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Paint The Symbol

PAINT THE SYMBOL

The brief: get the Extinction Symbol EVERYWHERE in the run up to the next Rebellion.

Why: The more visible XR is, the better our cause will land with the public. There are many who would like to silence us: we need to be unmissable.

How: by all means necessary! Sharpies, stencils and paint; posters, stickers… and boundless imagination. Here are some ideas / tips to get us started.

Every Day Symboling
Get yourself a stash of markers, and take them out with you.

Something like the Uni Paint PX-20 is good. At a minimum, get black and white.

BE VIGILANT! Opportunity is everywhere! Channel your inner teenager and scrawl the back of bog doors! LOOK FOR CIRCLES!

Get hold of stickers! Always take a stash out. Lamp posts, crossings, adverts – look for opportunities where there are clean sightlines.

WHERE ARE MORE PEOPLE GOING TO SEE THE SYMBOL? Entrances, exits, main thoroughfares. On the ceiling of the bus. A cash machine.

How about strencilling the symbol? There’s a template and guide here to making a symbol stencil: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1agL0UeLxdVUsHMn38SUec4n8PZk-6XDB/view

Affinity Symboling

Get yourself a Symbol Affinity Group, a can of spray paint and a ladder!

Height is good. Try and avoid everyone else’s graff. You’ll be painted over, and not stand out as well.

Plan Ahead.Stake out your ’hood. Where are the great sightlines? Where several roads meet, or where you’ll have the most impact. Upset the visual narrative!

Regions and Nations

OK, so we know we’re a horizontal movement. No hierarchy if we can help it. But we’re also AUTONOMOUS.

So… which region or nation is going to Win Paint The Symbol?

For one time only, THIS IS A COMPETITION! 😹

Will XR London turn the London Eye into the world’s largest Symbol? Or will XR NE do similar to the Tyne Bridge? Will XR Scotland manage to get a symbol in the centre circle of Ibrox?

THESE QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED

Go, beautiful Rebels and PAINT THE SYMBOL!!!

Painting The Symbol is a bit naughty, do be careful.

Obviously if you are going to actually try and turn the London Eye into The World’s Largest Symbol you may end up in significantly more trouble.

If you get stopped, the worst charge will be criminal damage. You are highly unlikely to be stopped whilst doing this type of work in the UK. If you are, it’s more likely to be by people who work in the industry rather than the police.

Avoid giving your name or details to any industry worker. You’re only obliged to give your details to the police, and even then, only in certain circumstances. The situation varies depending on external factors and location, particularly in countries with different laws. In London, spray-chalking usually provokes the police if they see you do it. There have been incidents of rebels receiving a fixed penalty fine of £90 for chalking on the pavement outside a company HQ.

In the worst case scenario, a charge is likely to be that of ‘criminal damage’, which holds minor penalties.

Note: Avoid taking (or posting online) photos of anyone doing the work as it could be used as evidence in the future.

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