Dealing with police and security

The Protest Liaison and De-escalation roles helps keep police and other authority or security figures calm, remind them of our nonviolence, and helps keep them occupied rather than information gathering on all the activists or organisers present.

Civil-disobedience does not include:

• Being aggressive to police – verbally or physically
• Physically trying to prevent arrest by locking arms with another person etc.
• Running away from arrest – or running to get to a wall to paint etc.
• Getting into physical contact with police either by trying to jump over barriers or pushing past them.
• Shouting at the public or police: singing is better!

All these behaviours encourage police aggression and can create a tense atmosphere.