Camp for climate action

Direct action at the climate camp

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Action tips

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Fashion Tips for staying cool on actions:

Wear several thin layers, long trousers plus raingear. Take more clothes than you need - you can always take them off if it's too hot. Layers can also be changed if contaminated with CS gas. Thin long sleeved shirts protect against sunburn.

A hat or hoody and sunglasses protect not only from the sun but also from intrusive intelligence gathering by the police.

Wear sturdy boots to protect your feet (even on a hot day!)

A watch - synchronised with those of your mates.

Pockets with zips and rucksack for putting essentials into.

Bring supplies - plenty of water and food; bust cards (telling you your rights on arrest and solicitors number); change for phone, bus or taxi fare; tampons; toilet roll; midge repellent.

Remove jewellery, tie up hair and cut nails - helps to avoid getting hurt. Hair can get tangled up and offers a nice handhold for police.

Do not take:

Offensive weapons? (anything pointy or heavy eg penknives/ screwdrivers)
illegal drugs
alcohol (impairs your judgement)
credit cards
ID (unless you're from a foreign country or driving a car)
address books/diaries - the cops would love to have your mates' phone numbers

Mobile phones can be useful but get a clean simcard (the little chip where all the info is stored).

Delia says: 'Always empty your bags and pockets before you leave. Only take what's really necessary.'

Looking out for each other on actions - buddies and affinity groups

The Buddy System

Buddies are 2 or 3 people who stick together and look after each other throughout an action. Being a buddy means you never leave your partner(s)

ensuring no one gets forgotten.
know if their buddy has any special (e.g. medical) needs
keep checking that their buddy is still with them
make sure that their buddy is physically ok and find food/drink/warm
clothing/medical attention if they aren't
leave with their buddy if they want to go, for any reason
keep an eye on their buddies emotional state and try to calm them
down/comfort them when necessary
tell legal support if their buddy gets arrested.
call for observers/first aiders if their buddy is injured.

Affinity groups

These are small groups of people who prepare for and take action together. Affinity groups are organised in a non-hierarchical and self-sufficient way and can either act on their own or as an autonomous group within larger protests. Working in an affinity group is your best protection in the course of the action.

Roles and tasks can be split up between members, and you can support each other emotionally and in case of arrest or injury. A good size is 6-12 people. It's useful to form sub groups of 3-4 people who act as buddies. Within the group share your hopes, fears, experiences, strengths and weaknesses. Agree on the form of the action in advance (how willing to risk arrest, the limits of your involvement, how non-violent, how spiky etc.)Stick together - work as a team. Agree on a short name for your group which can easily be shouted and recognised, in case your group is split up and you get lost.

Roles within affinity groups Many tasks and roles need to be taken on during an action. Sit down with your affinity group and draw up a list of all the tasks and roles that need covering and decide who will do what. It's vital that people have a clear understanding of what their role involves. They also need to stick to their role throughout the action, and not just wander off in search of a cup of tea. Roles will vary from action to action, and sometimes people take on more than one role.

Legal Observers: take notes on police conduct, arrests, violations of activists' rights
Action Participants: carry out the actual action (climbing, locking-on, trespassing etc)
First Aiders: deal with any medical or health issues
Action Support: provides direct personal support for action participants (food, water etc)
Transport: drivers with cars/buses
Legal Support(at the end of a phone): keeps track of arrests, works with solicitors
Quick Decision Facilitator: helps group to make decisions quickly
Media Liaison: empowered to talk to the media and act as a spokesperson
Traffic Wardens: responsible for the safety of people from cars and other vehicles
Police Liaison: facilitates communication between police and affinity group

Communication on actions

When you're working with others, you need to think about communication. How will you stay in touch? Can you assume that in a large crowd you'll be able to stay within sight and sound of each other? It's worth thinking through and agreeing a few strategies in advance.

You could communicate using mobile phones, but will you hear them ring in the noise of the crowd? What if your phone gets no reception? Mobile networks do sometimes go dead around mass mobilisations. You could use whistles, but how will you distinguish your whistles from those of the rest of the crowd? You could have a visual signal to regroup and talk ? a hand signal, or a distinctive flag.

It's definitely worth having an agreed meeting place that your whole group can fall back to if you get split up or if the protest becomes more 'full on' than you're comfortable with. If you agree such a place everyone needs to know how to find it, and it needs to be a space that will stay safe throughout the day.

Knowing where you are

Knowing your way round the site of any action can help you stay one step ahead of the police, find secure places to rest and recover, or stay mobile and allow you to take effective action. It's worth getting hold of maps and street plans of the area and making sure everyone in your group has at least a basic understanding of the geography.

Decision-making on actions

Actions are fast moving situations and rarely go as planned. Your affinity group will have to make quick decisions on how to react to changing situations. Taking decisions by consensus ensures that everyone is behind the action. Consensus doesn't mean that everybody always agrees, but that everybody supports the decision.

Before the action work out what people are prepared to do and what limits they have (eg not willing to risk arrest). When faced with such a situation in reality you've got some idea of what the group might want to do. It's best to have a few practice runs in your group. Give yourselves 2min to come to a decision on scenarios (eg. ?You're taking part in a march. The police have given you 2 minutes to get out of the road, or they'll arrest you all. What do you do??)

Outline of quick consensus decision-making on actions:

Appoint a facilitator in advance!
The facilitator briefly states the situation to make sure everyone is clear:
'We've been given 2 minutes to move or we'll all be arrested.'
The facilitator asks for proposals: 'Any proposals?'.
In some cases there may be time for discussion, but in others there won't be. It's up to the facilitator to assess the time and act appropriately?
Someone makes a proposal
'Yeah, I propose we link arms and sit down.'
In some cases you might have time to make friendly amendments to the proposal.
Facilitator restates the proposal, for clarity, and then tests for consensus:
'OK, it's proposed that we sit in the road and link arms. Any Blocks?' - 'No'
'Any Stand asides?' - 'Yeah, I'll lose my job.'

A Block kills a proposal - it's a total veto. Everyone has the right to block. In quick consensus people normally block for 2 reasons - 1) a proposal will split the group or 2) the group is failing to make a decision. If a proposal is blocked, you need a new one! Some groups insist that in quick consensus you must have a counter proposal before you can block.

A stand aside is agreeing to disagree. It allows the proposal to go ahead in the group's name, but those that choose to stand aside take no part in that action.

A friendly amendment enhances a proposal. It's not a new idea, but a way of making an existing one more effective.

Medical Issues

Always carry water and food for yourself. Drink lots of water to avoid getting dehydrated. Carry water in cycling type water bottles (the ones that are squeezy with pop up tops) as these can be used for eye flushes to treat CS gas. Eat regularly to avoid your blood sugar getting low, which makes you disorientated and a danger to yourself and others. Take emergency sugar rations eg.chocolate, flap jacks.

Tell your mates if you have any medical issues (eg asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, pregnancy, heart problems etc.) Carry any emergency medication you might need, eg insulin, inhaler, even if you have not had a problem for a long time. Also take your prescription (otherwise the cops might take it off you). Wear a small wristband with medical issues written on it to makes it easier for medics to treat you.

Make sure you have a first aid kit and someone with first aid skills in your group

Spotting Trouble - Police Tactics

'Control, Contain, Disperse'

In Britain the police favour close contact public order policing when faced with large groups of people. The favourite tactic at present is to divide very large groups into smaller ones and surround and contain them. If you find yourself in such a containment (?kettle?) prepare yourself for a long wait, before you are either let out (after being searching) or arrested one by one.

To avoid being contained keep your eyes open at all times and watch what the police are up to. Police lines are usually formed on one side first and then the other, so if you spot this there is still time to move out. Also keep your eyes open for any large concentrations of cops down side streets. Continuously moving about makes it more difficult for them to contain you.

Another sign that might signal imminent containment or a baton charge is cops changing from normal uniform into riot gear.

When they fail to divide groups, riot police are sent in lines to break up and disperse crowds, by hitting out with batons.

Mounted (horseback) police are also used in the same way. It's important to understand that once given the order for a baton charge the police won't distinguish between violent or non-violent protesters. As far as they are concerned, if you are not a troublemaker you would have left the area a long time ago. Police in Britain are issued with metal retractable batons, which cause nasty head wounds but minimise the risk of brain damage or death.

CS gas is issued, but not often used - guidance refers to life threatening situations. Pepper spray is used, not generally in crowds, but mostly when making arrests by spraying in the face. Water cannons have never been used on the British mainland but are being talked about.

Horses are used to protect buildings, seal off streets, and to push back and split groups of people. The only safe response is to move out of the path of the horses calmly but swiftly. Do not sit down in front of them, unless you want to get trampled. Instead, move around the horses and fill up the space behind them as soon as the horses have passed.

Dogs may also be used, especially to protect buildings, patrol rural areas and for sniffing for drugs.

Snatch Squads are small groups of cops (usually six, in a triangular formation) who are sent into the crowd to snatch and arrest individuals. These might be people that the cops think are ?ring leaders?, or just people they don't like the look of. They also like to target people with musical instruments, cameras and the like. Watch out for each other and if you see a snatch squad approaching let people around you know about it. You can sometimes spot a senior police officer pointing out people they want arrested. Often a snatch squad is used to incite violence, to create a pretext for attacking the protesters.

Be aware that police officers do not like to be isolated from their colleagues and will often react very violently to this situation. Intelligence gathering is the police's favourite intimidation tactic. Expect to see lots of intelligence gatherers with video and stills cameras. CCTV cameras will often be installed on roof tops and you will be filmed from helicopters hovering above. One way to protect yourself from this is to wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses or fancy dress. Be aware though that the police can arrest you if you refuse to take off ?any items worn for disguise?.

Tips for large protests:

Form affinity groups and have a buddy with you.
Stay alert and keep moving around, as a group and individually.
Fill gaps and face outwards so you can see what's going on.
Link arms if possible ? this forms protective barriers and gives moral support.

Preventing and de-escalating violent situations

Quite often we're faced with aggression on actions ? from employees, the police, passers-by and sometimes fellow protesters. Or you yourself might ?loose it?, eg when you see a friend being hurt. Being aware of what can lead to aggression and violence on actions can help to avoid these situations arising, and keep the action safe.

Stay focussed on your aims - Work out what it is you want to achieve and how you will do this. A clear motivation and sense of purpose can help you to stay focussed in a chaotic, frightening situation.

Work in affinity groups. This not only provides back-up but also support when a member of the group starts to get stressed.

Stay calm, relaxed and alert. Try to notice things before they become a problem so that you can respond in good time. If you're scared or feel your adrenalin pumping, take some deep slow breaths into your stomach ? this will calm you and allow you to think more clearly.

Create a positive atmosphere for yourself and others. Make music, sing and laugh. Share hot tea and chocolate around.

Think of the opponent as a human being. Show respect. Be aware of their capacity for positive action. They may also be worried or afraid. Treating others in a way that you would like to be treated.

Watch body language ? your own and others. Look relaxed and open, use gentle hand movements - avoid sudden moves which could be interpreted as hitting out. Don?t make fists. Use non-threatening eye contact. Avoid getting into people?s personal space.

Don?t act submissive or frightened. Don?t plead and beg, don?t fold arms or look away. At the same time don?t be aggressive, threatening or insulting. Physical violence may make an attacker feel justified. Watch your language. Say ?I?, ask questions. Keep your voice low but clear and under control. Be relaxed, but firm. Do not rush into faster and faster speech. Only interrupt if people are being personally abusive. Listen ? and show that you have heard what is being said.

Do the unexpected - it can be a distraction and create surprise. Use humour, shake hands, sit down, offer coffee etc. Become active - match the energy of the situation and transform it.

Dealing with the Police

On most actions you'll get into contact with the police. Read the bust card that will be given out at the camp and take it with you at all times. It has all the important legal information on it. Also write the numbers of the legal support group and solicitors on your hand or arm when going on an action in case you loose the bustcard. If you get stopped or arrested contact the Legal Support Group straight away.

Be calm and assertive. Don't be intimidated. Know your rights.
Ask to speak to the senior officer present (PCs know nothing anyway).
Try not to lose your temper or swear (this may be used as an excuse to arrest you).
Lay off the drink (this may also be used as an excuse to arrest you).
Keep a watchful eye out for other police and other protesters.

The police will ask you all sorts of questions which you're not obliged to answer. They are out to gather information. Don't give it to them, for your sake and that of your fellow protesters. You don't even have to give your name and address when you are randomly stopped or searched. The only time you do have to give your name and address is when the cops reasonably suspect you of committing or witnessing an offence or when they detain/arrest your.

Debriefing and evaluation

It's important to debrief after an action. Do this as soon as possible, ideally on the same day. It's a great way of learning lessons and giving everyone a chance to express how they feel. Make note of anything useful for planning the next action. What happened to each person? How did people feel during the action? Was everyone supported by the group? How did the group interact? What was achieved? What could be improved? Does the group want to stay together for further actions? Do people need any continuing support, for example because they have a court case as a result of the action?

For workshops and action resources:

actionsupport [at] climatecamp.org