Policing protests in the social media era
I am a nonviolence activist and campaigner on a variety of issues. I have seen all kinds of police tactics during protests, including substantial unprovoked violence in the Occupy Melbourne protest, which was my first hand experience of the power of tough policing practices on the one hand and the power of social media and live tweeting by the protestors on the other hand.
Policing protests in the social media era
by @peacenicsta
POLICEwatch Australia
I am a nonviolence activist and campaigner on a variety of issues. I have seen all kinds of police tactics during protests, including substantial unprovoked violence in the Occupy Melbourne protest, which was my first hand experience of the power of tough policing practices on the one hand and the power of social media and live tweeting by the protestors on the other hand.
The SA police use of social media during The Lizard's Revenge protest in Roxby Downs seems to be part of a specific and deliberate policing strategy to move towards softer, smarter tactics. Mindful of the media eye, it seems that Police have learnt their lessons from the experience of Occupy Melbourne and other similar events. Police were careful with what was allowed to be captured on camera. The chant 'the whole world is watching' certainly has more resonance now with live streaming, camera phone and video capacity, twitter and other tools.
The policing of Lizard's Revenge lies in sharp contrast with the Baxter refugee convergence in 2005 when police were out in a massive show of force from the beginning and were unnecessarily violent. In one largely ridiculed instance, they came in with force and destroyed balloons and kites intended to be flown over the refugee camp.
There are some similarities too. At the Baxter protest, the police accused activists of bringing weapons to attack police horses. These weapons were in fact cricket bats, brought, surprisingly, to play a game of cricket. This time, at Lizard's Revenge, they referred to the use of 'projectiles', more commonly known as cricket balls, also a vital ingredient for a friendly match of cricket.
