutionary leftists talk about the necessity of carrying out violence to overthrow the state, they are not talking about vandalism to businesses or to schools, nor are they talking about fighting against police on street corners. we are certainly not suggesting that young people should burn their schools down. these acts are not revolutionary at all, and, strictly speaking, they aren't violence, either. this is vandalism, mischief and pointless destruction. marxists and other leftists might approach the situation a little differently than capitalists, but we all agree that vandals and thugs should be prosecuted, just like everybody else does, and we agree that a police force is necessary to protect the personal property of individuals and the collectively owned property of society from vandals and thugs.
violent overthrow of the state means:
- using force to physically take control of the means of production
- using force to physically take control of other instruments of the state, like the parliament
- fighting with agents of the state if they try to interfere with the overthrow of the state
- assassination of bourgeois leaders, when required
marxist theory generally requires a concept of critical mass before such an overthrow should be attempted and before it can realistically succeed. it further argues that the violent overthrow of the state should be carried out by adult members of the proletariat with clear economic goals to implement, not by emotionally driven children that have been manipulated by cynical adults.
these are not minor points.
do you want the children to storm the parliament? do you want the high school debating team in charge of france's nuclear arsenal?
if the answer is no, you must concede that violent revolution is not appropriate, in context.
you're not dealing with marxist youth. you're dealing with stupid thuggish children that have been brainwashed by cynical adults and that will grow up to regret their actions when they better understand them. that is not an algorithm for or a path to revolution and cannot be supported by a revolutionary left. the criminals should be prosecuted like any others.
the kids should be in school doing school work. every day spent marching is a book that doesn't get read. questions as to the quality of their education should be asked and answered by adults, who are responsible for what they are taught.