Reclaim the Streets

Last updated

Reclaim the Streets
Founded1995
Founded at London, United Kingdom
Type Resistance movement
Focus street reclaiming, Environmentalism
Location
  • Worldwide
Method Direct action

Reclaim the Streets also known as RTS, are a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership of public spaces. Participants characterise the collective as a resistance movement opposed to the dominance of corporate forces in globalisation, and to the car as the dominant mode of transport.

Contents

Reclaim the Streets often stage non-violent direct action street reclaiming events such as the 'invasion' of a major road, highway or motorway to stage a party. While this may obstruct the regular users of these spaces such as car drivers and public bus riders, the philosophy of RTS is that it is vehicle traffic, not pedestrians, who are causing the obstruction, and that by occupying the road they are in fact opening up public space. The events are usually spectacular and colourful, with sand pits for children to play in, free food and music. At a minority of events, where the police have tried to violently shut down the event there has been violence between protestors and police. [1]

Reclaim The Streets was originally formed by Earth First! [2]

Past actions

UK

Worldwide

See also

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References

  1. Klein, Naomi. No Logo . Toronto : A.A Knopf Canada. 2000. ISBN   0-676-97282-9
  2. Wall, Derek. Earth First and the Anti-Roads Movement. London: Routledge. 1999. ISBN   0-415-19064-9
  3. McKay, George (1998). DiY Culture: Party & Protest in Nineties Britain. Verso. ISBN   978-1-85984-878-4.
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  8. "M41 Motorway Reclaim the Streets report, Shepherd's Bush, 13th July 1996". www.urban75.org. 1996. Retrieved 29 January 2019. It isn't a protest against anything. It is a celebration of the potential of freedom, of diversity, of an ecological society, of a free society. It is not a protest against the car - we use that as a symbol. (from video)
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  27. "Broke But Not Broken? Sydney’s Street Protests Continue", Howl and Echoes, 20 June 2016
  28. "Protestival for Sydney Park", City Hub, 5 October 2016
  29. "Newtown reclaims its streets", City Hub, 22 March 2017
  30. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Music Festival for Marriage Equality", City Hub, 14 September 2017
  31. "Oxford Street party to go ahead after Yes court battle with police", The Australian, 13 November 2017
  32. "Meet the local organisations trying to keep the Newtown vibe alive", The Quo, 1 April 2018
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  34. "'Enough of the politics': Pill testing supporters rally in Sydney", The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 January 2019
  35. Facebook Event

Further reading