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O Counter-Demonstration Operations The authors have had only limited experience with some of the more serious types of counter- demonstration operations (police and mob violence _against public demonstrations), hence it would be foolish of us to give a lot of "advice." A number of experts have suggested that in any case one should not become too preoccupied with trying to cope with police tactics because such efforts keep you from the basic objectives of nonviolent demonstrations. They bog you down in trying to outguess the police, and you lose sight of the basic goals -- to promote a society of jus- ti¢e. There are, however, some ideas which can increase the effectiveness of civil rights workers when faced with police and mob violence, or at least cut the physical risks, while maintaining the basic integrity of the demonstration and its participants. Remember that the opponent would like, if possible, “to provoke your group into wild statements, inaccurate 78 or exaggerated accusations which cannot be proven, name~calling, undignified behavior, confusion and disorderly behavior, in-fighting among the leaders, desertion from the ranks, and outright violent retal- iation. In trying to avoid being provoked into these actions, some elementary rules will help: 1. Improve the educational] and organizational tools by which violence can be contained and prevented. These include work-shops and other training, discipline, and loyalty to the group and what it stands for. Zz. In a demonstration, remember to act only upon instructions from assigned leaders. Do not break ranks except to help an injured person. 3. If vou are the victim of an attack, and are not too severely disabled, you can still take non- vivieni: initiatives, For instance, in a calm yoicé you might say, "Sir, may ask you a question?" If someone else is being attacked, you might go to the attacker and divert him from his victim in a similar way. 4. Remember that you must be more than calm and restrained. You must also be creative, and look for new ways to take nonviolent initiatives in the spirit of the goals and ideals of the movement. A’ group might, for instance, spontaneously start Singing a hymn together if an attack occurs. 5. It is the authors’ opinion that demonstrators should not appeal to the police for help. If police do not of their own accord protect the civil liberties of demon- : strators, they likely will not help anyhow. They may intervene only to stop the demonstration -- something, that should be your decision, not theirs. If we are _ to build a society of justice and brotherhood we must 73