How we act

Our Commitment to Nonviolent Action

Summer of Heat on Wall Street is a campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience. 

We believe nonviolence is strategic. The state and major corporations have a monopoly on violence; they have far greater means to inflict harm than we do. For our campaign, we do not believe we can win against major corporations if we engage them on the field of violence. 

Violence would undermine our chances of success, whether through triggering police repression, turning away engaged activists, or repelling the public. US social movement history is replete with instances of police and FBI infiltrators who encourage activists to engage in physical violence against their opponents.

We believe we are most likely to be successful in our campaign by using nonviolent civil disobedience to disrupt the status quo, shine a light on injustice, and inspire many more people to act.

We are aware that our nonviolent actions may provoke violence from others, whether from the police or from members of the public who disagree with our aims or tactics. We are committed to maintaining nonviolent discipline even when met with violence from others. The violence we face juxtaposed with our continued nonviolence will underscore the moral integrity of our cause compared to that of our opponents.

Action Agreements

  • We will respect workers and customers

  • We will not talk to the police

  • We will maintain nonviolent discipline at all times and use no physical violence towards any person

  • We will carry no weapons

  • We will bring no alcohol to the action

  • We will bring no drugs to the action, unless we need them for our physical or mental well-being

  • We will not destroy property

  • We will prioritize safety in our actions

  • We will plan our actions with an understanding that some community members risk more than others by participating

Principles

Summer of Heat brings together a multiracial, multigenerational, cross-class movement for a campaign of sustained nonviolent direct action that demands that Wall Street stop investing in, financing, and insuring fossil fuels. Our work together is guided by these principles:

  • Every day that we continue to burn fossil fuels, the climate crisis worsens. To stop the climate crisis, we must end the era of fossil fuels.

  • While the climate crisis threatens all of us, we face the impacts of the crisis at different rates and intensities. In our work we honor the variety of reasons people choose to fight and the different exposure we have to the climate crisis.

  • At the core of the social, economic, and environmental crises we face today are centuries of colonialism, racism, capitalism, and other systems of oppression. Our work is grounded in addressing the root causes of the climate crisis, and we remain vigilant to the ways these systems can creep into our work.

  • The only way we will win is by creating a movement that is irresistible to mass numbers of people. Our actions strive to create a moral crisis that polarizes the public and forces people to take a stand. We welcome all who act in alignment with our principles.

  • We stay focused on achieving our goals. Our actions are strategic, disciplined, and innovative.

  • The people and institutions that use their financial, cultural, and political power to support the fossil fuel industry are destroying our world. Our work strives to disrupt their businesses and their lives.

  • While violence may be used against us, we never respond with violent acts. The violent actions of the state and corporations will only inspire people to join our cause, while a violent response on our part will inevitably drive people away.

  • The climate crisis is a bummer, but we don’t have to be. Joy and humor are powerful tools of resistance that bolster our resilience.

  • There will be many battles in the fight to end fossil fuels. Our work isn’t about one campaign or one moment, it's about building toward our collective vision of a livable future.

  • In order to be in the fight for a livable future for the long haul, we must remind each other to rest and help each other carry the load. We do our best work when we are our best selves.