Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Once again, this protest will take place across the street from the local Scientology ORG here in Bellingham (address for the ORG is 722 N. State St.). If you desire to come, here is some information:

LOCATION MAP -- Including Protest Locations and Off Limits Areas



Everything is labeled and colored accordingly. Just remember to stay off of the ORG's property during the event. The sidewalks adjacent to the CoS building are public property, but the the two protest locations are better spots for two reasons:
  1. The CoS has quite a history of dealing aggressively with trespassers. We'd rather not have someone get arrested for accidentally stepping foot into their parking lot.
  2. The very curvy nature of the intersection here results in us being seen most in the green zones. This was done by trial and error at the 2/10 protest.
We'd also recommend that you take a look at the rules before heading out to the protest.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Rules of the Protest/Rally

Here is a list of rules and guidelines that have been effected by the general consensus of anonymous individuals from around the world. These rules and guidelines should be heeded at the protest/rally/raid here in Bellingham:

Rule #1:

Stay cool, especially when harassed. You are an ambassador of Anonymous. Although individuals trying to disrupt your demonstration will get on your nerves, you must not lose your temper. Doing so will harm the protest and tarnish the reputation of Anonymous.

Rule #2:
Comply with the orders of law enforcement officers above all else. Doing otherwise is harmful to the demonstration as a whole and may compromise your performance as a human being. Do not request badge numbers unless you are being treated in a very abusive manner, as doing so will anger officers.

Rule #3:
Notify city officials. Most jurisdictions either have rules about public protests, or would prefer to be notified that they are taking place. Know the rules for your jurisdiction and abide by them.

Rule #4:
Always be across the street from the object being protested.

Rule #5:
In the absence of a road, find another natural barrier between yourself and the target of protest. Doing so will make it more difficult for individuals hostile to your cause to come and harass you.

Rule #6:
Stay on public property. You may be charged for trespassing if you do not.

Rule #8:
No violence.

Rule #9:
No weapons. The demonstration is a peaceful event. Your weapons. You will not need them.

Rule #10:
No alcohol or pre-drinking. Violating this rule may easily precipitate a violation of rules 1 and 2.

Rule #11:
No graffiti, destruction, or vandalism.

Rule #12:
If you want to do something stupid, pick another day. These should be self explanatory. Violation of these rules during a demonstration will tarnish the reputation of Anonymous, harm the demonstration itself and leave you vulnerable to attention from law enforcement.

Rule #13:
Anonymous is legion. Never be alone. Isolation during a protest marks you as a target for handlers who wish to provoke an angry reaction from you and other hostiles. In keeping with this principle...
Rule #14:
Organize in squads of 10 to 15 people.

Rule #15:
One or two megaphones per squad. A megaphone is helpful for maintaining the overall cohesion of a demonstration and spreading your message. However, too many will confuse the public and render you hearing impaired.

Rule #16:
Know the dress code. Forming a loose yet reasonable dress code for protest members will help to maintain cohesion and get the public to take you seriously.

Rule #17:
Cover your face. This will prevent your identification from videos taken by hostiles, other protesters or security. Use scarves, hats and sunglasses. Masks are not necessary, and donning them in the context of a public demonstration is forbidden in some jurisdictions.

Rule #18:
Bring water. A dehydrated, thirsty Anonymous is not a useful Anonymous.

Rule #19:
Wear good shoes. Following these rules will assure your comfort during the demonstration. Keep in mind that demonstrations may often be quite lengthy.

Rule #20:
Signs, fliers, and phrases. Have yours ready. Make sure that signs are large enough to read. Also ensure that the text on your signs and your phrases are pertinent to the target of the protest.

Rule #21:
Prepare legible, uncomplicated and accurate flyers to hand out to those who wish to know more regarding the motivations behind your actions.

Rule #22:
Document the demonstration. Videos and pictures of the event may be used to corroborate your side of the story if law enforcement get involved. Furthermore, posting images and videos of your heroic actions all over the internet is bound to generate win, exhorting other Anonymous to follow your glorious example.

2/10/2008 Protest - Epic Win on a Small Scale

Small town, small org. I think even just 5 people showing up would have been an epic win.

At any given time we had about 10 people, with about 20 people total (some left, others joined later).

There was a security truck waiting for us when we got there. The org itself was closed (it's a small place), but a couple of scientologists were popping in and out of the building. They took pictures of us, and we took pictures ourselves, and some small video.

A lot of people were supportive and honked when they drove by. We didn't get much pedestrian traffic because the org is located at the edge of downtown where people rarely walk. We got a lot of bicyclists ringing bells and yelling "honk, honk!" though.