> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://mehrankhalili.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Anti-war protests that work - URL: https://mehrankhalili.com/antiwar/ - Published: 2022-02-25T14:00:43.000Z - Updated: 2023-05-17T16:36:59.000Z - Description: For Ukraine: Resources on how to protest war in a way that might have an impact. - Author: Mehran Khalili - Tags: How-To, #Import 2023-05-10 22:28, #mkhalili ## War has come to Europe once again. Ukraine is being devastated. As of writing, dozens are already dead. As an activist, I feel helpless. In an effort to do something positive, I've put together some thoughts and resources on how to protest the war in a way that might have an impact. It's trivial, but it's a start. Please write to me on [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/mkhalili)or [email ](mailto:mehran@khalili.co)with anything you think should be on it, and I'll update the post. OK, let's go. ## Goal of the protest Let's be brutally clear: there's little you can do in the short term to stop the war. If you want to protest as a gesture to show what you believe, though – to do *something* about this disastrous war as opposed to nothing – that is as good a reason as any to show up. But think strategically, too. A protest can help you rally people around something they can all agree on (stop the war). It can energise existing activists, and connect you with new ones. If your action is successful, you might be able to [build an activist team](https://mehrankhalili.com/building-activist-teams) from it. A team with [the right kind of organisers](https://mehrankhalili.com/the-ultimate-campaigner/). A team that *might* be able to make a difference – however small – to the situation in Ukraine in the longer term. Keep this goal imprinted in your mind when deciding a tactic below. ## Tactics ### Do something fresh To have impact, your protest must cut through the noise. It needs to provide [creative tension](https://mehrankhalili.com/tension); to give photojournalists something worth shooting, or generate visuals that stand out. So you have to do something different. In other words, ideally something more than banners, marches and speeches. *Every protest against war in Ukraine is valuable.* But keeping the above in mind, I would have organised these a little differently: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/d8/9bd8fd25-48d2-4fa3-a886-68d4f5a37a2b/content/images/2022/02/EED88051-ED61-43B5-BB3F-F7733661FC9B.jpeg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/d8/9bd8fd25-48d2-4fa3-a886-68d4f5a37a2b/content/images/2022/02/CA8509C7-BE17-4BFD-A89D-D23DE3F9BEA7.jpeg) UK protest flyers against war in Ukraine. ### Pick the right spot Where should you do it? My top-line thought: your local Russian and American embassy – if you can get there. Or the residence of each ambassador. ### Steps to build out your team - Before protest: Promote it online and capture contact details of people who are interested. Ask them to share it. - At protest: Capture contacts of people present, who want to get more active. - After protest: Invite all to a zoom call to [plan next steps together.](https://mehrankhalili.com/building-activist-teams) ### Steps to increase coverage of the protest - Before protest: Plan actions that make compelling images while communicating what you want (ideally [proposals](https://mehrankhalili.com/purple)). [Build a list of your targets](https://mehrankhalili.com/media-cheat-sheet/) – media/influencers - At protest: [Cover it!](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-take-photos-at-protests/) [How to Take Photos at Protests Safely—and ResponsiblyBefore you pull out your camera and post to social media, here’s how to protect yourself and others.![](https://www.wired.com/verso/static/wired/assets/favicon.ico)WIREDCondé Nast![](https://media.wired.com/photos/5ed6bc58609ca7f4d4989851/191:100/w_1280,c_limit/Gear-How-To-Photograph-Protests-1216850011.jpg)](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-take-photos-at-protests/) - After protest: Publish your material on social media; pitch material to targets ### Case studies Which tactics should you use? Here are some valuable case studies on what works. Spend 20 minutes on any of them, and I'm confident you'll move closer to an idea that works for you. - [Beautiful Trouble](https://beautifultrouble.org/) has a [War and Peace](https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/war-and-peace) section with tactics and stories. Start here. [Toolbox — Beautiful TroubleDive into the Beautiful Trouble toolbox, an interconnected web of ideas and creative best practices that puts the power of organizing for social change in your hands. Start anywhere and explore…![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f9687424db8026cc2f2466c/1614241218177-UG5SBK0R8UIO2VCEQSZC/favicon.ico?format=100w)Beautiful Trouble![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f9687424db8026cc2f2466c/t/60375dd74142e82bebb9da62/1614241250959/BT_logo.png?format=1500w)](https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/war-and-peace) - [Actipedia](https://actipedia.org/) has nine pages of tactics of what has worked against [violence and war](https://actipedia.org/issue/violence-war), with case studies that date back over a decade. [Violence & War![](https://actipedia.org/sites/default/files/actipedia_favicon.png)Actipedia![](https://actipedia.org/sites/default/files/styles/homepage_thumb/public/action_photos/0428bcdc-1ccb-45ff-966a-e712a43248e8.jpeg?itok=yCsEGUhD)](https://actipedia.org/issue/violence-war) - The [Global Nonviolent Action database](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/) has pages and pages of [case studies from anti-war protests](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/search/node?keys=war). It’s not very visual, but well written [Search | Global Nonviolent Action Database![](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/themes/custom/gnad/favicon_gnad.png)Global Nonviolent Action Database![](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/themes/custom/gnad/images/gnad_logo_2020.svg)](https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/search/node?keys=war) - [This interview ](https://mehrankhalili.com/radomir-lazovic-interview/)with Radomir Lazovic from Don’t Drown Belgrade, on creative protest and how to build a movement ## Visual resources How to make graphics for invitations, posters, flyers etc. - [Canva](https://www.canva.com/create/campaign-posters/) is a great tool for making graphics. They have a dedicated template to make campaign posters - Use [Unsplash ](https://unsplash.com)for visuals. Avoid searching for the word 'protest' [Beautiful Free Images & Pictures | UnsplashBeautiful, free images and photos that you can download and use for any project. Better than any royalty free or stock photos.![](https://unsplash.com/apple-touch-icon.png)UnsplashUnsplash![](https://images.unsplash.com/opengraph/1x1.png?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1200&h=630&q=60&mark-w=64&mark-align=top%2Cleft&mark-pad=50&blend-w=1&mark=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.unsplash.com%2Fopengraph%2Flogo.png&blend=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.unsplash.com%2Fphoto-1644167804910-0f4b8dc53799%3Fcrop%3Dfaces%252Cedges%26cs%3Dtinysrgb%26fit%3Dcrop%26fm%3Djpg%26ixid%3DMnwxMjA3fDB8MXxhbGx8fHx8fHx8fHwxNjQ1NzkzNzAw%26ixlib%3Drb-1.2.1%26q%3D60%26w%3D1200%26auto%3Dformat%26h%3D630%26mark-w%3D424%26mark-align%3Dmiddle%252Ccenter%26blend-mode%3Dnormal%26blend-alpha%3D10%26mark%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.unsplash.com%252Fopengraph%252Fwordmark.png%26blend%3D000000)](https://unsplash.com) - Help your visuals serve their goals with good [typography](https://mehrankhalili.com/better-typography/) - The [Center for American Politics and Design](https://www.politicsanddesign.com/) has a database of campaign posters for inspiration ## Organisational resources Resources on how to organise and build a team for impact - [Canvasopedia’s videos section](https://canvasopedia.org/videos/) has some great visual resources on smart activism. Play them on double speed. [Videos – Canvas![](https://canvasopedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/canvaslogo-fist.png)Canvas![](https://canvasopedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CANVAS_LOGO_ceo_ispis-01_1.svg)](https://canvasopedia.org/videos/) - [Targeting people to join your cause](https://mehrankhalili.com/targeting/) - [Making a plan for impact](https://mehrankhalili.com/impact) - [Quick-and-dirty media skills](https://mehrankhalili.com/media-cheat-sheet/) - [Using the media’s biases to your advantage](https://mehrankhalili.com/hacking-media-biases/) - [Holding a brainstorm and build an activist team](https://mehrankhalili.com/building-activist-teams/) That's it. As mentioned, please write to me on [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/mkhalili)or [email ](mailto:mehran@khalili.co)with anything you think should be on this list. Now let's do all we can to stop this catastrophic war.