Chapter 4
Decentralised Mass Action
Decentralised mass action is a good solution if gatherings are forbidden, or if you have been denied permission to stage a protest in a public space. Learn how to organise it as part of your campaign.
Decentralised mass action is a good solution if gatherings are forbidden, or if you have been denied permission to stage a protest in a public space. Learn how to organise it as part of your campaign.
There are many types of strikes. It can mean you refuse to work, to eat, to pay rent, to go to school. You can decide to strike when you want to send a powerful message about a situation which is unsustainable anymore, or to draw the attention of people on your issue.
Political campaigning is when you take action to get politicians to act in a certain way, change laws or influence a vote taking place. You should use this tactic when there is an ongoing political debate around the issue you are campaigning for.
To participate in elections, can provide you a platform to disseminate your messages and inform people about your cause. Learn how to support a candidate or stand for elections yourself.
Organising a blockade can send a powerful message to passers-by, media and decision-makers. Though, be mindful of the risks and legal consequences of this tactic.
Vigils are a form of peaceful protest where people show that they share the pain of those involved in a traumatic event or with victims. If you would like to encourage people to think about silent victims you should consider holding a vigil.
Noisy protests are very disruptive and get a lot of attention, even though they also carry some risks. Learn how to organise one as part of your campaign.
Artivism is a great tool to engage people who are new to activism, to educate people and show them a reality that they may not have access to in their daily lives. Use it when you want to build your base. Learn how to use it in your campaign.
Protest is a great tool to show our collective strength. You should use it once you have a clear demand for a specific target, and you are confident you can attract enough support for your issue. Learn how to organise one as part of your campaign.
A community meeting is a great tool for people to feel the power of being part of a collective, make decisions together and plan action. Learn how to organise one as part of your campaign strategy.
Organising a flashmob takes time and requires that you have a network of contacts already. But it has the advantage of making an impact at relatively low-cost. Learn how to include flash mobs in your campaign strategy.
A press release should be used When you want to get attention for your campaign, ideally to put pressure on a decision-maker, build public support for your cause or both. Learn how to use this tactic successfully.
Banner drops attract attention to your cause at a strategic moment when you want to build public support and pressure decision makers. Though, you need to evaluate the risk and safety of this tactic before employing it!
A media stunt is an activity designed to attract publicity and attention to your cause by doing something novel and newsworthy. Learn how to use this tactic in your campaign.
Meeting with a political or corporate representative can be a good tactic to employ as a first step of your campaign, to show willingness to engage with decision-makers, or at a later stage to show the support you have built. Learn how to use this tactic successfully.
Writing an email to your elected representative at the local, national or European level can be a great way to alert them to your issue or campaign. Learn how to use this tactic and involve other people in a mass-email campaign.
Twitter and other social media platforms can be used to share our campaign messages, actions and ideas in a way that helps to build a broader and more powerful base. Learn how to do it to reinforce your campaign.
Petitions are a great tool to use at the start of your campaign to build a supporter base. Learn how to start a successful one.
Storytelling is the most ancient form of communication humans have engaged with. Storytelling appeals to the core of who we are. Therefore, it’s a tactic that can really motivate people to take action. Learn how to apply it in your campaign!
Postering is a great tactic when you want to draw people’s attention to an issue that perhaps they see or walk past every day, but don’t recognise as it’s so familiar and normalised. Learn how to use this tactic.
Leafleting can be useful to raise awareness about your issue and spread information about your campaign. Learn how to put this tactic in practice as part of your campaign.
Becoming your own human banner is a great way to give visibility to your campaign and cause. Learn how to do it on your own or by involving other volunteers.
Disinvestment is used to pressure a certain sector, a specific company, or a specific country, to change their policies and practices in the direction of your campaign. Learn how to use this tactic and engage other people to follow your example.
Media engagement involves working with the local, regional or national press to get coverage of your issue. Learn how to engage different media channels in the context of your campaign.
When we are telling stories to enable people to connect with our vision and values, we often want to inspire people to join us to take some kind of action. Using the structure of the story of self, us and now is a great way to do this in your campaign.
Each of us has a compelling story to tell that can connect us to others and help move them to take action with us. Now it is time to create your own story.