Narratives of NVDA

OK a month into this blog, and whereas I’ve pontificated about digital activism a fair bit, and ideas as to how to value real world activism, I’ve not really mused much about NVDA (non violent direct action) as a subject close to my heart.

The question is how to describe such activities, without incriminating myself, as often as not I’m in the thick of it. So without sounding too pompous I’d like to introduce you to my new guest narrator George. Over to George.

So here’s a little video I found:



About a small group of volunteers who got up very early in the morning to go down to the Treasury to hang a banner, well within the SOCPA zone and opposite a small police station. Nothing quite like an easy target.

However with a bit of speed, the ladder team wrangled a 3 part beast up against the wall, as the climb team shot up, and the action was done and the blocking team left the scene, as the first two policemen watched on. After dissembling the ladder, while many more police arrived, the ladder team split up and faded into the night, with nary a word spoken. A very clean piece of work.

So hours later the climbers were arrested – top tip if you’re worried about such things, don’t climb, and one wonders why this was worth doing? They were later released without charge.

To the initiated this was a very precise direct comms (communication) event, taking a message to a decision maker – George Osborne, about promises he’d made and was likely not to keep.

As his staff arrived at work, one must expect them to have noticed the big banner on their office, alongside the dangling climbers. In parliament the Chancellor quips that it’s the first time he’s seen someone protest in favour of a bank, and clearly the message has got through.

So how does one measure the value of such an action? And the cost not just in terms of money and time, but also the risks involved – mainly to one’s criminal record, but to an extent to limbs if not life?

Clearly as a set piece direct comms, this had somewhat more impact than a strongly worded letter, a meeting with a senior civil servant, or even Osborne himself – if such a thing was possible. As an action it chips away at the Chancellors resolve, but is unlikely to change his position – whereas the threat of the loss of 10,000 votes in key marginal at the next election may well do.

But such comparisons are tortuous. To achieve change one try’s every tool and tactic available, and after the strongly worded letter, or even 10,000 such letters and the Chancellor still refuses to meet then and only then does one:

Speak out in acts; the time for words has passed, and only deeds will suffice.
Alfred North Whitehead

I'm certains George will be telling us more about such activities over the coming months.