Protests beyond the Performative: Ideas for DC
There Should be Huge Signs on Capitol Hill and a Bull Horn at the White House During the Evening News
Most “protest” activity is performative, which is not to say worthless. But it’s often as if people are claiming to want to get pregnant by having louder anal sex.
Notable developments with protest activity include of course the British government’s outrageous, “draconian” attack on Palestine Action, leading Roger Waters and others to call for a “Spartacus Moment” of solidarity with the actionists — who have not spilt a drop of blood while trying to kill a war machine.
On July 4th, I did my usual bit by going with a keffiyeh to a festival (the bare minimum). Other activists in DC did some interesting theatrics with a Lady Liberty being chained and forced to pledge fealty to Israel. While it was literally performative, it seemed rather effective. They could do this regularly on Capitol Hill.
In a recent essay — “The Terror and Ecstasy of Living” — as many were claiming that Trump had broken with Netanyahu, I stressed that no one is coming to save us. Not Trump, not China. No one.
And I mentioned I would outline some strategic ideas for protests in DC. I’ve shared these with some organized groups but they haven’t really taken off, so I’m putting them out there in case others want to make them jell. Here they are:
Protests at the White House with bullhorn blaring at the media tents during the evening news broadcast. This would mean the chanting of the bullhorn could get picked up in the background as the big network reporters file their reports from the White House. So millions of people listening passively to the “news” could hear in the background: “Trump says America First / Our taxes fund Israel’s blood thirst.” This has been done to a limited extent, for example, in 2023 by JVP when I pointed it out to them with some success:
And in March of this year:
I’d also envisioned people like the glorious Fairouz Foty could use her operatic voice to magnificent effect.
Here’s a map highlighting the dark-green media tents:
This it could be done daily (or at least every day Trump is at the White House). Further, not only could video of the chanting could be posted daily — but so could the TV results — the broadcasts with the chants in the background. At times when this has been done, the reporters would have to explain what the chanting was (though at times they’ve obscured it). So, there’s a need for clear, sharp chants.
I was recently on Capitol Hill to attend a hearing and it was interesting to see not one but two protests on the lawn there. One of them was just one person with a huge sign, trying to get the Democrats to challenge Trump more. He told me that so long as it was under 10 or 20 people, he didn't need a permit. The main limitation was that he couldn't stake the sign into the grass, so it was supported by a prism structure which he built.
And there was a large protest that was permitted with a lot of people, against male circumcision, which I think only lasted a week:
It would be an effective project to have a protest there regularly against Israel’s genocide. Daily. You already have CodePink and Doctors Against Genocide and others going into the halls of Congress, sometimes getting in their faces. I realize people might not be up for that.
This would be another dimension of trying to change the atmosphere on the Hill with clear and powerful signage.
Signs could be something like:
Stop Israel's Killing in Gaza
Cut Off Weapons to Israel
Admit Israel Has Nukes: Glenn-Symington Says No More Funding
With pictures of the reality of Israel’s horror. Let the senators and congresspeople and their staffers take a good look at what they’re paying for.
Every.
Day.
Groups of any political stripe could do their own thing — this doesn’t have to be centralized:
Congress is Zionist Occupied Territory
Some resources:
Here’s a calendar of when Congress is in session this year according to the National Association of Broadcasters.
As I’ve written, performative protest is complicity. People need to stop shouting at empty buildings on the weekend and pretending to expect change. People need to get beyond doing photo-op protests and instead really reach tons of non-converted or change the terrain the warmongers walk upon.
Thank you Sam for your first and last paragraphs plus everything in between. It reminds me of the time when older intellectuals pretended they were the ones mapping strategy for those living on the sidewalks and parks during the Occupy Wall St protest.
I agree that more is required. Performative protests may be what you claim, but they may also indicate a failure of imagination, a fear of arrest, uncertainty as to what is effective, and other, not quite as complicitious in both intention, and nature. It may be a starting point for some, other people may see those performative protests and be motivated to do more.