#GrowthKills Action Toolkit

This action toolkit document is intended to be a practical information tool, highlighting the elements necessary for the proper shaping of future actions, carried out independently, during the #GrowthKills campaign. The campaign will be running in 2023, starting in May.

1. Action consensus

This action consensus defines the essential guidelines for each action, in order to make the organization transparent and easy to evaluate for all participants. If you agree with these principles, we wholeheartedly invite you to join #GrowthKills campaign with your organization.

By doing civil disobedience actions and thus deliberately breaking the law, we are part of a long history of social struggle, where legitimate resistance is opposed to “business as usual”, a system that puts profit before life.

The omnipresence of speeches that promote economic growth causes irreversible damage to life on earth, as economic growth is the main obstacle standing between us and the required measures to limit ecological catastrophe. This action campaign aims to fight against the pervasive assumption that economic growth must continue at all cost. Small groups are starting to talk about a post-growth world, but we need the people on the street talking about it.

1.1 Our principles and values​

1.  We are a non-violent network
Using non-violent strategy and tactics as the most effective way to bring about change.

2.  We have a shared vision of change
Creating a world that is fit for generations to come.

3. We need a regenerative culture
Creating a culture which is healthy, resilient and adaptable.

4. We openly challenge ourselves and our toxic system
Leaving our comfort zones to take action for change.

5. We value reflecting and learning
Following a cycle of action, reflection, learning, and planning for more action. Learning from other movements and contexts as well as our own experiences.

6. We welcome everyone and every part of everyone
Working actively to create safer and more accessible spaces.

7. We actively mitigate power
Breaking down hierarchies of power for more equitable participation. 

1.2 Type of actions​

The actions that will be carried out in this exploration will have as their primary goal to raise awareness of the danger of aiming for infinite growth.

In order to highlight this reflection, we encourage outrageous and symbolic actions to maximize the media impact. Please find an example of action type in appendix 3: actions planned in Brussels. 

We ask that you tell us when you plan to organize your action so we can support you with any support you might need (media, legal, narrative, logistic, financial…) and warn you in case of overlap with other campaign actions. Also, we ask that certain physical elements appear during your action so that it’s clear for the media/public that this is one campagin. 

We do not support physical or psychological violence. Nor any action endangering the physical integrity of others. 

1.3 Possible targets​

The Growth Kills campaign makes it a point of honour to choose the right targets so that they respect the logic of the desired message.

We want real policy changes, so the focus is on more symbolic targets. Our narrative is addressed towards policy makers rather than private companies (as companies will only changes once obligated by policy), but private companies with a symbolic link to growth can of course still be used as targets as a way to get attention from policy makers. 

For those in Brussels: our strategic location is a real asset. Brussels is the cradle of the European Institutions, the capital of political and legislative decisions in Europe. We have a real opportunity to raise our voice against a system in slow motion regarding climate and social emergency.

But also for those outside of Brussels, there are plenty of opportunities to target economic growth, because it’s being promoted everywhere: 

Examples of possible targets:

  • Growth related conferences, events;
  • The European institutions; 
  • Belgian national and regional governmental/ ministerial institutions;
  • Universities: business schools;
  • Lobbies;
  • Private companies, ideally with a symbolic link to growth;
  • Places with a large public attraction;

Attention point for Brussels:

Take into consideration in the choice of your actions, the perimeter of the “Neutral Zone”. Where all demonstrations are forbidden. This implies, according to the chosen action, to expose you to more important legal risks.

In the map shown just below, the neutral zone is illustrated in the red perimeters.

https://www.bruxelles.be/manifestations-revendicatives

1.4 Action checklist​

Please find here a checklist of all things to take into account when organizing your action:

  • Action design 
    • Target
    • Action script
    • Scouting
    • Back-up scenarios
  • Media
    • Write a press release
    • Have photos & videos of the action (not necessarily professional) 
    • Someone in back-office during the action who sends the press release, incl. photos & videos to the media as fast as possible 
      • We can support with this: please contact us
    • Prepare posts on social media 
    • Potential: contact trusted journalists to have them on site 
  • Mobilization
    • Get enough trusted people confirmed to be there
    • Divide roles: distrupters, angels, photographers, police contact..
    • Organize briefing: do a meeting with all participants shortly before the action so everyone knows what to do 
  • Regenerative culture
    • Wellbeing is an essential element of the regenerative culture. Regenerative Culture is the radical process which affirms our connected roots to deep and abiding nourishment. Especially after an action it’s crucial to make sure everyone is okay. 
    • Foresee a place to meet up right after the action and de-stress
    • Organize a debrief where people can communicate about their feelings & feedback surrounding the action
  • Logistics
    • Gather and test all materials needed for disruption
    • Think about transport to the site for everyone
    • What should everyone bring (food, warm clothes..)?
  • Legal (we can support here)
    • What are the legal risks? 
    • Who will be arrestee support during the action? 

This was just a summary checklist, for a full action handbook please follow this link: https://trainings.extinctionrebellion.be/training-materials/action-handbook

2. Media and communication

2.1 Narrative​

Please find a link to our narrative here: https://cryptpad.fr/pad/#/2/pad/edit/Mhx1gYbPjb7VZp2WS4twfpwh/ including plenty of references. 

It explains the link between economic growth and ecoligical disaster as well as 5 demand propositions to start. Some general notes on the narrative:

  • We avoid the term degrowth to avoid bad connotations and misunderstandings. Degrowth is defined as the decline of consumption and production, not of GDP at any price. It does not matter whether the decreasing measures affect GDP positively or negatively.

  • We consciously do not propose an alternative economic indicator to GDP to get away from the idea that indicators must be used. It is up to citizens’ assemblies to decide.

  • The measures we propose are emergency measures for a first phase of the transition. It is up to the citizens’ assembly to decide what to do next, and in particular how to ensure radical transparency and accountability of the executive.

When writing your press release, please use the research that has been done by us and simply adapt it to make the link with your action target. 

2.2 Slogan / hand-made communication materials (banners etc.)​

The main slogan is #GrowthKills. Please use it is as often as possible and tag all social media posts with this hashtag. For more slogans and hashtags, see appendix 1 and 2. 

We have 4 banners in Brussels. (2x Growth Kills, 1x no infinite growth on a finite planet, 1x fuck GDP) They will be used for the actions to come in Brussels, but are available for pick-up for your action (unless they both have been confiscated). Please contact us to use them. 

Depending on your action, you can use the slogan in different possible forms (possible accumulation): stencils, banners, flags, T-shirts. We have made some stencils to spray paint the on sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and have some eco-friendly spray paint in the color ‘Pink Fuchsia left to share, please contact us if you want to use it. We also have stencils left with the slogan #fuckGDP (our old slogan), please feel free to contact us to use them. 

2.3 Visual identity​

For your online presence or printed (stickers, posters, flyers..) media, we have the following materials:

  • Logo: please find in svg format, JPG format and PNG format
  • Stickers in A6 format: french, english
  • Flyers: Please find a design for flyers here; might be useful to hand out during your action to inform the public

The main colors used are x and x. The font is x. 

3. Contact & support

3.1 Legal & financial support​

In order to ensure a good organization and a follow-up of the actions, we invite you to contact us before the action.

Moreover, if you wish to benefit from a legal or financial support. It is important that you contact us at least 10 days before the beginning of your action. We will need more details about your action in order to provide you with a complete legal support.

Caution: for security reasons, in the “subject” of the email, please be careful not to mention explicitly any information seen as compromising, such as: the target/ the date and time/ the type of action… You can write these in the message body.

3.2 Contact e-mail​

Please contact us through the following mail:

contact.growthkills@protonmail.com

4. Appendix

4.1 Hashtags (English/French/Dutch)​

– #GrowthKills            – #LaCroissanceTue         

– #FuckGDP               – #NiqueLePIB                – #FuckBBP

– #LessIsMore            

– #SlowDownOrPerish    – #RalentirOuPerir     – #VertraagOfVerga

4.2 Slogans​

  • PIB partout, nature nulle part!
  • No infinite growth on a finite planet!
  • Notre/Votre connerie est la seule ressource illimitée!

4.3 Brussels example action series ​

We will be crashing a series of events in Brussels, mostly conferences related to economic growth: 

  • Action design: The goal is to disrupt the event and get our message across so it gets picked up by media. We will go on stage with a megaphone and banners, shout something like ‘this is bullshit’ and then explain the narrative a bit. Then we release alarms attached to helium balloons in the air and throw stink bombs on the ground. Hopefully the sound and smell is enough to disrupt significantly, potentially even evacuate the room. 
  • Entry: Usually entry is free so we simply sign up online. In some cases we need to register with a company, but we can easily create a fake company e-mail (contact us for more info). In some cases we need to pay and then we let one person pay and they can let the others in by opening the emergency exit door
  • Mobilization: For this action type we only need to get in with about 10 people, so mobilization should be quite easy. 
  • Materials: 
    • Helium: bought in Action, cheapest you can find. Inflate balloons only the day before hand (not earlier to avoid leaks)
    • Alarms: bought on Amazon, they are very light and can go up in the air with a couple of balloons. They were tested and go up to 90dB which is safe for hearing damages. Remove useless plastic parts to reduce weights, including cover (holding remaining parts together with tape). 
    • Balloons: aluminum ones are much preferred, being lighter and leaking helium slower than usual rubber ones.
    • Stink bombs: still testing, will update here when 
    • Banners: we have 4 GrowthKills banners available (2x Growth Kills, 1x no infinite growth on a finite planet, 1x fuck GDP). If they are not conifiscated, they are available for use by other groups
  • Legal: Legal risks for a similar action: https://cryptpad.fr/pad/#/2/pad/view/IkVqKOZddYssfy0S0TtzKZVdtgjdj2LXY7LlDbsvsTQ/