Non-violent direct action

Non-violent direct action is an option when lobbying and/or negotiation with decision-makers has failed. Greenpeace is a strong advocate of NVDA. We believe that violence in any form is morally wrong and accomplishes nothing.

"We who engage in non-violent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with..."

Martin Luther King Jr

Greenpeace's philosophy draws on the Quaker tradition of bearing witness to raise awareness and bring public opinion to bear on decision-makers. This has been strengthened by the practice of NVDA in global environmental campaigns.

Remember when planning and participating in a non-violent direct action that you are not out to make enemies but to win people over to your cause.

A non-violent action means you are:

• peaceful
• considerate
• compassionate
• gentle
• acting in the interests of the group, not in the heat of the moment

By participating in a peaceful protest, you make people aware of something they either didn't know about or had not considered to be a problem. It's best to approach your action with humility and generosity, rather than anger and self righteousness. Loud, insulting and dangerous behaviour is not a part of NVDA.

Find out more about non-violent direct action

Greenpeace advocates NVDA because it works!

Martin Luther King sums it up in an extract from a letter from Birmingham Gaol, April 1963: "In any non-violent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action. People often ask, 'Isn't negotiation a better path than direct action?' The purpose of direct action is to facilitate negotiation."

Further info

Planning a  non-violent direct action

NVDA and the law

Hold an NVDA workshop