August 21, 1991 AYER SITE COORDINATOR — A person who makes sure everything is running smoothly on the site. This person takes , Make sure garbage is looked after and oversees the general operation of the site. RCMP LIAISON — Contacts the police, makes sure police knows what the groups intentions are and what can be expected on the site. OBSERVERS — Three or four people, usually from outside the immediate community so as to make them jimpartial observers, to watch and record events ‘and interactions which may seem potentially explosive or inappropriate. LEGAL LIAISON — Contacts the lawyers for information which* is then distributed to the people who need it at the site. SPOKESMEN — Two or three people who represent the group in any contact with forest company offi- cials or the media. Usually they come from the upper echelons of the organization’s hierarchy. iz MEDIA LIAISON — Contacts the media about the date and time of events. Provides information, background and directs them on the site. Keeps track of which media attend. STORY AND PHOTOS BY ED MILLS Times have changed in the protest game. The man who risked his life by perching himself on a plat- form over a gorge to protest log- ging in a valley on Vancouver Island a week ago offered a prime example of just how cre- ative and innovative protesting has become in B.C. But a question remains: Was the protest spontaneous or was it a carefully constructed media event? What is known is that the ploy was effective, in that the issue was brought to the atten- tion of the public in this “I would say (organization) is critical,” said Sally Hammond, one of the organizers. “We've been meeting on this issue for many years. It’s not new to us. And as we met we were consid- ering how things ought to be, what everybody’s individual purpose is. “Over these meetings we have continually honed our phi- losophy and we've done things like non-violent, direct-action workshops that help us under- stand the best way to organize any kind of resistance, or cam- paign to change something.” Communication is another province and beyond through a media drawn to the dramatics of the event That’s one way to do it. But as the environment as an issue becomes firmly entrenched in B.C. environmental groups are following the lead set many years ago by the movement’s standard bearer — Greenpeace. What were once, in many cas- es, off-the-cuff fringe groups, have increasingly become well- organized entities with a hierar- chy of personnel, complex sys- tem of communications and a well-defined sets of objectives. And while it might appear from media reports that envi- ronmental protests in B.C. are affairs, on the verge of exploding into violence, a look inside a protest that occurred near Castlegar this week offers a very a differ- ent picture. The protest currently under way in the Red Mountain area : near Silverton, about 130 kilo- = metres northeast of Castlegar, was a sterling example of a ized group putting * together an effective protest action it even so much as © @ hint of spontaneity, danger or unpredictabilit; iy. : From the do’s and don’ts of being a rates, to protest eti- q and chain of command, ‘SS ase paonie who showed up to protest oe ale logging in an area known as Hasty Creek, > were a rigidly controlled and ~ orchestrated group. of the oper- ation of any successful cam- paign, Hammond said. With a week to prepare at Hasty Creek, they did a job B.C. Tel would be proud of. Using a kind of pyramid scheme phoning system, aptly called a phone tree, the organiz- ers managed to get almost 300 people in an area where the entire population of the nearest town is about 600. When organizers want to get hold of their people, the phone tree is brought up on a comput- ie ANATOMY OFA PROTEST er at the group’s headquarters. At the top of the phone tree are three organizers, each of whom is responsible for phoning three people on the list. Those three people in turn phone three more people and so on until everyone on the list has been contacted. The media is contacted — in the case of the Castlegar News, three days in advance — as is the RCMP. With the time for action near- ing, the assembled crowd — at least the ones who don’t know the procedure by rote — gather around Hammond and she briefs them on what is going to happen, what they can and can- not do and who will be involved. Handwritten on a sign set up at the entrance of the site is the protester’s code of ethics, rules that would make a 1960s protester cringe. “Basically our code of ethics say we will conduct ourselves politely with respect for all peo- ple. That includes (the forest company representative). And we will stay calm, carry no weapons and use no alcohol or drugs,” said Hammond, who at 42, knows what the ’60s were all ne PEI PROB WATER *SCTWE WATER SHED 70 Al. Preriig LE CONI Wik Be oye (AO Palate We ledence nyo ile about. “You can’t force an attitude on people, but you can let them know what'code of conduct is expected of them,” she said. And you can employ coercive measures to make sure those who do break the’ rules are cor- rected. “We have a couple of moni- tors, who are those large and gentle men, who basically make sure that there’s no exci ON SITE PEOPLE — Three or four people who take care of the relatively mundane tasks on the site such as there is an h enough drinking water and so on. HELPERS — Several people who make placards, direc- tional road signs and other protest parapherna- lia. These positions usually overlap with others. ONITORS — usually two or three rather large men, who act as crowd control. They make sure potentially explosive situations are defused and watch for infiltration of the crowd by undesirables. MEDICS — usually two or three people who rotate pro- viding first aid care if necessary. SUPPORT PERSONNEL — people from surrounding areas who volun- teer to board protesters who've come from out of _the area. RECORDERS — people who bring cameras and video equip- ment to. record the event. Such recording could be used as evidi at a later date. é THE RCMP — Play a dual role in that they are called to protect the protesters and forest company offi- cials, but also may come to arrest protesters. and we're not that kind of folk. Putting on costumes or yelling at people and what not, that’s just not our style, and we want other people to comply with that.” When the first forest compa- ny truck pulls up to the the site, the crowd, many of which are children, are instructed to take up the pre-painted picket signs, banners and whatever other 1 protest p is sort of brewing in the crowd, and if it is then they defuse it by just talking to the person or whatever,” said Hammond. Among the crowd of protesters there are at least a dozen people — indistinguish- able unless wearing name tags of some sort — who are doing some specific job for the organiz- ers. From recording the events on video and making signs, to making sure there’s an out- house and enough drinking water, the organizers have every detail covered. on hand, and bunch together in a tight group blocking access to the disputed area. When events begin to unfold, Hammond's description earlier of what was about to take place couldn’t have been closer to what actually occurred. First one RCMP 4x4 cruiser arrives, and one officer video- tapes the scene as the other talks to organizers. Both appear slightly bemused, even bored. Next, representatives from the forest company arrive, chat with the the officers, then make the walk up the road to meet the p: is not nor encoura; “Exactly. I mean in some groups they tend toward drama, A. few yards away from the front of the picket line the com- pany men stop. That’s the cue for the three spokesmen stand- ing front and centre in the line to step forward a few feet and initiate the conversation. The conversation lasts about five minutes, and “goes as d,” each side app ly versed in protest-line language. Everyone is civil, polite. There are no shouts from the crowd, no taunting or jeering. Basically it’s all over at this point. The forest company rep- resentatives leave, the RCMP leave, and the protesters mill about awaiting further instruc- tion. There were no arrests at Monday’s protest, but organiz- ers warn that they are immi- nent when the company returns in the next few days with an injunction. Arrests are seen as a neces- sary part of the protest game, another way to publicize the cause. And just like everything else is event, protesters willing to pe arrested know exactly t they're getting themselves in for, having been briefed beforehand. They know where to stand if they plan to be arrested and where to stand if they want to avoid it. They know what they'll be charged with, what the penalty could be, where they'll be taken and that they'll likely get bail. They’re told that this particular environmental group has three lawyers, two of whom are available to them. For many, like Hammond, it’s their first protest, but it doesn’t feel that way. They've had three or four dry runs at it over the last few years when they thought the forest company was going to move on the site. When it came down to the real thing, everything went by the script. “I like the way it went a lot. I was very pleased that people were very willing to go along with our general intentions and that i€ was very respectful to everyone. It ae the way I thought it would, CasNews photo — Dave Ward of fame — entertains the kids Fri- The beer day at Hobbit Hill Children’s Centre. Squatch told stories and offered his mammoth frame for horse rides. Later Friday, Ward entertained patrons at the Hi-Arrow Hotel with a stand-up comedy routine. — August 21, 1991 Your satistaction is our main concern THURSDAY AUG. 22 ONLY COMPLIMI EE a 1ES | * 108 off discount does not apply to fluid mitk or cigarette ¥ Yet Soper asin a go ving $16 Goo 2 mani woe of Yo SENIORS OFF DISCOUNT STREET TALK : MARK DAVIS is the new advertising manager of the Castlegar News. Davis, 32, comes to the news after three years as an advertising salesman with the Tri-City News, a sister publi- cation of the Castle- gar News based in Port Coquitlam. Mark was born in Hamiota, Man., but never lived there as his father, who was in the Air Force, bounced around the country with his family in tow. Mark finished high school in Ottawa and attended the University of Ottawa part-time for one year before trans- ferring to the University of Victoria where he earned his bachelor of arts degree in economics. His interests include photography, hiking, climbing, skiing, sea kayaking (out of luck around here Mark, sorry) and fly fishing. MARK DAVIS -.. New ad mamager THE CASTLEGAR UNITED WAY is qui- etly gearing up for fall while most people are out ig the i weeks of The local United Way board is enjoying its largest membership in the last eight years with a full complement of 12 directors, board presi- dent Deb Chmara said in a news release. “We're in an excellent position to reach our target fundraising goal this year, and-finally capitalize on the work of many previous board members,” she said. Last year’s fundraising campaign came with- TLEGAR CHAMBER OF C RE 1975-6th Ave., 365-6313 SUMMER H 5 ACCE in 90 per cent of its goal of $50,000. “Some of the ideas of last year, especially the flea market, have been great for fun, fundraising and reminding everyone to donate to the United Way,” Chmara said. Campaign chairman John Loo is new this year, like many other board members, but has jumped right in and set the schedule for this year’s kickoff, which will be set again at the Community Complex on Sept. 21, she said. Loo, working with the non-profit agencies which receive funding through the United Way, has targeted two days for concentrated door-to-door campaigning Sept. 24 and 25, Chmara said. The concentrated campaign is another inno- vation designed to lift the spirits of canvassers with a central gathering place and refresh- ments afterwards, she said. Although some homes may be reached later in the week, board members hope most of the canvass will get done within the two days, Chmara said. She said a full contingent on the local board and the ii ing donations indi of the Castlegar area are concérned about the needs of people in their community and are supportive of the agencies trying to help out. EARL FRASER of Robson is $5,000 richer and didn’t lift a finger. Fraser won a shot at up to $100,000 on the Musical Spin lottery with a ticket he bought at Johnny’s Grocery. However, he was unable to attend the draw program held in h d so he desi d a repr from the B.C. Lottery Corp. to spin the prise wheel for him The $5,000 — and a year’s supply of Pepsi — is the guaranteed minimum prize. URS IT \ MIN NV \ H TED 1004 Columbia « Ph. 365-8155 pencils 2a crayola crayons. 72-page + Hilroy exercise binders Speck scotch ta Beet boneless cross rib roast a.soxg. wb. cut from Canada grade "A" beef standing rib roast 7.s9xg. ib. cut from Canada grade ‘A’ beet boneless cross rib roast 7.23/kg. Ib. gov't Inspected pork - rib or tenderloin portion ork loin alves 3.28 4.39/kg. Ib. 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