Nonviolent Action 101

And our continuing commitment to non-violence.

Tuesday, we released a statement reiterating our commitment to non-violence.

50501 SC volunteer organizers have planned and held dozens of Constitutionally-protected protests, rallies, marches, and sign-waving demonstrations across the state this year. We remain committed to the values of non-violence.

But what, exactly, is non-violence?

Let’s start with a definition from the Center for Peacemaking:

Widespread recognition of the fight-or-flight response has popularized passivity (flight) and violent opposition (fight) as the two responses to a threat. However, there is another way to respond: active nonviolence.

The flight response, though not violent, avoids addressing the threat. Flight thus can appear as submission, passivity, withdrawal, or surrender. The fight response meets violence with violence and can appear as direct retaliation, revenge, armed revolt, or violent rebellion.

The way of active nonviolence (creative engagement) is a third way to respond. Contrary to images of passivity the word “nonviolence” may conjure, nonviolence is an active response that directly addresses the threat and has the power to transform opponents into allies. Active nonviolence can appear as noncooperation, intervention, self-suffering, protest and the creation of alternative systems.

Non-violence, then, is strategic. It is an action. It is not always comfortable and is often disruptive. But disruption is not violence.

How do we maintain active non-violence at events?

There’s a lot happening behind-the-scenes before any of us ever show up to an action.

50501-organized events in our state are created in collaboration with a group of fellow volunteer organizers statewide. We meet regularly, we share tips and best practices, we talk out scenarios, we brainstorm — and we laugh, a lot.

But the local level is where the rubber meets the road.

At the local level, volunteer organizers are working with volunteer activists to put on these actions and events. We all go through several layers of training, from OpSec and InfoSec to De-Escalation (101, 201, 301… there’s always more to learn) and specific trainings for various roles like marshals, medics, and more. And for national days of action, there are more trainings specific to that event’s theme and current events.

Aside from the trainings, these volunteer teams are also in frequent communication with other local groups, local government workers, and yes, law enforcement. We speak to the media and lawyers and the ACLU. We prepare for worst-case scenarios.

In the days leading up to the event and the day of, we pre-check event sites and march routes. We make sure we are hydrating, we double-check our supplies and refill anything that’s running low (out of our own pockets because unlike that tiresome rumor claims, we’re volunteers and we don’t get paid). We check in with our local teams and make sure everyone has the training, information, and supplies they need.

We focus on de-escalation before the event ever starts by doing things like we did this week — responding to a potential escalation from the AG with a statement and various press interviews reiterating our commitments — and by responding to emails, texts, social media messages and comments to answer questions and address any potential issues before they become issues. We communicate.

During the event, every person on the team has a role. While the roles are different — some people are responsible for water distribution, some for music or chants, some for keeping the agenda moving, some for making sure no one gets left behind during a march, some for medical needs, some for taking photos and videos, and so on — every person in every role is focused on the safety of attendees. We are each responsible for de-escalation and for keeping watch for potential issues. And we’ve all been trained on how to do it.

This is, in part, how we’ve pulled off dozens of actions across the state on the same day, multiple times this year, without incident.

The other key to maintaining non-violence is our community. You, the people who attend our actions, understand the goal is to raise awareness, to disrupt, to make a statement. And it’s fairly well-known by now: we have zero tolerance for hate or actions that instigate violence. That’s not a judgment on people who engage in direct action, to be clear — active nonviolence and direct action are both tools in the liberation toolkit. At 50501, our tool is active nonviolence.

But what if there’s violence?

After six months of non-violent protests across the state multiple times each month, we firmly believe if there is any escalation or violence at 50501 SC No Kings events this weekend — it will come from agitators emboldened by AG Wilson’s statements or through outside actors looking to cause trouble.

Saturday’s event attendance is expected to be massive. Possibly the largest single-day of protest so far this year. We need everyone to make a personal commitment to not engage with anyone who is attempting to escalate you, to avoid any planted materials like piles of bricks or rocks (we do check for these ahead of the events) — DO NOT TOUCH PILES LIKE THIS — and to keep an eye on yourself and each other.

If you see something suspicious, if someone is asking odd questions, if you get that uneasy feeling: calmly find a member of the volunteer team and tell them.

Organizers are prepared to give attendees instructions on safety plans and what to do if things escalate this weekend. As each event is different, please be prepared for those instructions at the beginning of your local event.

See you in the streets, South Carolina ✊