Civil Disobedience: Blockades By: Puck Arks
Written By: Puck Arks
Blockades and occupations have been successful. All of them have provided ways to spread information and dissent while building allies and networks. Timed right, it costs financially through delays, equipment rentals, shutoffs, time off and man power. More recently a series of short term occupations have disrupted work on various pipelines and financial institutions worldwide while building momentum and minimizing risk.
1. Identify Your Goals
What do you want to achieve? Some common goals include interfering with the company’s operations attracting media attention on to spread your message, outreach, capacity building or making political stances or demands.
2. Scout Potential Sites
Before you throw down a blockade, you need to check out the sites available to you. What does it look like during a regular workday? What does it look like before workers show up? If it’s an office building, when does it open? What are the work schedules of the staff there? What are the security concerns? If it’s a site that will change over me [like a construction site] you’ll want to check on the progress over time.
3. Implications of Territory
Find out specifically whose land you’re on. Educate yourself on the correct way to ask for a meeting with the folks in that territory. Research the current issues/struggles already happening in the communities around your site. It’s likely that there are people there who are already engaged in the same struggle as you so find out if they’ve taken action (through the courts or physically) and how. Would your actions detract from theirs or compliment it?
4. Pick Your Target
Your goals, scouting, and consultations will probably guide you to the most ideal target.
If media attention is your goal consider what the visual appeal of the site will be, including the action and the people on it.
Accessibility is a factor – make sure media won’t get lost or stuck in traffic en route.
5. Have your act together
Regardless of the dura on of your blockade, there are some things you’ll want to have right away. Here are some basic but crucial supplies ANY BLOCKADE should aim for:
6. Create an Entrance Plan
As soon as you’re on site, have one or two people check for useful things. This can include construct on supplies, keys to the trailer or equipment, site maps etc. Ensure surveillance cameras get covered by fabric, paper or paint.
7. Fill Roles
You’ll need some
basic (but important!) roles filled right away, most of which are the
same as you’d have at any action. We suggest having people assigned, in
advance, to the following roles for the first day:
• Neighbor liaisons
8). Get a System Going
For as long as you’re at this blockade, it’s your home. As people come and go, you’ll need to keep filling roles. Keep in mind that organizing the kitchen and emptying the compost toilet are just as crucial as writing press releases. It can help to have a role manager for checking on the shifts chalkboard and reminding the group to sign up for jobs but ultimately everyone needs to take responsibility for making sure camp runs as smoothly as possible.
9). Keep it Interesting
Once you’ve been there for a day, what do you do next? If you disappear from the media, you’ll likely lose some public support by the time the cops come clear you out. Even if you’re only planning to be there for a day, you can inject interest throughout the day. You can do teachings, concerts, street theater, games, or highlight different spokespeople the media might be interested in. Keep focused on your goals, but have fun too! Show people the kind of community we’re trying to create.
In terms of keeping it interesting for the peeps on site, blockades are a great place to skill share! Issue a call-out for workshops on topics you want to get better at. Ask a fellow blockader for tips and tricks on how to tie knots or distract a cop. We have a wealth of knowledge combined with a set time and place let’s use it!
10). Make Several Exit Plans
When arrest seems imminent an exit plan is important so you have something to refer to when your mind is in a par al panic. Your response depends on your goals and people’s comfort/risk levels. If your goal is to disrupt work for as long as possible think of ways that you can extend your presence or otherwise disrupt work. This can range from having an excellent police liaison that can swindle more me to “pack up” to launching in to personal lock-downs or physical blockades of the site.
Locking down can keep the blockade going for many more hours, make a strong statement of commitment and drive the media into a frenzy. It doesn’t take many individuals willing to risk themselves or much money to be effective but you may need things like extra water, food, mats, blankets and diapers – as well as the physical means for whichever lock-down method you choose. If some folks aren’t willing or able to be arrested they can likely offer needed support in other areas such as packing the site up and being responsible for the gear of those who will be arrested.
Getting food offsite and stored safely is important since it will otherwise end up as waste. Identify and remove priority items like media equipment. Have an exit plan for any pets. There are also ongoing media & police liaison and legal support roles to keep lawyers informed and those locking down as safe as possible. Eventually there may also be jail and court support roles.
No matter how prepared you feel police arriving on site en masse changes the dynamic of an action. Everything you do will feel rushed and panicked. It’s important to have a good and flexible exit plan.
That includes pre-writing media releases and finding out likely police stations and courthouses. Those locking down or supporting lock down folks should have a more specific step-by-step plan of what will happen when a police raid is imminent.
Blockades
Blockades and occupations have been successful. All of them have provided ways to spread information and dissent while building allies and networks. Timed right, it costs financially through delays, equipment rentals, shutoffs, time off and man power. More recently a series of short term occupations have disrupted work on various pipelines and financial institutions worldwide while building momentum and minimizing risk.
10 Steps for Setting up a Blockade
1. Identify Your Goals
What do you want to achieve? Some common goals include interfering with the company’s operations attracting media attention on to spread your message, outreach, capacity building or making political stances or demands.
2. Scout Potential Sites
Before you throw down a blockade, you need to check out the sites available to you. What does it look like during a regular workday? What does it look like before workers show up? If it’s an office building, when does it open? What are the work schedules of the staff there? What are the security concerns? If it’s a site that will change over me [like a construction site] you’ll want to check on the progress over time.
3. Implications of Territory
Find out specifically whose land you’re on. Educate yourself on the correct way to ask for a meeting with the folks in that territory. Research the current issues/struggles already happening in the communities around your site. It’s likely that there are people there who are already engaged in the same struggle as you so find out if they’ve taken action (through the courts or physically) and how. Would your actions detract from theirs or compliment it?
*Some communities might not support your blockade idea: Listen to why that is!
4. Pick Your Target
Your goals, scouting, and consultations will probably guide you to the most ideal target.
If media attention is your goal consider what the visual appeal of the site will be, including the action and the people on it.
Accessibility is a factor – make sure media won’t get lost or stuck in traffic en route.
5. Have your act together
Regardless of the dura on of your blockade, there are some things you’ll want to have right away. Here are some basic but crucial supplies ANY BLOCKADE should aim for:
* Charged cell phones WITH RECEPTION for media liaisons, legal support, and site info
reliable internet access point (social media is our best bet to tap into the mass grassroots)
•Lawyer’s phone number if folks get arrested (get everyone to write this on their bodies in sharpie!)
* Enough water and food to get you through 1 day
* A way for folks to go to the bathroom (nearby coffee shop, friendly neighbor, compost toilet)
* Cameras (including a video camera to film interactions with the cops)
* Wallie-Talkies (if it’s a large area)
* Sun/rain shelter
* Distro literature! Handouts, leaflets, reports, handbills or whatever for everyone who goes by
• Banners and signs to hang around site so that people know why you’re there
•An already prepared press release to send out as soon as you arrive on site
* Media talking points printed and ready for anyone who needs them
* Handouts to give to the people [neighbors & workers* Baked treats to give to the closest neighbors to initiate a positive first contact!
• Offsite media peeps who can get the facebook/twi'er/tumblr spheres rocking
If you’re planning to stick around for a while, you’ll need to get your gear onsite early in case you don’t get another chance. For longer term blockades, be sure to plan for these supplies:* Tents
* Sleeping bags,Coolers Batteries /charging stations to recharge phones and computers *More permanent internet access point (such as hot spot or rocket sticks)
• Tarps, Poles, Chairs, and any other supplies to build shelters and other things you want on site.
* Chalkboard for setting up security shifts and rotating camp roles.
* Name tags (for people who are using aliases)
6. Create an Entrance Plan
How are you going to take the site? How many people do you need to do it safely? Are you anticipating an immediate confrontation with workers? Do you have to overcome any physical obstacles to accessing the site? Is there already a police or private security presence there?
As soon as you’re on site, have one or two people check for useful things. This can include construct on supplies, keys to the trailer or equipment, site maps etc. Ensure surveillance cameras get covered by fabric, paper or paint.
7. Fill Roles
* Police liaison
* Company/worker liaison
* Media liaison
* Internal media spokespeople (for social media and writing stuff)
* Logistics team (for planning and overseeing the physical blockade setup)
* Legal support
* Front gate crew
(hand out literature to people as they pass by, greet new people who arrive)
• Neighbor liaisons
8). Get a System Going
For as long as you’re at this blockade, it’s your home. As people come and go, you’ll need to keep filling roles. Keep in mind that organizing the kitchen and emptying the compost toilet are just as crucial as writing press releases. It can help to have a role manager for checking on the shifts chalkboard and reminding the group to sign up for jobs but ultimately everyone needs to take responsibility for making sure camp runs as smoothly as possible.
***Keeping a solid presence is crucial for deterring the company and the cops from having you dragged off site.
9). Keep it Interesting
Once you’ve been there for a day, what do you do next? If you disappear from the media, you’ll likely lose some public support by the time the cops come clear you out. Even if you’re only planning to be there for a day, you can inject interest throughout the day. You can do teachings, concerts, street theater, games, or highlight different spokespeople the media might be interested in. Keep focused on your goals, but have fun too! Show people the kind of community we’re trying to create.
In terms of keeping it interesting for the peeps on site, blockades are a great place to skill share! Issue a call-out for workshops on topics you want to get better at. Ask a fellow blockader for tips and tricks on how to tie knots or distract a cop. We have a wealth of knowledge combined with a set time and place let’s use it!
10). Make Several Exit Plans
When arrest seems imminent an exit plan is important so you have something to refer to when your mind is in a par al panic. Your response depends on your goals and people’s comfort/risk levels. If your goal is to disrupt work for as long as possible think of ways that you can extend your presence or otherwise disrupt work. This can range from having an excellent police liaison that can swindle more me to “pack up” to launching in to personal lock-downs or physical blockades of the site.
Locking down can keep the blockade going for many more hours, make a strong statement of commitment and drive the media into a frenzy. It doesn’t take many individuals willing to risk themselves or much money to be effective but you may need things like extra water, food, mats, blankets and diapers – as well as the physical means for whichever lock-down method you choose. If some folks aren’t willing or able to be arrested they can likely offer needed support in other areas such as packing the site up and being responsible for the gear of those who will be arrested.
Getting food offsite and stored safely is important since it will otherwise end up as waste. Identify and remove priority items like media equipment. Have an exit plan for any pets. There are also ongoing media & police liaison and legal support roles to keep lawyers informed and those locking down as safe as possible. Eventually there may also be jail and court support roles.
No matter how prepared you feel police arriving on site en masse changes the dynamic of an action. Everything you do will feel rushed and panicked. It’s important to have a good and flexible exit plan.
That includes pre-writing media releases and finding out likely police stations and courthouses. Those locking down or supporting lock down folks should have a more specific step-by-step plan of what will happen when a police raid is imminent.
Comments
Post a Comment