How do I organise a protest?
This page was created by the BBC.
Updated: 28 Jun 2006
1. Benefits and risks of a protest
2. Types of protest
3. Deciding where and when to hold your protest
4. Organising a protest
5. Dealing with opposition on the day
6. Feedback and comments
Benefits and risks of a protest
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| A protest can strengthen your campaign |
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Once you have set up your campaign, done your research and contacted decision-makers, councillors and political representatives, you may want to consider organising a protest.
A protest can strengthen your campaign, attract press coverage and raise funds. The event needn't be confrontational, and can help open dialogue between your campaign and anyone opposing it. But you should think carefully too. It may not be the right way to make your point or to achieve what you want, and you may put people off.
Common Purpose, an organisation promoting socially responsible leadership, has a list of pros and cons of protests.
Benefits- Public speakers and meetings can provide a high level of debate
- A good speaker at an event can engage drifting support
- Protests are good opportunities to hand out leaflets and engage new support
- Protest events can bring media coverage of your campaign
- A sizeable march demonstrates strength of feeling
- Large numbers are not needed to make stunts and vigils effective
- A vigil can be held anywhere, including outside the door of your target
Risks- You might attract unwanted troublemakers seeking a forum
- If the weather is bad, people may not turn up
- If you are picketing an organisation's headquarters there may be strong opposition
- If you have poor turnout, you may demonstrate that you only have limited support for your aims
- You may need police permission and they might not oblige
- If you organise a noisy demonstration, you may alienate more 'moderate' supporters
Types of protest
There are different ways to protest about something you want to change. First, ask yourself, what do you hope to achieve by holding a protest? Is your main aim to show the strength of your support, to raise awareness, or to influence decision-makers?
A public meeting or demonstration
A public meeting is an open forum to debate views on something and to work out campaign aims or solutions to a problem. A demonstration is an outdoor gathering used to demonstrate the volume of support for a campaign whose aims are already decided.
Public meetings and demonstrations are good ways to protest if you have time to advertise in advance and can find an easily-accessible venue.
Public meetings can:
- Raise awareness
- Raise funds through collections
- Show the level of support locally
- Provide an opportunity to take advice or criticism from people not closely involved in the campaign
- Provide a chance to discuss your campaign with any opposition
A vigil
A vigil is when people stay awake during the normal hours of sleep for some special reason or cause. A vigil works best when:
- There is an organised core of people
- It is held in a well-chosen and high-profile public venue
- It lasts for several hours
- It is quiet or silent
- It is carefully organised in advance so that there is no confusion or debate during the vigil itself
For example, campaigners fighting to save St Peter's Church in Bickenhall near Birmingham from closure held a candlelit vigil outside the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2001.
A stunt
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| Stunts are used to attract maximum attention |
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Stunts are striking one-off events or gimmicks designed to attract maximum attention, especially from the press. Stunts can be ambitious or simple, expensive or cheap, but can take more planning than other forms of protest. You need a good, eye-catching idea and slick planning, or you risk embarrassing your campaign.
For example, on Valentine's Day in 2003, dozens of campaigners from the lobby group Fathers for Justice dressed up as Elvis Presley in white flares and wigs. They then set out across London to deliver a 20 ft high bright red inflatable heart to the Family Division at the Royal Courts of Justice. They used the slogan 'End fathers' heartbreak - Close Heartbreak Hotel!'
Street theatre
Another type of stunt is to create a piece of street theatre. A simple, funny sketch acted out on a street corner can get your campaign noticed in a light-hearted way. You don't need many props, just a bit of confidence and some ideas you have tried out in advance.
For example, one campaign by Cars Cost the Earth used street theatre to illustrate their arguments about the negative impacts of cars. They created caricatures of different types of drivers and acted-out their impact on the environment and pedestrians.
Friends of the Earth has a comprehensive guide on How to put act back into action.
A sit-in
A sit-in is when a group goes into a building or space and sits down for a period of time in protest. Often people sit-in until a problem is resolved, for example, until a meeting is promised between the campaign and those it is targeting. It is important that the venue for the sit-in is appropriately linked to the campaign.
For example, in January 2006 after the cruise liner Queen Mary 2 was forced to miss three stops on its route, passengers threatened a sit-in protest until they were given a full refund.
A march
Marching through a town or city can bring your protest to a wider audience than holding a meeting or demonstration in one place. Marches work well if they have a focus at the end, or if marching has a specific purpose.
For example, in Stroud, 500 campaigners for safe food made a procession from supermarket to supermarket. At each one they delivered a document against GM food, which they had arranged to be published in the local press. The protest finished in the town square where the document was then read out in full. The local MP made a speech and the town mayor made closing remarks.
A picket
Picketing is most often associated with union disputes over work or pay. It is the posting of people to intercept non-strikers or non-activists on their way to work and urge them to join the cause and not go to work. A picket cannot legally prevent people from going to work, only ask them not to.
For more information on picketing, see the Action Network guide on your Right to strike.
Deciding where and when to hold your protest
After deciding what kind of event you are going to stage you need to ask two crucial questions: when and where?
When?
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| A vigil should be organised in advance |
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Allow plenty of time to promote your event. If it is a march or a vigil, it could be advertised as much as six months in advance, giving you time to mobilise large numbers to join in.
It is important that the event is well-timed. If you are campaigning against the activities of an organisation you might choose to picket its main office on the day of its AGM. Anniversaries of events or commemorative days may be useful as public awareness is already heightened, and you may be more likely to get press coverage. It is better to organise public protests on shopping days or holidays than on workdays, when passers-by will have less time to pay attention.
Try not to have your event clash with other events in the area. Contact the local council, police station and even the local newspaper to find out if other events have been planned for that day. Once you have decided a suitable date, publicise it widely so other events organisers are aware of it.
Where?
Your event needs to be held in a significant public location where it has maximum visibility for general members of the public. Pick a location that is easily accessible.
If organising a march, carefully study a street map of the town and pick a high-profile route. Avoid back streets and make sure you are aware of any road closures. Contact your local council for this. Make sure the route doesn't present problems to young children or disabled people. Find somewhere suitable to finish, an open space where people can come and listen to speeches. If you intend to set up stalls, you need a licence from the Licensing Department of your council.
Organising a protest
You will need to appoint one person to co-ordinate the overall organisation of the event. You should then divide individual jobs among a team of others. Considerations for events include:
Advertising
Advertise through leaflets, local community forums and groups, newsletters, posters and notices. Include a contact name and number in case people would like more information.
Make placards and banners
Placards and banners are a striking way of immediately communicating your message to passers-by. If you have a logo or motto, it is important to make this clearly visible. Lower case letters are easier to read, especially from a distance.
Distil your campaign aims to a few pithy slogans and phrases. If you are on a march you may want to chant them. Don't be offensive, though.
Let the media know
Let the local newspapers, radio and television know about your plans and create an effective press release giving all the details of the march. Email them any digital photos you have in advance of the protest, and immediately following. Make it media friendly by having plenty of colourful displays and costumes to photograph, if that is appropriate. See the Action Network guide on How can I use the media?.
Equipment
Hire or borrow public address equipment for your speakers and take cameras to record the occasion for yourself. A digital camera is best because images can be easily sent the same day to the local newspaper, and to email lists associated with the campaign.
Financial planning
A large event will need some financial planning. Make sure somebody reliable in the group is in charge of budgeting for placards, leaflets and press releases, hiring of equipment such as public address systems and all other costs.
Police permission
You may be legally obliged to arrange for a representative to tell the police in advance of your protest if it is a march. For more information take a look at the Action Network guide on your Right to protest
If, as part of your event, you want to hand a petition in to Downing Street, you will need to contact Westminster borough police.
Dealing with opposition on the day
Demonstrations and vigils meet all kinds of responses from thumbs up, car honks and applause to heckling and shouts. On occasion you might meet with aggressive people who may put their points across abusively.
Always be measured and reasonable in your response. If you feel somebody is being threatening do not hesitate to contact the police. Do not get embroiled in an abusive argument, or a fight. Both will only get you negative publicity and damage your campaign.
Feedback and comments
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