Protest = power

Despite Britain’s proud heritage of protest, we are surprisingly bad at the moment at using it to change things for the better, particularly when large numbers of the public mobilise.

While the TUC’s “March for the alternative” may have seen 250,000 people marching through London, all the media talk the following day was instead of the action of the 1% of protesters (predictably described as “anarchists”) scuffling with police in Trafalgar Square.

While a demonstration such as this will inevitably pull together diverse groups, offering a vent for public anger, the best protest is done to elicit social change.

When you think about the TUC march, it got some media coverage (positive and negative) but what has it changed?  I would argue nothing.  This is not to be a right wing media apologist, I am not. I wholeheartedly endorse protest, and non-violent direct action and believe that changes such as universal suffrage would not have been achieved without people taking the law into their own hands, and being prepared to take the legal consequences.

Unfortunately the conditions are not conducive for protest at this time.  The police have wide ranging powers. Kettling is widespread, leading to people on all sides acting under pressure. The use of police intelligence teams also means that even those protesting peacefully are still likely to end up on the police database, a step that has characterised many police states across the world.  Finally given that politicians feel they must be responsive to the view of middle England, any small outbreak of trouble, is bound to see the entire demonstration characterised as violent.

As campaigners and activists, we may also be part of the problem. When we start planning any work involving in the public, we must remember that campaigning is about power and any action should start with a power analysis.   While this probably sounds like MBA-nonsense, it needn’t be complicated.  Simply put, which person has the power to make the change you want?  Who influences this person/group?  How will you get to them (and their influencers)?  Finally, how will you persuade them once contact is established?

When this basic step is negated (as with the TUC), a march may be less about acting at a key moment and instead be about presenting a façade of protest, that suggests so much, yet delivers so little.
The key to public mobilisation is not just bringing people out, because you can, but doing it because the time needs to be now, with this particular group of people, with an easily describable rationale as to why you are acting. 

This rationale should be because you want to change something and not just be about righteous, but diffuse anger.