Staying Healthy for Civil Disobedience Actions

Saturday March 01, 2003 15:15

by R. Raghillaigh - BALM Squad

A useful list of heatlh and safety tips for direct action, prepared by the good folks at Boston Liberation Action Medics (BALM) Squad. -Best of luck to all at Shannon.

Staying Healthy for Civil Disobedience Actions

General Preparation

THE POLICE WILL USE FEAR AS A WEAPON AGAINST YOU.

- The more prepared you are, the less they can intimidate and control you.

- Get training—legal, "know your rights", health and safety, nonviolence, civil disobedience, etc.

- Talk through your plan with the group, anticipating what might go wrong and how you will respond. Discuss the likelihood of arrest and other potential outcomes.

- The more you can anticipate and imagine possible scenarios ahead of time, the less likely you are to have long-term problems from stress and trauma.

- Talk with people who have done similar actions in your area. Find out how they were treated by the police, the courts, the media, the activist community, etc.

- If possible, arrange for a support person for AFTER the action—someone who can look after your emotional health, give you massages and do whatever else helps you feel safe and cared for.

Check out and print up the list of tips and preparations at: http://www.bostoncoop.net/balm/cdprep.html

Pass it along.

For more information"
- http://www.action-medical.net - street medic site with lots of good information on plastic handcuffs and other health issues

http://www.geocities.com/ifaid2000/processing.html
- basic suggestions for arrest
http://www.nlg.org/wto/arrest.html#III and
http://students.washington.edu/afa/filecabinet/legal.html

- more arrest suggestions
http://g8 binder.emmett.ca/papers/legal_tips.html - even

more descriptions and suggestions for arrestees
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/hvp/programs/stress/handout.html - info on coping after a stressful event
http://www.ncptsd.org/facts/general/fs_effects.htm - a fact sheet on effects of trauma

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Comments (2 of 2)

Unfortunately we are going to need more of those heatlh and safety tips for direct action

by King Mob

Sat Mar 01, 2003 20:07

Thanks to the trotskyite/stalinist/socialist/green party/wish-washy liberal wankers who wrecked what would otherwise have been a very successful mass direct action at Shannon today.

Government plot fails

by James McKenna

Sun Mar 02, 2003 11:41

The Demo was a huge success.

Despite the attempt by Pat Byrne, Michael McDowell and others to provoke a violent reaction from a crowd . Faced with lines of riot police the crowd showed it's disciple and core belief in it's right and ability to march freely and in peace.

Any worries we may have had about the movement fragmenting are scuttled. The Greens, Sinn Fein and others will be back next time and so will many more thousand people than before . Hopefully this is the last time we will allow the media propaganda machine to split us.

It is possible to ignore fascist intimidation and provocation and have a very enjoyable protest.

The line of Direct Action protestors I witnessed as I walked by them were mostly in the 13-17 age group and about half girls. This quiet little group stood patiently as we filed past, facing a line of Garda ,then riot police, then horses, dogs, water cannons, van loads of Guards behing a barbed wire 9 foot fench, ditch and razor wire!!!! Over the top?

But the Garda Commissioner and Government didn't get the scenes they wanted. Those violent bloody faced pictures for the front pages of the Sunday papers to frighten people away from exercising their legitimate right. To scare people off the streets!

Shame on you McDowell you fascist. You are guilty of treason.

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Staying Healthy for Civil Disobedience Actions

Comments (2 of 2)