Nonviolence 4 Equality

Step 1:

INTRODUCTION: Drawing from a diverse spectrum of independent sources, this brief introduction comprises a cross-section of the Nonviolent Resistance and Civil Disobedience “Tool Kit”. Review these resources and then use them when planning local nonviolent direct actions.

Operational & Tactical

>> Action Planning Pointers – This document is designed to assist local organizers with the basic elements of planning an action in partnership with a national campaign. Topics covered include: site reconnaissance, staging site selection, recruiting participants and promoting an action, developing an action theme, media relations, messaging, action coordination, and after-action follow-through.

>> Civil Disobedience Guidelines – This document contains some general guidelines for executing a civil disobedience including legal considerations, guidelines for interaction with the police, opting-out suggestions, dealing with counter-demonstrators, action logistics, and action abort process. For non-arrestee participants, organizers may also use the Non-Arrestee Tasks guidelines.

>> Action Planning Checklist – Organizers can use this checklist as a guideline to plan and execute a nonviolent direct action. This checklist is not comprehensive, additional resources should be sought if the organizer is planning to stage civil disobedience.

Logistics

>> Logistics and Planning Pointers – This document covers several general categories of logistics and planning issues including: dealing with law enforcement agencies, the need for legal observers and legal representation, obtaining of use permits and sound amplification permits, liability insurance, special events, dealing with counter-demonstrators, and miscellaneous pointers.

>> Peacekeeping – In numerous demonstrations of the past it has been found that the effectiveness and nonviolence of the action has been greatly enhanced by the participation of people with special skills. These specialized participants, or peacekeepers, perform specific facilitating roles for the action. These short handouts provide general guidelines for approaching and executing the role of Peacekeeper in a nonviolent direct action. Handout #1, Peacekeepers is a one-page, downloadable, stand-alone .PDF that organizers can adopt or adapt to include amongst the latter segments of a training in nonviolence.

Communications

>> Ruckus Media Manual – “Coordinating media for a direct action is more art than science, and sometimes owes more to luck than either. News is a quirky, complicated, unpredictable endeavor – much like an action itself. Put the two together, and it can seem like a miracle when an action actually communicates the intended message to the desired audience. As media coordinator, your job is to work miracles.” (http://www.ruckus.org/downloads/RuckusMediaManual.pdf) This manual provides an excellent, concise primer to media relations followed by a comprehensive Checklist for Effective Direct Action Media.

>> Media Pointers – This short handout provides general guidelines for conducting successful media relations. It is not comprehensive—instead, this Talking to the Media handout is a one-page, downloadable, stand-alone .PDF that organizers can adopt or adapt to include amongst the latter segments of a training in nonviolence.

>> Other Media Resources – Soulforce’s Local Media Checklist is a companion to the Action Planning Checklist. Organizers can use this checklist as a guideline to plan and execute effective media relations before, during and after a nonviolent direct action. Additionally, we have provided a press release template along with a media advisory template that organizers can use for writing press releases and media advisories.

>> The Spin Project – The Spin Project (http://www.spinproject.org/) is a non-profit organization that develops valuable resources for other non-profits seeking a “fair, just and equitable society”. They publish numerous online Tutorials, including Developing Relationships With Reporters and News Releases.

Step 2: View this medium-length video to discover how Gandhi and his followers planned and exectued the epic Salt Satyagraha.

• The Epic March 1928-1931 - ”Independence was declared as the ultimate objective of the country. The film depicts the epic salt march of the non-violent fighters for freedom under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi from Ahmedabad to Dandi. Marvellous was the mass-awakening. India was marching towards her destiny.” [http://www.gandhiserve.org/streams/mahatma.html]