Part 1- Cooperative Strategy and Police Engagement - A Non-Violent Approach to Activism

Re-Humanizing the police. Check out www.WholeHeartedMedia.ca for more!

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Rajie sits down with Henna Maria, a Finnish conscious activist who’s founded the international organization Police For Freedom.
Henna Maria discusses how in large demos such as the recent freedom convoy, the activist must be aware that trauma can occur due to the way the event is policed. She discusses the importance of consciously deciding in such circumstances that peaceful retreat is an equally valid and legitimate option.

She gives examples of how police re-enforcement is often contracted in from other jurisdictions and that this can lead to a natural communication barrier due to language differences etc. It also leads to less personal responsibility for the one in the policing role because they are not part of the community the person is there to police and have no ties to the consequences of any brutality or violence that is inflicted upon members of that community.

She also elaborates on how another barrier between the activist and officer is created due to the increasingly armoured way police is presenting in these situations and this also leads to a complete dehumanizing of both the officer from the demonstrator’s point of view and vice versa for the police officer.

Having been part of many large demonstrations herself, Henna goes on to discuss how smaller demonstrations can actually be a more effective way of dialoguing with police because fewer people to police can also mean fewer officers and this often leads to a more cohesive environment for dialogue and understanding to take place. She also adds that larger demonstrations can be very easily manipulated and infiltrating by other, non-benevolent interests.

Henna addresses collaboration with police as individual officers and human beings is crucial for a demonstration to proceed successfully and peacefully. She elaborates on how when active police officers form part of the demonstration they are well-positioned to be able to dialogue with duty police officers present and both sides are better equipped to deescalate any potential issues that arise.