Patch #093Liberation Through Direct Action

Direct Action is a form of political activism which seeks immediate remedy for perceived ills, as opposed to indirect actions such as electing representatives who promise to provide remedy at some later date. Direct action can include such activities as strikes, workplace occupations, sabotage, sit-ins, squatting, revolutionary/guerrilla warfare, demonstrations, vandalism or graffiti. Direct actions are often a form of civil disobedience and are sometimes illegal. For example vandalism is illegal, while demonstrations are not illegal. Less confrontational forms of this definition of direct action include establishing radical social centers, and performing street theatre. Utilizing creativity and resources within their power, direct action participants aim to either:

• obstruct another political agent or political organization from performing some practice to which the activists object; or,
• solve problems major societal institutions (businesses, governments, powerful churches or establishment unions) are not addressing.

Some direct action participants engage in "indirect actions" (voting in elections, targeted boycotts) as part of larger campaigns.