Lockdown/barricade
20 mins -- Purpose: By the end of this part, the group will have basic preparedness for caring for themselves and each other through potential physical and psych trauma associated with lockdowns, and for being stationary in wet or dry weather in the 50sF.
Facilitator: ; Note-taker: ; Timekeeper:
K: dress for success; plan for aftercare; scene safety / de-escalation;
substances, checking up on each other, risk of death; basic needs; what
not to bring / diversity of tactics / affinity group structure; have a
buddy
A: know what you dont know, and get help; calm comfort reassure;
anti-oppression; solidarity
S: red flags; getting help in medic / herbalist community; using
aftercare sheets
This roleplay is intended to expose you as a group to several difficult and scary situations that are possible in lockdowns and barricades. It can bring up traumatic past experiences. You are welcome to not participate, or to stop at any point, and to ask a trainer to come out in the hall and sit with you if you want.
Does anyone have any relevant medical issues you need the affinity group to know about? Activist 3 tells group she has asthma and is carrying an inhaler.
write 's phone # on arm for 911 and 's # as legal.
6-8 group members (including a few trainers): Blockade access to the books.
Weather is high 50s, sunny, breezy. Many other actions are happening at the same time. Police present but waiting for orders.
First problem: Weather. The wind picks up and it gets cloudy. pause. It starts drizzling. pause. It starts raining hard. pause. Certain underdressed members start going hypothermic. the facilitator can decide who is getting hypothermic and how hypothermic they are getting. Roleplay continues while affinity group figures out what to do.
Facilitator calls time-out. Stay in lockdown but pause for facilitated discussion.
Second problem: Extraction. Police whiteshirts tell blueshirts to begin extraction.
Blueshirt: "I'm requesting that you leave immediately, within five minutes or you will be subject to arrest. It is my intention, if you do not leave, to use pepper spray or chemical mace to extricate you from your -- from the devices. You have five minutes."
Blueshirt: "Okay, folks. Your time is up. I have given you five minutes. Are you going to leave the building? Okay, we'll be starting to use the pepper spray then. Pardon?"
Activist 1: "Are you going to really use --" Police cradles Activist 2's head, pries open eyes with gloved hand, and squirts water in.
Activist 2: [screaming] "Don't hurt me! No! Stop it! My eyes!"
Blueshirt: "I won't hurt you, as long as you leave."
Activist 2: "My eyes, goddamn it!"
Activist 1: "You're hurting us!"
Scenario continues with Activist 2 the only torture victim, as group tries to figure out how to respond. If anyone unlocks they get arrested.
Facilitator calls time-out. Stay in lockdown but pause for facilitated discussion and emotional debrief.
Third problem: Medical issue. Activist 3 begins wheezing and gasping for breath. The asthma attack started when activist 2 was sprayed and got worse from panic.
Police ignore activist 3, move on to spray eyes of activist 4. Activist 3's asthma gets much worse. Note: as she shared with the group at the beginning of the lockdown, activist 3 has an inhaler in her pocket, but now she can't talk.
Scenario continues as group tries to figure out how to respond to Activist 3's asthma attack, activist 2 and 4 as torture victims, and activist 1 agitated and vocal. If anyone unlocks they get arrested.
Facilitator calls time-out. Stay in lockdown but pause for facilitated discussion.
End: Arrest. If anyone is still locked down, the police switch tactics and cut them out. They are arrested.
Stuff: water in squirt bottle, activists 1,2,3 prepped ahead of time, markers for 911 number and legal number, cardboard "brownbear" lockboxes.