Posted 4:03 p.m. April 22

by Marcus Mrowka
U-WIRE (DC BUREAU)

(U-WIRE) WASHINGTON – Before the anti-war and pro-Palestinian protestors hit the streets of Washington, D.C., on April 20, event organizers and experts held a number of training workshops on nonviolence protest, legal training and media training.

The workshops were held in local churches and libraries and were designed to provide to large numbers of young, inexperienced protestors with skills to stage a meaningful, nonviolent protest and what to do if the police get involved.

Much of the trainings involved what to do before the protest, as most participants try to go into a movement with a detailed agenda and many hours of planning. Group consensus was a central topic in all of the workshops that were held last weekend. Moderators stresses the importance of unity and group consensus before a movement can be staged. All group members in a certain affinity group must stand united in the movement’s plan. An affinity group is a group with a central mission and common themes and beliefs that protestors usually form.

One of the major consensus points a group must reach concerns arrest. Group members must plan ahead on whether or not they plan to get arrested and what to do if they are. Many groups protesting last weekend had special sheets that people fill out in case of arrest.

Moderators told participants the importance of having both an “on-site support person” who is at the movement but not risking arrest and a “buddy” who is risking arrest. The “on-site support person” is given all of one’s contact information, personal belongings and any special instructions on who to contact and what to do if their partner gets arrested.

Some of the workshops focused on several guidelines that individuals and groups should follow if they get arrested. Demonstrators are instructed to dramatize arrest by handing police a copy of the Constitution in an attempt to get the media’s attention and to make sure that police respect personal rights. Individuals are taught to remain calm, keep silent, get the name and number off the officer’s badge and try to remain with their assigned buddy.

A large portion of the workshops included role-playing scenarios. Participants would break into groups and form affinity groups that would plan arrest procedures, reach consensus and lay guidelines down for the group’s actions and beliefs for the protest. Other training workshops role-played situations of arrest and certain media tactics. Participants found the difficulty in reaching group consensus and agreement throughout he role-playing games and many groups needed the help of moderators to solve problems.

Workshops also devoted time to outlining the importance of group movements and stressing the value of making a commitment to the group and the movement. Participants were told to ask themselves certain questions before participating in non-violent protest movements about being able to talk to media outlets about the issue if asked, trusting affinity groups, being prepared to face legal consequences, certain fears and the possibility of media covering their arrest. Potential protestors were also asked whether or not they could follow the nonviolence guidelines set froth by many of the mobilizations taking to the streets over the weekend.

The April 20 Stop the War guidelines created by many of the participating organizations included a policy prohibiting illegal drugs and alcohol, a no-weapons clause and rules against initiating violence or abuse to property.

Guidelines of other mobilizations prevent the use of foul language and threatening motions and require general respect for all people and property.