| Activists have used direct actions to spur significant social 
change, such as the occupation of the all-white lunch counters during 
the sixties, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the anti-Vietnam and Gulf War 
protests, and the American Indian Movement occupation of Wounded Knee. 
Many famous activists have participated in civil disobedience, including 
the Reverend Martin Luther King, Ghandi and Rosa Parks.  These actions 
have brought attention to many injustices and led to the growth of 
progressive movements.
 So what is "direct action"? Direct actions are primarily defined by 
their confrontative, public, disruptive and possibly illegal nature.  
They can be done with large or small groups of people.  They are most 
effective when carefully planned, when they focus public attention on 
injustice in a compelling way, and when other avenues for change have 
been exhausted.     
 Before your campus group engages in direct action, carefully consider:  
 
- Will an action advance or set back your cause?  
 - Will you have broad support?  
 - Can you convince others that it is necessary?  
 - Are you ready to handle the difficulties of any backlash?
  
Let everyone talk about their ideas, fears, and past experiences.  
Before doing any action you should refer to other action guides 
mentioned in the bibliography.  If after all of this you still agree 
that direct action is needed, then here are a few guidelines you may 
wish to follow:
- Focus the Action -  What aspect of your issue do you want to 
highlight?  On whom do you wish to focus public attention?  If you want 
to oppose, a law like Prop 187, do you pick a state house or a senator's 
office? Make sure that any building you plan to visit will be open, that 
any people you want to address will be in, and that you have mapped out 
where all doors, exits and offices are.  Refrain from unproductive 
actions.
 - Timing an Action -  Don't do actions that aren't timed right for 
maximum effectiveness. You may want to spend your time building a strong 
enough base for a successful action later.  If you are in negotiations, 
this isn't a time for direct action, unless negotiators are stalling on 
your requests and giving you problems.  Students asking their university 
to endorse the United Farm Worker's Grape Boycott demonstrated after the 
university refused to meet with them, ignored scientific data on 
pesticides, and failed to give a statement as promised. Organizing on an 
issue the public knows little about can backfire.  Organizing around a 
long standing community problem will increase your numbers, media 
coverage, community support, and chance for success. 
 - Compile Facts - Research your opposition and your issue for 
education and publicity.  This can take time, especially for Freedom of 
Information Act requests.
 - Know Your Rights - It is imperative to know your legal rights and 
possible penalities.  Consult a sympathetic lawyer.  A few simple legal 
points you should know are:  you absolutely have the right to leaflet 
and you do not always have to have a permit. 
 - Event Planning & Preparation - Talk about your goal, how long to 
stay, and whether to disburse or risk arrest once authorities arrive.  
Pick a date, time, location, and location for your action.  Keep in mind 
that many effective actions are perfectly legal.  If you plan to occupy 
streets or want to use public facilities, try filing for a permit with 
the proper police department. Do not meet at the action site, but at an 
alternative site nearby where you can wait until your numbers are 
sufficient to move to the action location.  What will you do at the 
action?  Prepare chant sheets, get a bullhorn, and ask people to speak 
or do a skit.  to arrive.  Bring banners, signs, flyers and food, 
beverages and blankets to keep warm.  Have enough events to fill your 
action time.  
 - Network - Talk to organizations who support your work and who may 
join your action.  Ask progressive media to cover the event.  Do 
extensive outreach to gain more support.  Call people with direct action 
experience for advice or a short presentation or training.  This will 
make people who are inexperienced with actions feel more assured and 
knowledgable. 
 - Media Promotion - Send a press to the media, both campus newspapers 
and community press.  Do not tell the press your complete plan; just 
give them enough information to interest them in covering it.
 - Stay Focused - Once you have organized a plan, stick to it!  If you 
must make changes to the intitial plan, inform everyone at one time.  
Authorize a few (preferably experienced) people to make immediate 
decisions and deal with the police, if need be, at your action.  Women 
protesting a beauty pageant in Michigan were able to remain in front of 
the building all night, even though they had no permit and should have 
been much farther away, when one women who had experience with direct 
action was able to effectively negotiate with police. Meet once before 
the action to solidify all plans and deal with last minute problems. The 
main organizers should not be making changes as they please. 
 - Problems That May Arise - Even though your action may be legal, the 
police may cite violations or arrest.  Be prepared for this.  If you 
have a permit, although they are not usually used for direct action, 
have it ready and have numerous copies.  You may experience people 
trying to impose their agenda at your action.  Plan how you will deal 
with this.  A good idea is to ask them to comply with what has been 
planned and if they refuse ask them to leave.  Encourage people to avoid 
hecklers, doing anything illegal or hitting anyone.  Tempers flare, but 
stay unified!  Remind people they will be photographed and may be in the 
news.  When you leave do it in groups, if not all at once.  
 - Follow-up - Appoint people to specific follow-up tasks.  Someone 
will need to speak with the media immediately so that the authorities 
aren't the only ones communicating your reasons for acting.  Have people 
coordinating the legal aspects of your action.  Others should be working 
on having your demands addressed or implemented.  As a group, 
collectively critique what happened and start your future planning.
  
Good Luck! 
 
  |