Taking your campaign onto the streets with peaceful protest is a powerful way to share your concerns with many more people. And as this is where RBS and NatWest have a public presence in terms of local branches, it’s a very effective way to ensure they get the message too!
Planning an effective action
Planning an effective action
1.Know your rights.
Make sure you know what you can — and can’t — do within the law so your protest can take place hassle-free. Don’t forget that you have a positive right to peaceful protest.
Being clued up about your rights to protest peacefully leaves you better equipped to exercise, defend and advance this vital element of a democratic society.
Find out more about protest and the law.
2. Prepare your messages.
Campaign strategy
The Ditch Dirty Development campaign is not calling for a boycott of RBS-NatWest. We want to build the support for the campaign so that RBS-NatWest will want to change their policy for fear of a boycott. If they have made no move towards the campaign demands by 2009, then we will call for a boycott of RBS, including NatWest.
Decide on the key messages you’re trying to get across to those you are trying to influence. Focus on one or two points. What do you want those you’re approaching to know, how do you want them to feel, and what do you want them to do? What language and behaviour will persuade people to support your campaign, and what will alienate them? Don’t forget communication is about more than just what you say; how you say it is often even more important!
Preparing this as a group will help ensure that your whole group feels informed and genuinely involved, and that you can present a powerful, united campaigning message.
Be polite and friendly. People are more likely to want to speak to you and listen to you speak about the campaign if you are polite and can enagage them in an interesting way.
3. Get yourself noticed
Edinburgh P&P protest against ‘The Oil Bank of Scotland’ as the bank tries to sign up freshers
Placards or banners are a street protest basic. Use literary devices like rhyming and alliteration to make your slogans interesting and catchy, eg “Don’t invest in NatWest” or “RBS-NatWest: Funding Climate Chaos”.
Street theatre can be an engaging way to get your message across and win more people around. Why not try delivering an oil pipeline to your local branch or create the scene from the front of the action card.
Invisible theatre in banks is a non-confrontational way to raise awareness. This can be as simple as a loud conversation in the queue. You could also go in and attempt to set up a bank account but ask them difficult questions about RBS-NatWest’s investment in oil and gas projects. If they cannot give you satisfactory answers then you can refuse to set up the account.
4. Press for change
If you’re planning to raise awareness with an action, reach even more people through your local press.
The People & Planet Groups’ Guide contains lots of advice and tips on using the media, (and a host of other vital campaigning skills!)