De-escalation: Non-Violence in the Face of Opposition

Here in Philadelphia, the police and the occupiers at City Hall have had an uneventful relationship so far. At shift change yesterday, I witnessed the captain on duty introduce the night shift captain to one of the organizers. But all is not so tranquil in all of the cities being occupied.

In Boston and Seattle, police have set in motion plans for clearing parks, said an article in the New York Times.

Those actions resulted in over 100 arrests today in Boston. The protestors had crossed two lines, said an article on boston.com. First, by threatening to tie up traffic and, second, by expanding their campground to a newly renovated area that the city had asked them to stay off.

A statement from Occupy Boston claims that the Boston PD “brutally attacked” the protestors, said the article.

Violence has yet to affect the Occupy Philly movement, and if Jeanne Schmolze has anything to do with it, protestors will know how to handle themselves, non-violently, in the face of opposition.

Schmolze is a 66-year-old Philadelphia resident and Katrina survivor. She moved to New Orleans in 2003 and came back to Philadelphia after the storm in 2005, when she lost her home. She is currently retired, unable to survive on social security, and will be reentering the workforce. Until then, she’s decided to be of service however she can and is planning for a de-escalation seminar this week, in order to better educate those participating in the movement.

“I’ve found that a group of people can turn into a mob very quickly,” she said in a phone interview this afternoon.

In order to manage a situation and try and retain some level of respect on all sides, there are certain tactics that demonstrators can use to protect themselves, while still occupying in solidarity. Most revolve around body language, group dynamics and communication.

Schmolze has had years of experience with conflict during her many years dealing with volatile populations of severely mentally ill and drug-addicted people as a social worker and union negotiator in Philadelphia, she said.

“I’ve taken a lot of training to know when something’s turning aggressive how to nip it in the bud,” she continued.

It’s these skills that have helped her to learn how much space you need, when to touch someone, when not to, how to react to different looks and how to deescalate an impulsive situation.

An aggressive action against officers could result in an aggressive response. But calling an officer by their name, could help to defuse a situation, before it gets out of control.

Coordinated, passive, civil disobedience in the face of police implements like nets is also a way to diffuse a situation, she said. “Five rows of people should sit down; three rows, the police can stomp right over you, but 5 rows…it shows that we will not be moved. We’re sitting. The aggression will come from the other side. ”

If a situation gets out of control, safety should always come first, she said, and an exit route should be communicated to the group. But “if people start bolting and running, it sets it off. If you’re walking away, there’s an assumption that you didn’t do anything. If you start running as a pack, [police] will intervene there.

“By taking two or three breaths, when you’re afraid or in a panic, you’re able to make a better decision as to what’s best for you and the group,” she said.

Occupy Philly, My First Look

In Philadelphia, the sounds of honking car horns are usually accompanied by a four letter words and obscene gestures. But on this particular day, while standing outside of City Hall, the usual sounds of Philly commuters had a different tone.

Angry drivers weren’t blaring horns to yell at cabbies or out-of-towners who have trouble passing busses. There were no middle fingers raised in anger(at least not while I was watching).

Instead drivers passed by City Hall beeping, and smiling; their fists were raised in a gesture of solidarity.

It was chilling to witness. 

Very few things can bring Philadelphians together: the mummers parade or a winning sports team, but that’s about it. Until this past week when Philadelphia residents joined in a growing movement of occupation, 118 across the country, at last count, I was told by one of the movement’s “unofficial, officials.”

Occupy Philly has taken hold and for those camped out in City Hall, this movement is as real as it gets. The occupiers really are living in tents, they really are getting donations, and they really have some valid arguments.

Official statements released by the members of New York City’s Occupy movement state clearly, the views and stances taken by the group. The most predominant of which is that “corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments.”

The Occupy movement also takes issue with the illegal foreclosure process, taxpayer bailouts, inequality and discrimination, the torture of animals, and the poisoning and monopolization of our food supply, the list goes on and on, naming nearly two dozen grievances in all.

Occupy Philly has allowed free speech, in a peaceful setting for residents to voice all kinds of grievances and beliefs. Its given a platform for people to speak on any subject, including the popular 99% stance, to the adoption of Marxism, to the career of Andy Reid, and his future here in Philadelphia.

While the possibility for the spirit of the movement to be muddled and lost amongst the rabble is a possibility, “unofficial, officials” have stated how they haven’t come up against any issues as of yet.

The movement is still in its earliest stages and with a successful weekend under its belt, Occupy Philly organizers plan to stay put as long as it takes. Donations have been coming in, and those who are occupying don’t seem to be going anywhere too soon, but a rainy Wednesday in this week’s forecast will gauge the short-term dedication of the movement’s participants.

While the feelings of dedication and good will permeate the growing, tented community, general organization is still in its infancy. On the other hand, the views expressed by the people occupying Dilworth Plaza are ripe for the picking.

As I continue to cover the events here in Philadelphia, and post my first piece on Occupy Philly, one question stands out in my mind:

Will the Occupy movement come out of its infant stages with the solidarity and organization that could attract the kind of attention that it needs, from lawyers, legislators, and unions, to be a real force in changing the status quo? 

View the slideshow for a look at the movement and messages from #OccupyPhilly

Slideshow photos by Know it All Philly, 2011