How Not to Organise a Protest

Image: Vivek Prakash / Reuters

Protesters from the Anonymous India group of hackers wear Guy Fawkes masks as they protest against laws they say gives the government control over censorship of internet usage in Mumbai, June 9, 2012. Anonymous India is associated with the international hacker group Anonymous whose previous targets have included high profile targets

“Remember, remember the 9th of June…”

The Indian middle-class is infamously individualistic—we moan, crib and whine, but when the time comes to do something about our problems, we’d prefer to sit at home in the comfort of our air conditioners and say, “Boss, what difference does one person make?”

That’s why when I heard about the “hacktivist group” Anonymous’ plan to stage a protest on June 9 against internet censorship by the Indian government, I was excited. I believed that, perhaps, this was the coming of age of the young, urban Indian, who was willing to fight for his rights and stand up for his fellow man. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have been more wrong. We are, as they say, like that only.

But all blame cannot all be placed squarely on the citizens of our fine nation. The organisers of this archipelago of protests across the country must share some, if not most, of the responsibility for its failure.

The protest I attended in Mumbai was held at Azad Maidan—rather a small patch of impossible-to-find dirt cordoned off from the rest of the maidan. The display of dissent was planned to begin at 4 pm but just minutes to the hour, the Rain Gods–probably hand-in-glove with the Government and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal—decided to play spoiler and cast a shadow over the future of Indian internet freedom.

The downpour was short, and I reached the ground soon after. There were about 20 people, some in Guy Fawkes masks and one particularly clever fellow in devil horns, standing about and chatting. Some newspapers reported the next day that there were up to a 100 people there–but this figure was probably inclusive of press. In the pre-monsoon heat, the ground, bereft of trees or any shade, felt like the inside of a tandoor. That was not all. Even this patch of brown was shared with two other groups, both more vocal and seated comfortably under canopies. I decided to hang around for a while, hoping that perhaps the place would get livelier as the sun descended. Sadly, the only thing that increased was the amount of perspiration clinging to my clothing.

After about half an hour, people began to leave and the about five-or-so paper masks that the organisers were distributing either tore or had found their way on to the faces of the urchins who call the ground home. I decided I had had enough.

 But why was the get-together such an utter failure? Do the 2,000 or so people who had pledged to attend not really care about their internet freedom? Or were they too lazy to get off their backsides on a Saturday afternoon and stand bare-headed in whatever weather the elements would bring? Perhaps they were just too cynical to care?

In all probability, it was a combination of these factors. But the most important, I feel, was poor organisation. For next time, just in case, here are some pointers:

1) When holding a protest, take the local weather into account. 

2) When planning a protest, don’t pick a venue without shade.

3) Give clear, specific directions on how to reach the site.

4) Prepare activities or speeches in advance, and try to get the crowd involved.

5) Last but not least, ensure that people show up, by hook or crook–even if it means forcing your friends to attend.

At the end of the day, there is still a bright side to this protest. Geeks are not known to be great planners, and perhaps they will learn with time. Some action is always better than no action, and it is my hope that this is perhaps the beginning of the end of sloth.

If we are to change our nation, we have to speak up and speak out. What Anonymous India has done has perhaps been branded a failure, but this should not dissuade us. If we truly want to fit the tag of ‘World’s Largest Democracy’, we have to inculcate an environment of dissent and disagreement and be willing to invest time and energy in making a difference – even if it means getting a slight tan.