Protest Suggestions

[Flight]

We've had some good suggestions recently on possible action to take in protest at the club, but they are getting lost in other threads. Waynes is one of the best I've read on here.

 

 

Also read the following on RAWK, in the Purslow thread and I think it's a stonker of an idea. I'd suggest suitable A4 leaflets be produced by SoS or others, so let's have some designs :

 

 

It appears that Purslow , our MD, is becoming a little irritated by our desire to communicate with him. Well here is an idea.

 

Instead of posting all these letters and sending e mails which get junked why not write what you think of G&H, Purslow, and indeed anyone else that annoys you in the Boardroom on an A4 sheet of paper? Then, at the first home game of the season (which will no doubt be televised)that sheet of paper should be converted into a paper aeroplane .

 

The game is very conveniently signalled to start by the referees whistle, which should then be the cue for everyone within “flying” distance of the Directors and Press Boxes to fly their planes made up of your “message” in their direction. Those in the other stands can simply “fly” them onto the pitch.

 

This has lots of potential:

 

1.It is fun.

 

2. It is non violent.

 

3.Flying paper aeroplanes is not an offence.

 

4. the Directors box and Press box will be covered with paper aeroplanes containing our respective “messages”.

 

5. A4 sheets of paper and a pen are not prohibited items at Anfield – ask the press boys.

 

6. The referees whistle actually co-ordinates the “attack” , I mean fly-past.

 

7.The games start may need to be delayed for a few minutes, but not postponed or abandoned if enough aeroplanes from other stands land on the pitch.

 

8. The protest would be beamed around the world.

 

9. It would be effective even if it were just a few thousand paper aeroplanes (SOS membership)

 

10. Repeat at every televised home game for maximum publicity!

 

Of course G&H would try to ban “paper aeroplane throwing” which would be even more ridiculous gaining us even more publicity as we “Fight to defend our right to fly paper aeroplanes” – whose directional flight it is notoriously difficult to control!

 

Bombarding the directors Box and Press Box in this way would certainly get the message through, and would be exquisitely embarrassing for them to explain. And with several weeks to organise there is loads of time to generate publicity and get the word out – and it doesn’t hurt the team or manager.

 

Having Martin Tyler's Monkey announce that the start to the game was being delayed while protest letters from fans to the Board were being cleared off the pitch would be sublime.

 

 

 

This made me laugh :

 

6. The referees whistle actually co-ordinates the “attack” , I mean fly-past.

 

 

 

edit : Link didn't work; the author of the above is Xerxes1 half way down the following page :

 

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=259721.160

Edited June 28, 2010 by Flight

[Flight]

As an aside, it's worth noting that the contact made by Purslows lawyers to RAWK about Purslows private information being published was made 'late at night and within the hour'.

 

If you think they don't have people monitoring and on the popular LFC forums then you are wrong.

 

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=259721.200

 

 

Hi Hansen

Edited June 28, 2010 by Flight

[Flight]

If/when action finally surfaces against RBS and its associated companies here is another idea to consider. Find out which companies pay for corporate facilities at Anfield and firstly aproach them to withdraw from the club. Then consider boycotts against them.

 

A group of Manchester United fans describing themselves as prepared to push the boundaries of the law has published a leaked list of more than 400 companies that pay for hospitality facilities at Old Trafford and called for them not to put any more money into the club until the Glazer family have indicated they are willing to relinquish their ownership.

 

http://thesoccerroom.com/?p=4906

Edited June 28, 2010 by Flight

[Zoob]

I think this thread is a good idea, because other ideas get lost in other threads...

 

My greatest fear is apathy, and that by the time people decide to do anything, even more damage will be done...

 

Did anyone get any response from SOS about proposed direct action ideas? I sent them a mail 2-3 weeks ago but got no response. Not sure if that's cos they've been so inundated or whether they're just not going to respond.

[Molby]

In mY opinion, this war is entirely winnable now but to do so we will need 2 things we have never had before:

 

1 proper funding (mainly for the spread of information and propaganda and also to pay someone to co-ordinate the admin)

 

2 every protester is a volunteer but so far we have put forward a protest idea eg a march or asking people to email RBS and then asked for volunteers to turn up. This is not how to win a battle. You don't announce that you're about to invade France and ask volunteers to turn up at Dover and board ships. You know the names of every single soldier and they have already been recruited and expect to be given orders and obey them.

 

So I would like us to go back a stage and go on a huge recruitment campaign, get everyone signed up and on a database.....aim to get 20,000 volunteers and let them know that they will be given specific orders

 

eg 5,000 turn up at the match and blockade, 10,000 ring RBS to complain at the same time and the same day so the switchboard is jammed, 500 turn up at RBS Liverpool and clog up the bank and the windows with time waster stuff so that no proper business is done, same at the club shop

 

and correspondingly a petition is put together of people threatening to close their accounts by a certain date unless RBS pull the plug, rather than people just firing off communications under their own steam

 

 

all the above needs a database and effectively a roll call before each action and will therfore need a whole lot of money behind it

 

 

ask yourself this people: if SOS announced that it was looking for 5000 volunteers to blockade the match and that the blockade would not happen unless we reached that number and that regular media updates were provided about how the campaign was going and you could see the numbers rising all the time - wouldn't you be more likely to join the campaign? it almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if you approach it in that manner

[Zoob]

In mY opinion, this war is entirely winnable now but to do so we will need 2 things we have never had before:

 

1 proper funding (mainly for the spread of information and propaganda and also to pay someone to co-ordinate the admin)

 

2 every protester is a volunteer but so far we have put forward a protest idea eg a march or asking people to email RBS and then asked for volunteers to turn up. This is not how to win a battle. You don't announce that you're about to invade France and ask volunteers to turn up at Dover and board ships. You know the names of every single soldier and they have already been recruited and expect to be given orders and obey them.

 

So I would like us to go back a stage and go on a huge recruitment campaign, get everyone signed up and on a database.....aim to get 20,000 volunteers and let them know that they will be given specific orders

 

eg 5,000 turn up at the match and blockade, 10,000 ring RBS to complain at the same time and the same day so the switchboard is jammed, 500 turn up at RBS Liverpool and clog up the bank and the windows with time waster stuff so that no proper business is done, same at the club shop

 

and correspondingly a petition is put together of people threatening to close their accounts by a certain date unless RBS pull the plug, rather than people just firing off communications under their own steam

 

 

all the above needs a database and effectively a roll call before each action and will therfore need a whole lot of money behind it

 

 

ask yourself this people: if SOS announced that it was looking for 5000 volunteers to blockade the match and that the blockade would not happen unless we reached that number and that regular media updates were provided about how the campaign was going and you could see the numbers rising all the time - wouldn't you be more likely to join the campaign? it almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if you approach it in that manner

 

I know that Wayne and a couple others have discussed protests and action on other threads, but I'm surprised that there hasn't been more responses to this thread. It's like at the moment apathy or resignation is more powerful than anger, and by the time people get really angry, it will be too late.

 

Obviously there are certain actions, that shouldn't be discussed openly on a thread (not because they are illegal, but because they could allow authorities to make plans to try to prevent action from happening), but maybe we can at least have people 'signing up'. Personally, I wouldn't trust most posters who joined in the last 6-9 months, but there are plenty (across the forums) who are trust-able, and I'm sure could be put to use in some capacity.

 

I'm now based in the US, so in terms of direct physical action am somewhat limited, but happy to contribute to e-mail / telephone bombardment campaigns, and make a financial donation if necessary. I don't even think a great deal of money is needed - just coordinated commitment from people, and a strategy to follow.

 

SOS have a difficult job and role to fulfil, but just as I read about their 'not welcome anywhere campaign' I couldn't help thinking it was an opportunity missed, because rather than people taking pics and sending them to SOS so that they can post them on a website that might get a bit of publicity, but will have no meaningful impact on those raping the club, people could / should have been told to take their pics and all send them (on July 4th) to specific Hicks and Gillett related e-mail addresses, so that quite possibly by the time people get into the office on Monday morning, there are hundreds or thousands of e-mails (large in size because of the pictures attached) and even if this hasn't crashed mail servers, it could make it extremely time consuming to go through to see which mails are genuine and need attention, and which are mails from us fans...

[Bogman]

If I had a tractor, and if I had a s*** spreader, I'd cover the outside of the ground in horse excrement.

I've seen that done, and it really smells.

[New York Red]

In mY opinion, this war is entirely winnable now but to do so we will need 2 things we have never had before:

 

1 proper funding (mainly for the spread of information and propaganda and also to pay someone to co-ordinate the admin)

 

2 every protester is a volunteer but so far we have put forward a protest idea eg a march or asking people to email RBS and then asked for volunteers to turn up. This is not how to win a battle. You don't announce that you're about to invade France and ask volunteers to turn up at Dover and board ships. You know the names of every single soldier and they have already been recruited and expect to be given orders and obey them.

 

So I would like us to go back a stage and go on a huge recruitment campaign, get everyone signed up and on a database.....aim to get 20,000 volunteers and let them know that they will be given specific orders

eg 5,000 turn up at the match and blockade, 10,000 ring RBS to complain at the same time and the same day so the switchboard is jammed, 500 turn up at RBS Liverpool and clog up the bank and the windows with time waster stuff so that no proper business is done, same at the club shop

 

and correspondingly a petition is put together of people threatening to close their accounts by a certain date unless RBS pull the plug, rather than people just firing off communications under their own steam

 

 

all the above needs a database and effectively a roll call before each action and will therfore need a whole lot of money behind it

 

 

ask yourself this people: if SOS announced that it was looking for 5000 volunteers to blockade the match and that the blockade would not happen unless we reached that number and that regular media updates were provided about how the campaign was going and you could see the numbers rising all the time - wouldn't you be more likely to join the campaign? it almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if you approach it in that manner

 

THAT is a very good call. SOS should be demanding this and doing exactly what you have said. Very good ideas mate.

[Row47]

Are there any plans for the masters event on Sunday after the rally?

[Raj]

What about marching on RBS HQ?

Crystal Palace received lots of publicity when they protested outside Lloyds HQ last month

[Molby]

What about marching on RBS HQ?

Crystal Palace received lots of publicity when they protested outside Lloyds HQ last month

 

good idea

 

that should be one aspect of the anti-RBS action

[The Hitman]

Would be a short walk to work for me!

[Zoob]

In another thread was discussing the possibility of setting up a well constructed on-line survey to generate some PR.

 

Could cover a broad range of issues, including Purslow, and RBS's role in what is going on...

[Gunga Din]

good idea

 

that should be one aspect of the anti-RBS action

 

 

you really think a march to RBS will make them rethink a business decision?

 

we need to crank the protests up, real, proper disruption, not fannying about phoning people and writing letters

[Molby]

In another thread was discussing the possibility of setting up a well constructed on-line survey to generate some PR.

 

Could cover a broad range of issues, including Purslow, and RBS's role in what is going on...

 

what about a follow on, where people can register?...enlist that is

 

PR-wise it's pretty good to be able to report that we have x thousand soldiers waiting for orders

but if the battle actually has to commence then it's even more important because imo we shouldn't be doing any more ad hoc or individual action or anything where we can't predict exactly what will happen and how many people will be involved - we should be spending our time enlisting, mobilizing and striking as one potent force and delaying any initiative until we are sure that we have the numbers to make said initiative a big success

[Zoob]

what about a follow on, where people can register?...enlist that is

 

PR-wise it's pretty good to be able to report that we have x thousand soldiers waiting for orders

but if the battle actually has to commence then it's even more important because imo we shouldn't be doing any more ad hoc or individual action or anything where we can't predict exactly what will happen and how many people will be involved - we should be spending our time enlisting, mobilizing and striking as one potent force and delaying any initiative until we are sure that we have the numbers to make said initiative a big success

 

Yes - at the very end of a survey (once all the 'impartial' questions have been answered), one could give the option of entering an e-mail address if respondents wanted to put their names forward for direct action.

 

Needless to say, Purslow lackeys monitoring the forums would also sign up for that..

 

There are also a couple of other potential problems to the survey approach

 

1) fans who read internet forums are most likely not representative of the true, wider fan base. it would be good to try to find some way of including a more representative spread of fans...

 

2) Wums, Mancs, people with nothing better to do... could hijack the survey to mess up the results. Even if people can only complete 1 survey, if someone posted a link on red cafe for example, and enough people completed a survey, it could mess up the results.

[johngibo YPC]

 

2) Wums, Mancs, people with nothing better to do... could hijack the survey to mess up the results. Even if people can only complete 1 survey, if someone posted a link on red cafe for example, and enough people completed a survey, it could mess up the results.

 

A possible way around that would be to email all of the addresses of people registered on forums, or all SOS members, or both. You only accept one survey from each email address. Of course this limits the survey to these people, of course. Which is a good and bad thing

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

I like the paper planes one

[stressederic]

I suggested this a few months (maybe years) back but I'll throw it out again.

 

Is there an RBS in Liverpool?

 

If so how about SoS (and others) getting their members to open up accounts there over a few weeks (maybe just sticking £5 or something) and then, on an appointed day/time all of them show up to withdraw their money and close the accounts, and handing over a letter to the managers explaining why.

 

Shouldn't be too hard to get a queue of a couple of hundred people out of the door and basically shut that branch of the bank down for the day.

[Molby]

I suggested this a few months (maybe years) back but I'll throw it out again.

 

Is there an RBS in Liverpool?

 

If so how about SoS (and others) getting their members to open up accounts there over a few weeks (maybe just sticking £5 or something) and then, on an appointed day/time all of them show up to withdraw their money and close the accounts, and handing over a letter to the managers explaining why.

 

Shouldn't be too hard to get a queue of a couple of hundred people out of the door and basically shut that branch of the bank down for the day.

 

shutting down branches for a day (and the club shop) through time wasting is indeed quite easy but for this (and in answer to Zoob's point about reaching a wider audience) we need far more than these fora - newspapers, marketing communications, marketing in general and various organisational costs

 

we need a shedload of money, but if we had it we could get the job done, I'm sure of it

[Raj]

you really think a march to RBS will make them rethink a business decision?

 

we need to crank the protests up, real, proper disruption, not fannying about phoning people and writing letters

 

Adverse publicity for RBS. Its all relevant.

And that fannying around writing letters, drew a public response from RBS, so its hardly worthless

[KIDORIGINAL]

 

If we could get a few Cecil versions of these in production, it would be awesome. If loads of people wear them in the ground as well as in a protest outside RBS and Anfield then we'd have a major publicity stunt going. I was going to suggest some Tom Hicks ones for the 4th July march but never got round to it. So does anyone know how possible this would be?

 

 

 

You see those ties Purslow and Dalglish are wearing? They always seem to have them on so what I say is we buy a few and wear them to the match. The purpose would be to show that just because Cecil wears a tie, it doesn't mean he's anything special. As he thinks so highly of himself, belittling him and making him look small will be far more effective than name-calling.

[charlie clown]

We've had some good suggestions recently on possible action to take in protest at the club, but they are getting lost in other threads. Waynes is one of the best I've read on here.

 

The Gunga Din idea should be added to this thread then, no?

[Walrus]

 

You see those ties Purslow and Dalglish are wearing? They always seem to have them on so what I say is we buy a few and wear them to the match. The purpose would be to show that just because Cecil wears a tie, it doesn't mean he's anything special. As he thinks so highly of himself, belittling him and making him look small will be far more effective than name-calling.

Haha!

Edited July 8, 2010 by Walrus

[smokescreen]

I still think a low cost way of getting the message out around the city, and getting into the media by being original is by doing some street advertising. Could be done outside RBS premises, all around Anfield. Even get some publicity by doing it in Texas etc...

 

The message in the mock up could obviously be changed now, as the call to action has moved on somewhat. Could be used to broaden awareness, and publicise a URL for signups for more direct action as suggested by Molby, which is the only route forward now imo.

 

Did do a post about logistics etc but the thread has been deleted.