Office Occupations
Corporate decision-makers sit in cosy offices far removed from the consequences of the decisions that they make. Occupying their offices can be an effective form of direct action, especially for a relatively small group of activists.
Before you get to the target office, agree on the aim. Is it to simply make your presence felt, to gather information or designed for maximum disruption? Everyone should agree on what to do inside, and how long to stay for - and stick to it.
Reconnaissance is important. Look for ways in, such as open ground floor windows, fire escapes, and side doors, and ensure everyone knows the basic layout.
The best way in is usually the front door! Anyone who doesn't want to go in could picket the entrance, and leaflet cars in the workers' car park. Make a simple plan to get in. Entrances often have security locks, swipe-card readers, or intercoms. One smartly dressed person going in and opening doors and windows for everyone else often works. It helps if this person has an excuse such as courier delivery, an employment inquiry or a pre-booked appointment with a named worker. This person must be prepared to react quickly and sometimes decisively, for example, to push past employees to get doors open when the rabble arrive. If the only door is a revolving one then windows will be a better bet. Alternatively, you can sneak in behind employees going in, or catch the door as one leaves. Ensure that you aren't spotted before hand.
Once in, the fun starts! You might all look for specific offices or scatter through the building to cause chaos, but stay in pairs at least, as office workers can defend their space assertively. In the past it has often worked for groups to barricade themselves into unoccupied offices thus ensuring an uninterrupted search / reorganisation. In open plan offices, or when barricading options are limited, there is a tendency for activists to drift to one place after the initial rush. Try to avoid this as it makes it easier for staff / police to contain you and get you out. Keep it calm and non-confrontational, especially as most workers you come across will not be the decision makers; seek out the bosses! Reassure workers who seem frightened by your invasion that you intend no violence, and distribute leaflets explaining your case to them.
If your goal is disruption, rearrange paper and filing cabinets, lock doors and hide keys, unplug things, barricade yourself into empty offices, play with computers (see facing page). Keep it tidy, and they might not discover what you've been up to until later; obvious criminal damage or theft on these type of actions may lead to everyone being arrested especially if you are few in number. That said, some occupations have involved smashing up as much as possible.
If your goal is info-gathering, get in and out quickly, there is nothing to be gained and a lot to be lost by hanging around because a 30 minute action seems too short. Rummage through filing cabinets, go through desk diaries, look at notice boards, search through computers and photograph or photocopy anything interesting. Alternatively, you could fax documents to someone on the outside, who should be briefed to keep their fax line free. You may want to borrow some documents or computer disks to study at your leisure... chuck them out of a window to waiting colleagues who can spirit them away immediately. Don't hang around waiting to be arrested. Leave a pre-printed disclaimer in their place, stating that anything removed will be returned undamaged within 24 hours. This gives time to read files and copy useful stuff. You can return the files either to the office doorstep in the middle of the night, or (anonymously) to a police station lost property office in a different town. It is essential to return everything if any one does get nicked for theft; although the disclaimer has no actual legal weight, charges should be dropped if files are returned as promised.
Everyone should leave together, and make sure no-one is left inside. Be aware that police often search everyone before they leave the office, especially if anything appears to have been removed or damaged.
Office occupations generally don't lead to arrest. However, there is the possibility of arrest , most likely for breach of the peace, burglary or section 241 of the Trade Unions Act 1994. Burglary is often used as an excuse to arrest. Don't openly eat food or use electrical equipment or they may indiscriminately make arrests. Most arrests will not lead to a court case. People have sometimes gone in with a list of demands such as a meeting senior management. These demands are generally not worth winning and negotiation for them may make a court conviction more likely. This happened to the 20 'Opencast defendants' in 1998, when it was taken as evidence of coercion, to secure a conviction for section 241.This case was exceptional however as L350 000 worth of damage had been done to a nearby mine earlier in the day!
This feature was taken and adapted / updated from 'Road Raging - top tips for wrecking road building' (http:// www.eco-action.org/rr/index.html).