To facilitate the action as planned;
To act as an information source for planners and demonstrators;
To help demonstrators be safe while and feel good about demonstrating;
To act as a buffer between police, hecklers and bystanders.
Don't panic, ever.
Don't do the police's job, ever.
Also - Wear sturdy shoes and clothes!
In case of a medical emergency: one marshal remains with injured person, another gets police. If police are the cause of the injury, the second marshal should directly contact an ambulance service.
WHAT MARSHALS DO ON A MARCH
Side Marshals: block traffic at intersections (facing cars), watch perimeters, help facilitate civil disobedience, if any occurs;
Back Marshals: bring up the rear, set the pace, make sure no one gets left behind.
What to do at street intersections:
Marshalls block traffic by forming a line across intersecting street;
(Many times the police will block traffic for us, but even if the police do this, then line up between the cops and the marchers).
Groups of marshalls need to get to the intersection first (leap frog other marshall lines to get to intersection).
Groups of 4 or 5 wait for the red light (when cars have stopped) and quickly slide out, holding hands, and FACE THE CARS.
When the march has gone by, don't dissolve until there is another red light to protect marshalls.
When you're rushing to get to the next intersection, try to make it seem as if you're not panicking or creating a riot.
Police Relations
THE ROLE OF THE POLICE AT AN ACTION is to protect propertyand bystanders from damage and to contain demonstrators, keep us from making a commotion.
Marshals are the primary communication link between police and demonstrators. Marshals should approach police confidently but not aggressively. It is also best to approach police with caution, but not with suspicion. In Ottawa, the police are experienced with non-violent protest and will not generally attemot to intimidate a crowd that is acting lawfully (ie: that is not committing civil disobedience.) Nevertheless, it is possible that police may act aggressively. Try to be calm during a confrontation with a cop. NEVER touch a police officer. Any physical contact with a police officer on duty can result in a criminal charge of assault. At the same time, be assertive in your right to demonstrate legally.
If a police officer acts aggressively toward one or more demostrators, the marshals can help by isolating the conflict and directing the crowd's attention to it.
It is possible that there will be police on horseback. If they start to go through the crowd in an attempt at intimadation, tell everyone to SIT DOWN. While it's counter-intuitive, horses will not step on a person sitting down. The animals are more careful than the riders to look for firm ground.
If police order the crowd to disperse:
- Try to negotiate with them. Ask whether the group is breaking the law. If so, can the demonstration be changed to be legal without having to break it up? If not, what is the problem? They may be willing to give the group a set amount more time, for example, or a more limited area in which to demonstrate.
- If they are not willing to negotiate, or if they are of the opinion that the demonstration is illegal, the marshals should inform the crowd. If necessary, the marshals should help the crowd to disperse in an orderly way.
Crowd Relations
If the entire crowd is in danger or panicking, tell everyone to SIT DOWN. This keeps people safer and more non-threatening; it takes control of the street space and allows you to regroup and regain composure.
Bystander Relations
There may be hecklers at the action. In this case, marshals should not ignore them but rather face the problem. If possible, one marshal should approach the heckler and engage him/her in a quiet discussion, separated from the main body of the rally. You can distract a hostile person and calm them by talking to them gently. Other marshals should monitor this interaction to ensure that it remains peaceful.
Nonviolence focuses on communication:
1. Your objectives must be reasonable. You must believe you are fair and you must be
able to communicate this to your opponent.
2. Maintain as much eye contact as possible.
3. Make no abrupt gestures. Move slowly. When practical, tell your opponent what
you are going to do before you do it. Don't say anything threatening, critical, or hostile.
4. Don't be afraid of stating the obvious; say simply, "You're shouting at me," or
"You're hurting my arm."
5. Someone in the process of committing an act of violence has strong expectations as
to how his/ her victim will behave. If you manage to behave differently-in a
nonthreatening manner you can interrupt the flow of events that would have culminated
in an act of violence. You must create a scenario new to your opponent.
6. Seek to befriend your opponent's better nature; even the most brutal and brutalized
among us have some spark of decency which the nonviolent defender can reach.
7. Don't shut down in response to physical violence; you have to play it by ear. The
best rule is to resist as firmly as you can without escalating the anger or the violence.
Try varying approaches and keep trying to alter your opponent's picture of the
situation.
8. Get your opponent talking and listen to what s/he says. Encourage him/her to talk
about what s/he believes, wishes, fears. Don't argue but at the same time don't give the
impression you agree with assertions that are cruel or immoral. The listening is more
important than what you say- keep the talk going and keep it calm.
-- Adapted from an article by Markley Morris
Direct Action Guidelines
These direct action guidelines describe limits required for us to set a minimum level of
safety for ACT UP demonstrators:
1. ACT UP cannot guarantee the safety of participants at our demonstrators.
2. Yet, we try to protect each other at demonstrations by setting up a support and
advocacy structure that can react quickly if problems should arise or if arrests occur.
We recommend that all people considering civil disobedience go to a direct action CD
training and that they join an affinity group.
3. At the demonstration, we ask that participants act according to the love and caring
that we have built or each other. Individual or group actions that endanger the physical
well-being of other demonstrators should not be done. Generally actions that might
endanger the safety of others at the demonstration include:
a) physical violence directed against others, including the police,
spectators and other ACT UP members
b) actions that cause panic such as running and throwing rocks
c) bringing weapons or anything that can be construed as a weapon to the
demonstration site; weapons include but are not limited to: guns, knives,
nail files, mace, letter openers, scissors, etc.
d) bringing recreational drugs to the demonstration
4. We ask that anyone or any group considering acts of property alteration (i.e. graffiti)
commit such acts openly, taking responsibility for these acts, and taking care that these
acts endanger no one. If secrecy is necessary, the action should not be part of this
demonstration.
Nonviolence Training
Historically, nonviolence training was used extensively during the civil rights movement,
in Gandhi's campaigns in India against the British, and in recent years in the struggles
against nuclear technology, against U.S. policy in Central America and Southern Africa
and for the rights of farm workers, women and people with AIDS, to name a few.
The purpose of training is for participants to form a common understanding of the use
of nonviolence. It gives a forum to share ideas about nonviolence, oppression, fears and
feelings. It allows people to meet and build solidarity with each other and provides an
opportunity to form affinity groups. It is often used as preparation for action and gives
people a chance to learn about an action, its tone, and legal ramifications. It helps
people to decide whether or not they will participate in an action. Through role playing,
people learn what to expect from police, officials, other people in the action and
themselves.
Nonviolence training can range from several hours to several months. Most typical in
the United States are sessions that run up to eight hours and have 10-25 people with
two trainers leading the discussion and roleplays. Areas covered in a session include:
· History and philosophy of nonviolence, including role plays on the use of nonviolence
and nonviolent responses to violence.
· Roleplays and exercises in consensus decision making, conflict resolution, and quick
decision making.
· A presentation of legal ramification of civil disobedience and discussion on
noncooperation and bail solidarity.
· Exercises and discussion of the role of oppression in our society and the progressive
movement.
· What is an affinity group and what are the roles within the group.
· A sharing of fears and feelings related to nonviolence and nonviolent action.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote that the philosophy and practice of nonviolence has six basic elements.
First, nonviolence is resistance to evil and oppression. It is a human way to fight.
Second, it does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his/ her
friendship and understanding.
Third, the nonviolent method is an attack on the forces of evil rather than against
persons doing the evil. It seeks to defeat the evil and not the persons doing the evil and
injustice.
Fourth, it is the willingness to accept suffering without retaliation.
Fifth, a nonviolent resister avoids both external physical and internal spiritual violence-
not only refuses to shoot, but also to hate, an opponent. The ethic of real love is at the
center of nonviolence.
Sixth, the believer in nonviolence has a deep faith in the future and the forces in the
universe are seen to be on the side of justice.
Police Liaison
If you do decide to attempt "police liaison", you should realise that you will only get something out of it if you stay in control, and know why you are doing it. Be very careful that you aren't giving them more information than you are getting out of them. For example, telling them all your grievances may just give them a better idea of what is effective at upsetting your campaign! The only benefit to having liaison meetings is if the press attend the meetings and the discussions enter the public domain. This way the press can record your allegations and any promises and assurances that you get from the police. You will be in control as you can put them on the spot. If you initiate the meetings, you will be in a better position to call the shots - pushing the agenda onto police behaviour. Make sure the press know who called the meeting.
Make sure that you get to speak to the policemen (and they will be men) at the TOP of the chain of command. There is no point in speaking to some ineffectual sponge who has no power or control, and is just there to soak up your energy and anger. At Newbury, police liaison had little or no effect whatsoever, as nobody could talk to the men in charge. However, at some points of the M11 campaign, through talking to the operational commander in front of the press, police behaviour was changed. The Commander could see that he was losing "respect" in the local community, and therefore his power. If you cannot speak to the "top-guys" in front of the press, we suggest you pull out. Alternatively, you could force the issue by gate-crashing police press conferences, or confronting senior police officers directly on site, in front of TV cameras.
If the police won't agree to the press attending, make a big deal out of this - what have they got to hide? Why can't the public hear what the police have to say? If the press are banned, think very carefully about what you will gain from liaison meetings. You could dramatically pull out. Beware that the representatives from the campaign who attend these meetings will be seen as "organisers". You may wish to rotate people who go to these meetings.
Specific police liason officers are likely to visit camps regularly to chat to activists, possibly at a very early stage. They are invariably after information, and aim to work out who's who and what's going on. Be very cautious or ask them to leave.
Violence from contractors, security guards and police
Many road protesters have experienced little or no violence from security or police. The way you relate to those whom you are challenging may diffuse volatile situations. Try to keep the atmosphere of your actions as light as possible. Include music and humour in your actions and don't be afraid to smile. Be aware of what is going on around you and diffuse situations before they ignite. You can distract a hostile person and calm them by talking to them gently.
Reacting to your protest with violence may be the easiest way out for them. It means they don't have to rationally argue why they are destroying nature or peoples' homes. Violence may be deliberate, designed to subdue and intimidate you into giving up. Don't be intimidated.
If you are attacked, try looking them in the eyes and asking why they are hurting you. If they don't stop, call to other people for help and shout "Camera!". Your aggressor is unlikely to want to be caught on film. If you can get away, run to join other protesters. Some self-defence and martial art techniques may be useful for escaping from holds without using violence. Pressure points behind the ears, in your neck and on your wrist are sometimes used to enforce compliance, especially by the police. Wriggling about and shaking your head makes them harder to find. As a last resort, if you are getting an inescapable kicking, "duck and cover" to protect your vital organs. Bring your knees up to
your chest and tuck your head in. Clench your hands to protect the base of your skull and cover your temples with your arms. Roll to your right to protect your liver.
If you see someone being attacked, draw peoples' attention to the incident and call for cameras. If the situation doesn't improve, you could try calmly surrounding the incident with people so that the aggressor feels overwhelmed. Another method is to directly intervene, physically pulling them apart and restraining the aggressor.
If you are assaulted by a police officer, use all the above mentioned tactics and call out shoulder ID numbers to worry them and to inform action observers. However, they sometimes swap or remove their ID numbers.
If you wrestle with the police or intervene in another's arrest, you may face arrest for obstructing or assaulting a police officer (see De-arresting, page yyy). They will protect each other and pile in heavily if you appear to be threatening one of them.
"Quickcuff" rigid handcuffs get tighter if you struggle and are used to restrain and force compliance through pain. According to police guidelines, these should only be used on people being violent or resisting arrest. These guidelines are usually ignored. If you are hurt by them, see an independent doctor and get injuries photographed immediately after release. (See Anti- Quickcuff Gauntlets, page yyy).
The standard police weapon, replacing the truncheon, is the extendible baton, sometimes with side handle. These aren't used often on road protesters. Many police are also now equipped with CS gas spray canisters. These are only supposed to be used in self defence, and have not yet been used on road protesters in Britain. If you are unlucky enough to experience it, turn away, try not to inhale it, close your eyes and ideally cover your face in a wet cloth. Afterwards, use a cloth to wash your face with cold water containing lemon juice - avoid hot water as it will open skin pores and allow more gas-spray to enter.
You may meet specialist "public order units" who are more aggressive and violent; for example, the Metropolitan police's "tactical support group" (TSG) or Merseyside's "operational support group" (OSG). If you are charged by a baton wielding policeman you could "duck and cover" at the last moment (see above). The bully will hopefully trip over, falling flat on his face, at which point you can run away.
Even the nastiest pigs don't usually bite... but police dogs do! They are used to intimidate and force you to move. Ecodefense (see Chapter xx) has some ideas on how to deal with them, although it is mainly applicable to guard dogs.
Police horses are also used to intimidate. They are trained to move sideways into crowds and will tread on you if you don't move. If you push confidently on the chest or nose, it may hesitate. The rider will not appreciate this, especially if you touch the bridle or reins. Horses hate the smell and sound of pigs (real ones!), and it is also rumoured that lion or any other large cat's dung will frighten and hold horses back. Some suggest that if you attach a long clip-on rein (available from saddlery shops) to the bridle, you will be able to turn a horse from outside the rider's reach. This has never been tried and sounds dangerous. If are actually charged head on, some suggest that if you sit or lie close together, then the horses will stop or swerve to avoid you. We don't really know if these tactics work.
Women have faced sexual assaults and obscene comments on actions. A minority of security guards and police thrive on this power relationship, particularly when carrying women off a work site. Complaints to senior security managers and the police have occasionally been taken seriously in the past, but don't rely on this.
British female activists have discussed many ways to deal with this problem without having to rely on the authorities to sort it out. The most effective is to build stronger female solidarity and support. Ideally if someone is assaulted or insulted, they would tell the other women on the campaign who would go to the site as soon as possible and identify, surround and "shame" the man. Hopefully the other guards will shun the offender and force him to leave. Often women prefer to deal with these things themselves in their own way, as male protesters may make the situation worse by getting macho and over-protective. Men need to be aware of these issues and try and be helpful, supportive and sensitive.
Violence from protesters
People on actions may lose their temper and lash out, particularly if provoked. If someone appears close to breaking point, try to calm them down and take them away from the provocation. If you know an individual is prone to violence, you might not want to tell them about certain actions. Beware of "agents provocaters" - infiltrators whose mission is to stir up aggression and generate physical conflict.
If politicians and the media decide that an event was "violent", don't condemn it. This just plays into their hands. Highlight the damage and violence that is used by the state. Expose eco- vandalism for the violent act that it is.