THE WATER FLOW DEFENSE
NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
Operations Manual
Defensive Tactic 1
KEY POINTS
“Brittle Barrier”
High Ground
Defense in Depth
Rendezvous Points
INTRODUCTION
The Water Flow Defense is an operational tactic used in non-violent civil disobedience actions. The Water Flow Defense is designed to minimize losses while maximizing an effective resistance. Used in situations in which police forces are poised to neutralize a standing position; this standing position may be an encampment, occupied zone, standing demonstration or march.
A key point to remember is that the police cannot attack something which isn’t there.
METHOD
As the police are assembling to drive against a standing position, preselected elements will assume 4 positions while previously relayed instructions will be repeated to all participants.
4 Positions
These four predetermined positions are as follows:
1. A group of volunteers will position as a line barrier across the police force anticipated avenue of approach. These volunteers may or may not link arms and/or sit down to provide additional strength in resisting police attempts to disperse them or arrest them. As it is likely that the police will use tear gas/pepper spray and/or sonic means to disrupt the barrier, barrier volunteers may wish to wear swim goggles to help protect the eyes, moistened handkerchiefs over the nose and mouth and ear protection of some type. Although these measures will provide a very limited means of protection, they may provide the few extra seconds necessary for other demonstrators to effectively move into their assigned positions.
The purpose of this “brittle barrier” is to last long enough to cause police forces to bunch up in front of it. This permits other groups to move into position. Members of this “brittle barrier” will be arrested, as such they must be fully aware of this contingency and be prepared for their arrest and possible injury.
The name of this line; “brittle barrier” is because it is designed to collapse after a few moments – or minutes if possible – allowing the police to move through the line of the barrier into the rearward areas.
2. Another group of volunteers will assume high ground positions – most likely rooftop positions – in positions which extend through and beyond police force masses. The purpose of these “high ground” volunteers – in peaceful disobedience – is to shout slogans at the police and capture with video and audio – livestreamed if possible – all police action against the encampment or standing position. These high ground positions must occupy all preselected positions within a radius of several blocks of the encampment and police assembly areas.
3. A third group will disperse from the encampment and move into position behind the police assembly areas. Movement to this position must avoid police contact and observation. Once assembled behind the police, these volunteers will silently observe the police assembly until the police initiate action against the encampment. Until the police initiate action, this group must remain at a distance behind the police force which is out of range of any immediate police response. This group will assemble in whatever locales the police force is assembling, i.e. if the police force is assembling in the street, this group will assemble in the streets behind the assembling police but at a distance the police cannot reach without dispersing themselves. When the police initiate action, this group will advance to close the distance between themselves and the police force, but not advance any closer than 20 to 50 feet until the moment the “brittle barrier” collapses. When the “brittle barrier” collapses, this group will close to contact.
4. Group four will be those volunteers who will position themselves along predetermined avenues of escape for the members of the encampment. Their purpose will be to guide encampment members to escape the encampment location quickly and safely to predetermined rendezvous points. “Rendezvous point” captains will be part of group four and will take position at their selected rendezvous points to receive encampment members and await further instructions.
PROCESS
As the police force begin their advance to the brittle barrier, members of the encampment will begin to decamp and move to their assigned rendezvous points. The intent of the brittle barrier is to both provide enough time for encampment members to safely decamp and bunch the police force for possible peaceful interaction.
As the police are clearing the encampment site, demonstrators located at the rendezvous points will either A. wait until police have left the area and then retake the encampment site, or B. upon further instruction, retire to another location (or locations) to establish a new encampment.
GOALS
The objectives of the “Water Flow Defense” is to minimize arrests and injury by providing the police with no targets. All targets will have (ideally) dispersed to their predetermined rendezvous points when the police reach the encampment site.
An additional objective is to provide a continuity of demonstration or occupation with little disruption. Within a few hours - or perhaps days – demonstrators will have either returned to the original encampment site to continue their demonstration or have moved to a new location where their demonstration will continue.
A tertiary objective will be to allow livestreaming – if possible – of police action against the demonstrators and their encampment and/or provide evidence against the police in any future legal action. This will primarily come from the high ground positions and any sidewalk photojournalists.
CONSIDERATIONS
The group three members will, upon contact with the police, take no action, but remain peaceful and non-violent at all times. As contact is made, the police will initiate all action. This group may either remain silent throughout their engagement, or begin shouting slogans when they begin their movement to contact. Should the police station a rearguard, the main body of group three will advance directly to contact while up to 30% may siphon off to side streets and overhead or underground passageways, circumventing police contact, to interposition themselves between the police rearguard and the main body of police.
CONCLUSION
The “Water Flow Defense” provides a means to continue a peaceful occupation or demonstration with little disruption in continuity. It provides a form of tactical “defense-in-depth” and positions demonstrators into advantageous locations where their collaboration can be maximized. The “Water Flow Defense” essentially, and effectively, leverages the fluid nature of the demonstrators against the static dynamic of police methodology.
