Displaying banners
A right-wing extremist rally will pass your street, but you won’t be home? Your company, non-profit organization, or institution has their offices along the marching route and you would like to set a signal, but won’t be there during the march? Displaying a banner is a handy and effective solution to position yourselves. That a well-set banner will be noticed is guaranteed, and it will effectively disrupt the neo-Nazis’ self-image as a strong community.
You will need:
- a large piece of cloth
- paint and paintbrush, or very thick waterproof felt-tip markers
How to:
1 Look for fellow campaigners
You will need allies to jointly take action. Discuss your ideas within your organization, your office, your club, or your household.
2 Planning
Discuss the following questions:
- How can we realize our idea?
- When will we paint the banner? What do we need? How will we hang the banner?
- But also: How to estimate the risk to become a target of the neo-Nazis? With banners hung from private flats, it can happen that neo-Nazis take note of the address and will make it public. Be considerate and inform yourself here: https://www.mbr-berlin.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/mbr_broschuere_wachsamsein_Web_klein.pdf
3 Notify everyone
Don’t forget to update your room mates and those in charge on your what you are planning. Is everyone in the loop? Have you notified the board, management, or boss?
4 Paint your banner
Once all issues are discussed, you’ll have to agree on a statement or slogan. Be concise and unambiguous, and make sure it is easy to read.
5 Hang your banner
Today’s the day? Now it’s time to hang your banner! In most cases, it is advisable to hang the banner as high as possible. But before you start climbing the roof taking unnecessary risks, check the frontispieces and balconies.
Tips & tricks:
There’s no time left for painting a banner? Berlin gegen Nazis offers banners to lend upon request. The following sizes are available: 2×1 m, 1×2 m, and 4×6 m. Further equipment for your high profile protest statements can be found here: Protest equipment to lend.