Tim Lawson-Cruttenden suggests an Olympian counter-anarchy strategy
“Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this son of York.” Shakespeare’s cynical portrayal of Richard III as an “unhappy activist” hungry for power represents perhaps late medieval “direct action” activism, albeit of a violent and political nature.
This “winter of...discontent” is very different from that of the recent Occupy movement protest outside St Paul’s, which the protestors euphemistically described as “NVDA”, ie non-violent direct action. Richard III’s strategy was brought to an end by death and defeat. Occupy St Paul’s was defeated by police and bailiff action.
The St Paul’s model of discontent may form a template for a summer of NVDA during the Olympic Games. Unprecedentedly, the government’s strategy to protect the Games combines the use of both military and police resources.
This article suggests that any strategy to counter NVDA should be civil injunction led and should be policed under the civil provisions of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (PHA 1997).
Counter-anarchy strategy
Any counter-anarchy strategy must aim to prevent NVDA during the period of the Games and
