Non violent protest techniques and tools

[Kalabi]

I was thinking about the use of milkshakes and so on in protests, and it got me thinking about some of the more surreal methods of changing the protest, I think it was this chap who used big inflatable balls to disrupt the authority of the police in a protest -

https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/disobedient-objects/tools-for-action-interview-with-artur-van-balen

The protestors would send the ball towards the police, who would then have the option of batting it back (starting an absurd game of pong) or attempting to bundle the inflated ball in to a van in a key stone cops style (which is what actually happened, although I'm failing at finding the photos and news story).

There was another movement in an Eastern European country that used gnomes and mass dressing up as santa claus in their protests? I'm hoping someone with a better memory or some knowledge of surreal protests can help me out :)

[madhair60]

just knifing cunts in the neck. Biting lip really hard fucking going properly red-faced, just knifing cunts.

[Kalabi]

Can you work in some face painted as a cat or something in to that?

[Chollis]

what about throwing acid at people but when they look all shocked and scared you tell them calm down you idiot it's just omega-3 fatty acid haha

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

what about throwing acid at people but when they look all shocked and scared you tell them calm down you idiot it's just omega-3 fatty acid haha

The Gord as revolutionary.

[Shit Good Nose]

I've been on the other side of some non violent protests, and they can be as equally ballaching as violent protests (obviously in a completely different way), and the aftermath of non violent ones tends to last a LOT longer than violent ones as well.

With the climate protests, to pick a recent example, there were stories of ambulances and fire engines being held up on the way to emergencies cos cunts wouldn't move out the way, for example, as well as loads of people missing transport connections.  In fact a friend of mine was heading for a job interview in Bristol - ironically for a climate change project post for the council - when the Bristol protest happened a few weeks ago, and some of the protestors broke off and went to a different part of town that wasn't part of the original protest route, the result of that being that he missed his interview.  Fortunately the council understood and it's been rescheduled, but that won't always happen.

I'm not saying that protests should not happen, I'm just saying that people need to think what impact they're having on others - it's not just rich oil barons and evil bankers you're holding up, it's regular folk and people trying to help other people too, and you're taking desperately needed resources away from things that arguably require them a lot more, so your "awwwww, comedy bouncy ball non violent game with police - isn't that nice" could well be responsible for someone not making it to an emergency operation.

[Kalabi]

Couldn't any protest potentially cause problems though? Isn't the purpose of protests often to cause disruption?

[NoSleep]

Withdrawing your labour.

[Buelligan]

Couldn't any protest potentially cause problems though? Isn't the purpose of protests often to cause disruption?

Yeah, the possibility of doing anything when you can sit at home watching Strickly and browsing Amazon is too big a risk IMO.  The only truly responsible protest is in your silent dreams.

[Shit Good Nose]

Couldn't any protest potentially cause problems though? Isn't the purpose of protests often to cause disruption?

Yes, but most people think that non violent protests are absolutely fine and only disrupt those the protest is aimed at.  But that obviously isn't the case.


Plus the number of iPhones in use during the climate protests...

[NoSleep]

Yes, but most people think that non violent protests are absolutely fine and only disrupt those the protest is aimed at.

Despite every protest being reported as having only been a huge inconvenience?

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Plus the number of iPhones in use during the climate protests...

fucking hell

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I've actually changed my mind over the last five minutes and am now in favour of the most inconvenient and indiscriminately violent type of protest possible

[Shit Good Nose]

fucking hell

That aimed at me, or all the hypocrites in the protests?

[bgmnts]

fucking hell

There's no irony there?

[honeychile]

This was a funny way of taking the piss out of a far-right protest on the ground. The bit where he starts playing Ride of the valkyries is lovely.

[Kalabi]

This reminds me a bit of Louise Mensch (among others I'm sure) pointing out the 'irony' of Occupy protestors drinking Starbucks.

I think it was Hislop (yes, yes, I know) saying that arguing that capitalism needs controlling is not the same as saying we need to return to a barter system.

I think the story of the chap being miffed that he couldn't get to his job interview for a Climate Change related vacancy because of this big Climate Change protest would make a good pilot though.

[Monsieur Verdoux]

That aimed at me, or all the hypocrites in the protests?

you

[Jerzy Bondov]

There should be a protest against my plumber.

[Monsieur Verdoux]

there should be a protest against my damn wife

[Shit Good Nose]

I think the story of the chap being miffed that he couldn't get to his job interview for a Climate Change related vacancy because of this big Climate Change protest would make a good pilot though.

Pilot ends with our "hero" saying "I'd better get that job after all this" (which is actually something my mate said to me when he was told they'd reschedule).

you

Why?


I should say my comment about iPhones was more about the fact that most people are under the assumption Apple make their phones ethically (which they don't of course), rather than me saying "if you want to protest about the environment, don't own a phone".

[Jerzy Bondov]

There is no such thing as ethical consumption under capitalism, just as there's no such thing as an ethical plumber

maybe Super Mario but he doesn't seem to spend much time plumbing, much like my plumber

[Kalabi]

I should say my comment about iPhones was more about the fact that most people are under the assumption Apple make their phones ethically (which they don't of course), rather than me saying "if you want to protest about the environment, don't own a phone".

Ah fair enough :)

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Why?


I should say my comment about iPhones was more about the fact that most people are under the assumption Apple make their phones ethically (which they don't of course), rather than me saying "if you want to protest about the environment, don't own a phone".

No I don't think that environmental protesters are under the assumption that Apple makes their phones ethically, there isn't a lot of technology that is mass produced ethically, there's no reason to assume that the protesters are not aware of this

Of course it would be ideal if everyone could boycott everything and be a complete non-participant in the marketplace, but actual material circumstances don't allow for that, to maintain a certain standard of living or employment or social accessibility you must compromise. Unfortunate but that is how it is

[Shit Good Nose]

No I don't think that environmental protesters are under the assumption that Apple makes their phones ethically, there isn't a lot of technology that is mass produced ethically, there's no reason to assume that the protesters are not aware of this

You obviously haven't met the same environmental protestors I have......


(in context/to expand - I work in the energy industry on the public sector consumer side(*), and a big part of my job is energy reduction and efficiency projects, so I meet a LOT of people on both sides of the protests, and I've also been involved in both sides of the protests, so everything I'm saying is based on actual knowledge and experience and not just cynical bullshit pulled from the air)

(*) that is also why I know that this planet is fucked and what we're doing now - or trying to do - is way too little way too late

[Buelligan]

Yeah, but you're a person who doesn't care for otters.  Not to mention the Phil Collins issue.  I'm amazed you have the brass neck to mention environmental protesters at all.

And I'll bet you have a phone, despite knowing they're unethical.

(I don't have a phone).

[Monsieur Verdoux]

I find it very hard to believe that a significant proportion of people actively believe that mass produced technology is produced ethically. The greater likelihood is that they simply haven't thought about it, not that they actively believe something that they've plucked from nowhere

[Shit Good Nose]

Yeah, but you're a person who doesn't care for otters. 

You know damn fucking well that's not what I said.  I said they were re-introduced to most areas without due care and attention and in too great a number and with very little input from people who actually know about otters.


As happens far too often on CaB actual knowledge and experience built up over years counts for nothing against bedroom opinion and five minutes of internet research.

[Buelligan]

I notice you're not defending the Phil Collins point.  Very telling.

[Shit Good Nose]

Because I can't be bothered.  But I had to correct you about the otters because it was wrong - I even said that I liked the fact otters were back in the wild.