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How To Protest Without Violence

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For your protest to succeed, you need passion—but don’t let your passion reach a boiling point. Keep your protest peaceful, and you’ll achieve better results. For…more »
Added December 1, 2008

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You Will Need

Something to protest
A location
Permits
A slogan
Emergency contact information
Protesters
A cool head
Wallet-size cards

Organizing a protest can have serious consequences, especially in places that restrict freedom of assembly. Familiarize yourself with local laws and regulations, and be sure you know your rights.
Step 1.
Think about contacting the media

Consider circulating a press release. In areas where restrictions on freedom exist, press attention, especially from international outlets, can help prevent abuses by authorities. However, keep in mind that the press can also exacerbate tension, and state-run media may have ulterior motives.
Step 2.
Respect public and private property

During the protest, respect property. Your protest will become less effective if the public sees images of demonstrators breaking windows, looting, or defacing buildings.
Step 3.
Keep speeches short

Make precise demands, rather than a laundry list of grievances. Keep speeches forceful but not incendiary, and avoid profanity or violent imagery. Setting a nonthreatening tone may help avoid arrest.
Step 4.
Disperse peacefully

At the protest’s conclusion, disperse calmly and peacefully. Don’t forget to clean up after yourselves—nobody likes a protester who litters.
Step 5.
Determine your aims

Pinpoint your aims. Although a protest expresses opposition or disapproval, also use it to get across what you support.
Clothing can also convey symbolic meaning.
Step 6.
Decide on the form of protest

Decide what form the protest will take. Marches, rallies, vigils, sit-ins, strikes, and boycotts are all effective methods. Choose the one that best fits your purpose.
Step 7.
Choose a location and time

Choose a location big enough to accommodate the expected number of protesters. If you can, pick a place with historical or cultural significance. To add symbolic meaning, choose a date for the protest that coincides with the anniversary of a well-known event.
Step 8.
Apply for permits

Investigate local regulations and apply for permits if your group requires them.
Step 9.
Pick a slogan

Come up with a nonviolent slogan or chant that is easy to remember and works well both out loud and in print. Symbols and actions can convey your point in any language.
Distribute wallet-size cards to demonstrators with phone numbers to call for legal and medical help.
Step 10.
Delegate

Designate a leader to act as spokesperson. If the group is especially big, designate team leaders as well to oversee certain tasks and help with crowd control.
Step 11.
Invite respected leaders

Invite respected political, cultural, and religious leaders who support your cause. Recognizable faces can lend legitimacy and help calm a crowd, if necessary.
Step 12.
Gather contact info

Keep a record of all planned protest participants and gather information for emergency contacts and resources like lawyers and human-rights organizations.
If the police do arrest you, do not resist them. Doing so may result in bodily harm.
Step 13.
Train participants

Set up a meeting with protesters ahead of the demonstration. Run through what will happen at the protest itself, and discuss emergency procedures.
Mohandas K. Gandhi, whose civil disobedience helped end British rule in India, called his philosophy of nonviolent resistance Satyagraha, Sanskrit for “the force of truth.”