The Anti-Academy City October riots were a worldwide series of violent demonstrations and protests perpetrated by Roman Catholics against Academy City, done through the manipulations of the Document of Constantine, in order to force the Russian Orthodox Church to join the Roman Catholic Church's side. The riots end with the Academy City invasion of Avignon.
Background
Causes and Motivations
After the attack of Vento of the Front on Academy City, many international disturbances were caused as a result. As such, Roman Catholic Church used the opportunity to activate the Document of Constantine in order to turn the tides early in favor of the Church for the upcoming war.[1] The purpose of the usage of using the Document of Constantine was to force the Russian Orthodox Church to their side. Originally, the Church preferred the other two great churches, Anglican and Russian, to come to their side. However, the Roman Catholic Church came to know that the Anglican Church had a relationship with Academy City, and with all the things that have transpired between the two churches, where they were at odds with each other, there was clear strife between the two, causing Church to give up on them. And though the power balance between Academy City and the Roman Catholic Church was very equal, it is the joining sides that can tip the balance. And so the Roman Catholic Church focused their attention on the Russian Orthodox Church, and prevent them from joining Academy City.[2]
However, though this was the prime reason, there were other reasons as well. According to Oyafune Monaka the riots is a sign of the Church trying to completely win over and use their 2 billion followers, for though they are of the Church, not all are as zealous and steadfast in their belief, and live in the benefit of both the Church and the influence of the Science side. According to her pure science side point view, she sees that the Church is using this "chaos" to boost its numbers and using Academy to strengthen their foundation in order to attack the world. Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church is also gathering funds for a war in the form of "offerings" from believers of the church. They are doing it on the pretext of funds to help bring peace back to the world from the current chaos. The greater the chaos grows the more "funds" they will receive. Moreover, she believes that even if the demonstrations did not bring peopel over to the Roman Catholic side, if the chaos continues for a significant length of time, it could have a negative effect on the economy. And that could be the trigger to a world-wide panic. Even if the Roman Catholic Church does not grow due to this, it could end up tearing Academy City apart.[3]
Chronology
The Riots
Originally starting as a series of large-scale protests throughout Europe with great number of people marching around that ranged from men and women holding banners, youths were setting fire to Academy City posters and their actions centered around areas with Japanese companies.[4] Quickly around the world the protests and the various overreactions to them began picking up pace as in Germany where a bulldozer thought to have been stolen was plowed into a Church, as a result of the escalation sports games were cancelled for safety’s sake. While at first only occurring within Europe, but they soon begun within America as well appearing in the major west coast cities were expected to spread throughout America before long.[5]
The effect of the protests made people afraid of the demonstrations and riots, but they still had to go out to make a living. They were only going to the places they had to which concentrated the streams of people to specific areas. A majority of the of these people had disheveled hair and clothing, were covered in mud, had bandages wrapped around their limbs and everyone from the strongest adult to the smallest child at the very least had bruises on their faces. In Avignon the protesters smashed the windows of Drory Coffee with their bar hands before hundreds of people stormed inside the store was suddenly too full for any to move properly. Quickly the targeting chains of Japanese-owned companies or the attacking hotels that Japanese sightseers often stayed in was lost and they had lost sight of their original goal and were now flooding the streets causing mayhem.[6]
Avignon Riots
- Main article: Avignon Cleanup Operation
Avignon apparently experienced more than one violent protest, as evidenced by the injured civilians Kamijou Touma meets in Drory Coffee,[6] seemingly due to the fact that the very spiritual item that is causing it is in their own backyard.
When another riot is caused in Avignon in order to intercept the Academy City forces that parachuted down in the city, Kamijou Touma and Tsuchimikado Motoharu. The magicians controlling the Document of Constantine most like used their influence over the protesters to make them into fledged rioters that began hunting him and Itsuwa through the streets of Avignon, where they were also starting fires with gasoline.[6]
The riots are later violently surpressed by Academy City forces, isolating the city, destroying much of its infrastructure in the process, and forcing its citizens to be relocated in an attempt to totally destroy the Document of Constantine and kill Terra of the Left. This would be the last riot caused by the Document of Constantine after Touma destroys it during the operation.[7]
Aftermath and Responses
The riots apparently sent Academy City on the edge, to the point of preparing for an economic bombing as if the chaos continues for a significant length of time, it could have a negative effect on the economy.[3] Of the economy, Avignon alone most likely cost a lot of money after Academy City destroyed a part of the Palais des Papes and the roads and pathways it has to destroy the Document of Constantine. Their overall response to the riots however up until the invasion of Avignon was not to deal with the problem and let the chaos worsen.[8]
Many countries resolved the riots happening in their lands throug they use of military force, though they are not stopped and continue. According to Oyafune Monaka, the countries are waiting for another country to make a move so they can see whether it works and what effects that action has. Because of their lack of knowledge regarding the magic side, no one can solve a problem as they believe there is no simple ‘reason’ or ‘cause’ behind it. No one can solve a problem that has no answer. So even though people investigate the problem for show, no one does anything about it.[3] She may have also feared the riots devolving into a conflict where anything and everything was destroyed.[9]
The Church of England's response to the riots have them become suspicious of its causes, and had the Amakusa Christians investigate the leylines and other magical properties of the land in France. The 52 combat-ready members of the Amakusa Church go towards major cities in France.[6]
It is unknown how many were injured or killed as the result of the riots, as well as the overall financial costs it inflicted. It is also unknown if other anti-Academy City protesting occurred after this without the power of the Document of Constantine.
List of affected areas
- Toulouse, France
- Avignon, France
- Dortmund, Germany
- San Francisco, California, USA
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Italy
- Russia
References
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 2
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Epilogue
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 2 Part 5
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 1 Part 1
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 1 Part 7
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 4
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 4 Part 8
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 3 Part 10
- ↑ Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 Chapter 4 Part 1