Turn and Drop: A Counter-infiltration Tactic for Non-violent Direct Actions

Arab Spring was yet another example of the irresistible trend of non-violent populist movements toward violence.  Marginal violent actions by infiltrators or violent factions have explosive power to hijack and doom revolutionary movements.  The toolbox of rigorously trained non-violent revolutionaries is incomplete without effective counter-infiltration (counter-hijacking) tactics.  This post presents one: Turn and Drop
Scenario:

The peaceful masses have been encamped for weeks.  Daily sorties of civil disobedience have resulted in hundreds of arrests.  The establishment is restless and itching for a resolution.  Suddenly from within the crowd of revolutionaries a gun shot rings out.  A police officer is seen to fall.

This is the turning moment.  At this tragic moment the establishment finds excuse to hammer the revolutionaries soundly, and the violent faction among the revolutionaries becomes dominant, as they knew they eventually would.  The movement is hijacked and war is lost.

Tactic:
In the daily trainings of the revolutionaries, they are taught to detect the precipice moment.  And they are taught to anticipate, telegraph, and recapture the moment with the Turn and Drop tactic.

Turn and Drop:
When Turn and Drop is invoked, all revolutionaries turn away from the establishment forces and drop to the ground until the All Clear is given.

Timing:
Turn and Drop is effective when practiced as a drill.  When practiced frequently as a drill, Turn and Drop does the following:

1. It psychologically conditions establishment forces to associate Turn and Drop with a familiar de-escalation condition.
2. It drills revolutionary forces in rapid response to hijacking and infiltration attempts.