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Reclaim the Streets (RTS) is a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership
Community ownership

Community owned assets or organisations are those that are owned and controlled through some lobbying mechanism that allows a community to influence their operation or use and to enjoy the benefits arising....
 of public space
Public space

A public space refers to an area or place that is open and accessible to all citizens, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socioeconomics....
s. Participants characterize the collective as a resistance movement
Resistance movement

A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to fighting an invader in an military occupation country or the government of a sovereign nation through either the use of physical force, or nonviolence....
 opposed to the dominance of corporate
Corporation

A corporation is a legal entity separate from the persons that form it. It is a legal entity owned by individual stockholders. In British tradition it is the term designating a body corporate, where it can be either a corporation sole or a corporation aggregate ....
 forces in globalisation, and to the car
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 as the dominant mode of transport
Mode of transport

Mode of transport is a general term for the different kinds of transport facilities that are often used to transport person or cargo.Where more than one mode of transport is used for a :wikt:journey, or for transport analysis, the journey can be described as multi-modal....
.

Protests
Reclaim the Streets often stage non-violent direct action
Civil disobedience

Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power , without resorting to physical violence....
 street reclaiming
Street reclamation

Street reclaiming is the process of converting streets for non-car use. It is advocated by many urban planning and urban economics, of widely varying politics....
 events such as the 'invasion' of a major road
Road

A road is an identifiable Road number, way or Trail between Location . Roads are typically smoothed, Pavement , or otherwise prepared to allow easy travel; though they need not be, and historically many roads were simply recognizable routes without any formal construction or Maintenance, repair and operations....
, highway
Highway

A highway is a main road intended for travel by the public between important destinations, such as city and towns. Highway designs vary widely and can range from a two-lane road without margins to a multi-lane, grade separated freeway....
 or freeway
Freeway

A freeway is a type of road designed for Road safety#Motorway high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections....
 to stage a party. While this may obstruct the regular users of these spaces such as car
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 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.






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Encyclopedia


Reclaim the Streets (RTS) is a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership
Community ownership

Community owned assets or organisations are those that are owned and controlled through some lobbying mechanism that allows a community to influence their operation or use and to enjoy the benefits arising....
 of public space
Public space

A public space refers to an area or place that is open and accessible to all citizens, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socioeconomics....
s. Participants characterize the collective as a resistance movement
Resistance movement

A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to fighting an invader in an military occupation country or the government of a sovereign nation through either the use of physical force, or nonviolence....
 opposed to the dominance of corporate
Corporation

A corporation is a legal entity separate from the persons that form it. It is a legal entity owned by individual stockholders. In British tradition it is the term designating a body corporate, where it can be either a corporation sole or a corporation aggregate ....
 forces in globalisation, and to the car
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 as the dominant mode of transport
Mode of transport

Mode of transport is a general term for the different kinds of transport facilities that are often used to transport person or cargo.Where more than one mode of transport is used for a :wikt:journey, or for transport analysis, the journey can be described as multi-modal....
.

Protests


Reclaim the Streets often stage non-violent direct action
Civil disobedience

Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power , without resorting to physical violence....
 street reclaiming
Street reclamation

Street reclaiming is the process of converting streets for non-car use. It is advocated by many urban planning and urban economics, of widely varying politics....
 events such as the 'invasion' of a major road
Road

A road is an identifiable Road number, way or Trail between Location . Roads are typically smoothed, Pavement , or otherwise prepared to allow easy travel; though they need not be, and historically many roads were simply recognizable routes without any formal construction or Maintenance, repair and operations....
, highway
Highway

A highway is a main road intended for travel by the public between important destinations, such as city and towns. Highway designs vary widely and can range from a two-lane road without margins to a multi-lane, grade separated freeway....
 or freeway
Freeway

A freeway is a type of road designed for Road safety#Motorway high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections....
 to stage a party. While this may obstruct the regular users of these spaces such as car
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 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 kids to play in, free food and music. A Temporary Autonomous Zone
Temporary Autonomous Zone

T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism is a book by anarchist writer Hakim Bey. It is composed of three sections, "Chaos: The Broadsheets of Ontological Anarchism," "Communiques of the Association for Ontological Anarchy," and "The Temporary Autonomous Zone."...
 sometimes results. The style of the parties in many places has been influenced by the rave
Rave

A rave is a term in use since the 1980s, to describe dance party with fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties disc jockeys and other performers play Electronica, Trance music, and Techno ,...
 scene in the UK
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
, with sound systems
Sound system (DJ)

A sound system is a group of disc jockey and Audio engineering contributing and working together as one, often playing and producing one particular kind of music....
 playing dance music.

Reclaim the Streets is also as a term used to denote this type of political action, regardless of its actual relation to the RTS movement.

History


United Kingdom

Reclaim the Streets was originally formed in by Brixton Earth First!
Earth First!

Earth First! is a radical Environmental movement that emerged in the Southwestern United States United States in 1979.Inspired by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, Aldo Leopold's land ethic, and Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang, a group of activists pledged "No Compromise in Defense of Mother Earth!" Environmental activist Da...
 in London in Autumn 1991 and was born out of anti-road protest camps at places such as Claremont Road
M11 link road protest

The M11 link road protest was an anti-road campaign in East London, England, United Kingdom in the early 1990s. Though ultimately unsuccessful, the campaign was a significant factor in increasing the cost of constructing the road, and together with others in the UK at that time, is considered by many to have played a major role in the large-...
 and Twyford Down
Twyford Down

Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a Site of Special Scientific Interest - SSSI....
. The idea of street reclaiming soon spread throughout the United Kingdom. The first actions can be seen as specifically anti-car and pro-alternative transport, but over the years the members of the core group changed its focus, realising that it was better to go to the root of the problem as they saw it, namely the capitalist
Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system in which wealth, and the means of producing wealth, are private property and controlled rather than commonly, publicly, or state-owned and controlled....
 system. "Our streets are as full of capitalism as of cars and the pollution of capitalism is much more insidious." Nevertheless, the actions always followed the principle of non-violent direct action.

Selected RTS actions include:
  • Camden High Street
    Camden High Street

    Camden High Street is a short stretch of road in Camden Town, in London, England. It is part of the route from central London to Hampstead. It is the local high street and features major music venues at either end ....
    , May 14, 1995. A busy London street closed to traffic for an afternoon.
  • Upper Street
    A1 road (London)

    The A1 road in London is an A roads in Great Britain in North London. It runs from the London Wall to Bignell's Corner, where it crosses the M25 and becomes the A1 motorway, continuing to Edinburgh....
    , Islington
    Islington

    Islington is the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is an inner-city district in London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy A1 road #Upper Street....
    , July 23, 1995. One thousand people party at another busy traffic junction. There is a sound system and kids play in a hastily constructed sandpit.
  • Birmingham, 6 August 1995
  • Brighton
    Brighton

    Brighton is a city on the south coast of England and, with its neighbours Hove and Portslade, forms the Brighton and Hove.The ancient settlement of Brighthelmston dates from before the Domesday Book , but it emerged as a health resort during the 18th Century and became a destination for day-trippers after the arrival of the railway in...
    , February 14, 1996. Protest publicised in part by Justice?
    Justice?

    Justice? was part of a direct action campaign, based in Brighton, England, arguing against a Bill in the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was to become the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994....
     & SchNEWS
    SchNEWS

    SchNEWS is a free weekly publication from Brighton, England, which has been running since November 1994. The main focus is environmental and social issues/struggles in the UK – but also internationally – with an emphasis on direct action protest, and autonomous political struggles outside formalised political parties....
     closes a section of the North Laine area of Brighton. A bouncy castle is erected in a crossing and traffic is stopped for most of the afternoon.
  • M41 Motorway, Shepherd's Bush
    Shepherd's Bush

    Shepherd's Bush is a district of west London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, situated 4.9 miles west of Charing Cross. Although it is primarily residential in character, its focus is the shopping area of Shepherds Bush Green, which has a small shopping centre with a supermarket, cinema and gym, and a large number of small a...
    , London. July 13, 1996. After a cat-and-mouse game with the police, 6,000 protestors take over part of the elevated motorway. Many sound-systems play. Hidden underneath dancers walking on stilts and wearing huge, wire-supported dresses, environmental activists drill holes in the tarmac and plant trees.
  • Pershore Road, Birmingham, 17 August 1996
  • Mill Road, Cambridge, Saturday 14th September 1996
  • Reclaim the Future, Liverpool, Saturday 28th September 1996
  • Trafalgar Square
    Trafalgar Square

    Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London, it is a tourist attraction; its trademark is Nelson's Column which stands in the centre and the four lion statues that guard the column....
    , April 12, 1997. The 'Never Mind The Ballots' protest against the forthcoming General Election
    General election

    A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections....
     A march with the sacked Liverpool Dockers started at Kennington Park
    Kennington Park

    Kennington Park is in Kennington, London, England, in London SE11, and lies between Kennington Park Road and St Agnes Place. It was opened in 1854....
     and ended up at Trafalgar Square in the centre of London.


  • Trafalgar Square, London, Saturday 12th April 1997
  • Brixton Road, Brixton
    Brixton

    Brixton is an area of the London Borough of Lambeth, in inner London-South London. It is bordered by Stockwell, Clapham Common, Streatham, Camberwell, Tulse Hill and Herne Hill....
     and High Road, Seven Sisters
    Seven Sisters, London

    Seven Sisters is a locality in Tottenham, North London London at the east end of Seven Sisters Road, which runs from Tottenham High Road to join the A1 road in Islington....
    , June 6, 1998. Two street reclamations in one day, with an estimated 5,000 people at each party.
  • Grassmarket, Edinburgh, Scotland, 11th August 1997
  • Bank Underground Station, July 13, 1998. In order to show support for London Underground
    London Underground

    The London Underground is a metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire in the UK....
     workers striking resisting privatisation, activists shut down the Central Line
    Central Line

    The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground....
     by climbing on a train in the morning rush-hour and unfurled a larger banner at the station entrance.
  • Toxic Planet at 173 Upper Street, London N1 (opposite Islington Town Hall). 4-11 October 1998.
  • Tube Party. May 1, 1999.
  • Carnival against Capitalism
    Carnival Against Capitalism

    The Global Carnival Against Capital took place on Friday, June 18, 1999. It was an international day of protest timed to coincide with the 25th G8 Summit in Cologne, Germany....
    . June 18, 1999. A global day of action. In London the financial district is targeted. The LIFFE building is stormed.
  • Seattle Solidarity Action, Euston Station
    Euston station

    Euston station may refer to one of the following stations in London, United Kingdom:*Euston railway station*Euston tube station...
    , London. November 30, 1999. The World Trade Organisation was meeting in Seattle and met with concerted protest
    WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity

    Protest activity surrounding the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999, which was to be the launch of a new millennial round of trade negotiations, occurred on November 30, 1999 , when the World Trade Organization convened at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, United States....
    . In London, after a peaceful rally a police van is overturned and set on fire.
  • No Blood For Oil. February 3, 2000. A solidarity action in support of the U'wa people
    U'wa people

    The U'wa people are an indigenous peoples living in the cloud forests of northeastern Colombia. Historically, the U'wa numbered as many as 20,000, scattered over a homeland that extended across the Venezuela-Colombia border....
     of Colombia
    Colombia

    Colombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a country in north-western South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the north west by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean....
    .
  • Guerilla Gardening. May 1, 2000. An expressly non-violent gardening action at Parliament Square
    Parliament Square

    Parliament Square is a town square outside the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in London. It features a large open green area in the middle, with a group of trees to its west....
    .
  • Business Class Tube launched. June 5, 2001. 50 trains receive stickers announcing a new Cattle Class.
  • Action to mark the introduction of the Terrorism Act
    Terrorism Act 2000

    The Terrorism Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It supersedes and repeals the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland Act 1996....
    . February 19, 2001.
  • Bye Bye Planet. April 19, 2001. An action at the Natural History Museum
    Natural History Museum

    The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
     protested at the perceived greenwash
    Greenwash

    Greenwash is a term used to describe the practice of companies disingenuously Spin their products and policies as environmentally friendly, such as by presenting cost cuts as reductions in use of resources....
     and corporate rebranding
    Rebranding

    Rebranding is the process by which a product or Service developed with one brand, company or product line affiliation is marketed or distributed with a different identity....
     of British Petroleum (BP) by subverting an exhibition about climate change which was sponsored by BP.
  • Free shop at a May Day event. May 1, 2002
  • Reclaim the Future. September 11-22, 2002.
  • Street party against arms trade. September 10, 2003.


Global

The idea of a Reclaim the Streets action was quickly taken up as a form of protest around the world. These "street parties
Street party

A street party is a party taking place on a road. In Britain, these have historically been held to commemorate momentous events, such as VE Day or the Queen's Silver Jubilee....
" have been held in cities all over Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
, and Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
. Initial instances confounded authorities and drivers alike, but over the years the protests have become institutionalised in many places, occurring much like other forms of legal protest in that the event is arranged with authorities beforehand, but not in all places like for example in Finland
Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic countries situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland....
, where the first Street Party
Street party

A street party is a party taking place on a road. In Britain, these have historically been held to commemorate momentous events, such as VE Day or the Queen's Silver Jubilee....
 outside the UK was arranged in 17th May 1997.

Selected RTS actions include:
  • February 1998 Sydney, Australia.
  • April 1998 Amsterdam.
  • April 1998 Bielefeld, Germany.
  • May 1998 Global Street Party!; Arcata, WA (USA); Athens; Berlin, Germany; Berkeley, California; Birmingham, England; Bogota, Colombia; Brisbane, Australia; Darwin, Australia; Dresden, Germany; Geneva, Switzerland; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Lyon, France; Melbourne, Australia; Prague, Czech Republic; Stockholm, Sweden; Sydney, Australia; Tallinn, Estonia; Tel Aviv, Israel; Toronto, Canada; Turku, Finland; Utrecht, Netherlands; Valencia, Spain; Vancouver, Canada; York, England
  • July 1998 Helsinki, Finland.
  • August 1998 Jyväskylä
  • September 1998 Berlin.
  • October 1998 Broadway, New York City.
  • April 1999 New York: Reclaim the Streets and Turn them into Gardens.
  • April 1999 Berlin.
  • May 1999 Turku, Finland late May 1999 Brussel/Bruxelles, Belgium Saturday
  • June 1999 Global carnival against capital; London; Scotland; Nigeria; Czech Republic; Los Angeles; Germany; Australia; Spain; New York.
  • July 1999 Tampere, Finland.
  • July 1999 Helsinki, Finland.
  • September 1999 Berlin.
  • September 1999 Stockholm.
  • All over the place: N30; Seattle, WA/USA: N30 and today's Seattle Indymedia; London (and commentary; Geneva, Switzerland 16 Nov and 27 Nov; New Delhi, India; Manila, Philippines 24 Nov; Athens, Greece; New York, NY/USA 26 Nov; Padua, Italy 27 Nov; Milan, Italy 27 Nov; presque toute la France; Brisbane, Australia; Cardiff & Bangor, Wales; Halifax, England; Leeds, England; Manchester, England; Totnes, England; Limerick, Ireland; Iceland; Narmada, India; Bangalore, India; Schipol/Amsterdam, Netherlands; Berlin, Germany; Rome, Italy; Long Beach, CA/USA; Baltimore, MD/USA; Tel Aviv, Israel; Nashville, TN/USA; Washington DC/USA.
  • May 1st 2000 Beverly Hills, California, USA.
  • May 2000 Helsinki, Finland.
  • May 2000 Turku, Finland.
  • July 2000 Jonesuu, Finland.
  • September 2000 Naperville, Illinois, USA.
  • September 2000 Brussel/Bruxelles, Belgium.
  • September 2000 Prague, Czech Republic: S26 at the World Bank / International Monetary Fund.
  • November 2000 Den Haag, Netherlands: Rising Tide (etc.) protests at the UN climate talks
  • December 2000 Nice: European Summit (indymedia reports: more a joined-up-Europe than a UK thang?)
  • January 2001 Davos: World Economic Forum demonstrations.
  • 24 Feb - 12 Mar 2001 Chiapas - Mexico City: the Zapatour
  • March 2001 Adelaide, Australia.
  • April 2001 Québec: Anti-capitalist Carnival, welcoming in the spring (and shaking down the Free Trade-touting "Americas Summit"): www.quebec2001.net
  • April 2001 Everywhere (mostly Nordic) Operation Dessert Storm.
  • May 2001 All over - MayDay. RTS in crèche shock! statement; and see indymedia.
  • May 2001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • May 2001 Helsinki, Finland.
  • May 2001 Prague, Czechia.
  • May 2001 Asheville, North Carolina.
  • June 2001 Brno, Czechia.
  • June 2001 Bratislava, Slovakia.
  • July 2001 Bonn, Germany at climate conference.
  • August 2001 Turku, Finland.
  • August 2001 Seattle, WA.
  • September 2001 Leuven, Belgium.
  • September 2001 Cochabamba, Bolivia: PGA gathering.
  • 25 September 2001 Cochabamba, Bolivia Magical Mystery tour.
  • October 2001 Ghent, Belgium.
  • November 2001 Almost everywhere - actions coinciding with the World Trade Organization plotting in sunny Dohar.
  • December 2001 Sydney, Australia
  • December 2001 Bruxelles/Brussel, Belgium.
  • March 2002 Summit of the European Council Barcelona.
  • March 2002 Active Fair (street party) Sydney.
  • April 2002 Seattle, USA. WA Street Party.
  • April 2002 Gap, France
  • April 2002 Paris
  • May 2002 Lahti, Finland
  • May 2002 Liège, Belgium
  • May 2002 Lyon, France
  • May 2002 Dublin
  • July 2002 Helsinki
  • August 2002 Zurich
  • Sept 2002 Dublin
  • Sept 2003 Melbourne Australia
  • Sept 2003 Brisbane, Canberra & Sydney, Australia
  • Sept 2003 Wellington, New Zealand
  • December 2006 - Protest against demolition of the 1957 Star Ferry
    Star Ferry

    The "Star" Ferry Company Ltd. is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across the Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon....
     Pier, Central, Hong Kong
  • May 2007 - Protest against demolition of the 1953 Queen's Pier
    Queen's Pier

    Queen's Pier, named after Queen Victoria, was a public ceremonial pier in front of City Hall, Hong Kong in Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong, Hong Kong....
    , Central, Hong Kong
  • Mar - Apr 2008 - Performance art competition against the privatization of public area in front of Times Square (Hong Kong)
    Times Square (Hong Kong)

    Times Square is a major shopping centre and office tower complex in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.The complex, owned by Wharf Properties Limited, part of The Wharf Limited group, was opened in April 1994....
    , Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
  • Apr 2008 Amsterdam, the Netherlands - protest for free space and a performance from a truck driving through the streets of Amsterdam
  • May 31, 2008 San Francisco, CA, USA - Street party against Prop 98
    California Propositions 98 and 99 (2008)

    California Propositions 98 and 99 were competing California ballot proposition in the U.S. state of California to limit the use of eminent domain and possibly rent control....
  • Sept 01, 2008 Limoilou, Québec, Canada
  • Sept 19, 2008, Malmö, Sweden


See also


Transport related

  • Car-free movement
    Car-free movement

    The car-free movement is a broad, informal, emergent network of individuals and organizations including social activists, urban planners and others brought together by a shared belief that cars are too dominant in most modern cities....
  • Stop the City
    Stop the City

    The Stop the City demonstrations of 1983 and 1984 were described as a 'Carnival Against War, Oppression and Destruction', in other words protests against the military-financial complex....
  • Critical Mass
    Critical Mass

    Critical Mass is a bicycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 city around the world. While the ride was originally founded in 1992 with the idea of drawing attention to how unfriendly the city was to bicyclists, the leaderless structure of Critical Mass makes it impossible to assign it any one specific goal...
  • M11 link road protest
    M11 link road protest

    The M11 link road protest was an anti-road campaign in East London, England, United Kingdom in the early 1990s. Though ultimately unsuccessful, the campaign was a significant factor in increasing the cost of constructing the road, and together with others in the UK at that time, is considered by many to have played a major role in the large-...
  • World Naked Bike Ride
    World Naked Bike Ride

    World Naked Bike Ride is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together en masse on human-powered transport to "protest oil dependency and celebrate the power and individuality of our bodies"....
  • World Carfree Network
    World Carfree Network

    The World Carfree Network is an international network that coordinates the actions of car-free advocates from around the world. It is the main hub of the global car-free movement....


General

  • Anarchism
    Anarchism

    Anarchism is a political philosophy encompassing anarchist schools of thought which consider the state to be unnecessary, harmful, and/or undesirable....
  • Situationism
  • Guerrilla gardening
    Guerrilla gardening

    Guerrilla gardening is political gardening, a form of nonviolent direct action, primarily practiced by environmentalism. It is related to land rights, land reform, and permaculture....
  • SchNEWS
    SchNEWS

    SchNEWS is a free weekly publication from Brighton, England, which has been running since November 1994. The main focus is environmental and social issues/struggles in the UK – but also internationally – with an emphasis on direct action protest, and autonomous political struggles outside formalised political parties....
  • Hakim Bey
  • Temporary Autonomous Zone
    Temporary Autonomous Zone

    T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism is a book by anarchist writer Hakim Bey. It is composed of three sections, "Chaos: The Broadsheets of Ontological Anarchism," "Communiques of the Association for Ontological Anarchy," and "The Temporary Autonomous Zone."...
  • Pirate utopia
    Pirate utopia

    Pirate utopias were described by controversial anarchist essayist Peter Lamborn Wilson in his 1995 book Pirate Utopias: Moorish Corsairs & European Renegadoes, and in his earlier essay Temporary Autonomous Zone , as secret islands once used for supply purposes by pirates that were early forms of autonomous "mini societies" existing b...
  • Carnival against Capitalism
    Carnival Against Capitalism

    The Global Carnival Against Capital took place on Friday, June 18, 1999. It was an international day of protest timed to coincide with the 25th G8 Summit in Cologne, Germany....
  • Open Spaces Society
    Open Spaces Society

    The Open Spaces Society is a UK campaign group to protect public rights of way and common land. It was founded in 1865. The Open Spaces Society is critical of the present trend of privatisation of UK city centres taking place as a part of urban regeneration, which it sees as a form of enclosure of urban streets....


External resources

  • Wall, Derek Earth First and the Anti-Roads Movement: Radical Environmentalism and Comparative Social Movements London: Routledge, 1999. ISBN 0-415-19064-9
  • Mosey, Chris Car Wars - Battles on the Road to Nowhere London: Vision Paperbacks, 2000. ISBN 1-901250-40-7
  • Klein, Naomi
    Naomi Klein

    Naomi Klein is a Canada journalist, author and Activism well known for her political analyses and criticism of corporate globalization....
    . No Logo
    No Logo

    No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies is a book by Canada journalist Naomi Klein. First published by Knopf Canada in January 2000, shortly after the 1999 World Trade Organization WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity in Seattle had generated media attention around such issues, it became one of the most influential books a...
    . Toronto : A.A Knopf Canada. 2000. ISBN 0-676-97282-9


External links

  • Feature length documentary about RTS
  • is published four times a year by the World Carfree Network
  • - 22 September
  • videos of various RTS events
  • RTS & Liverpool dockworkers
    Liverpool Dockers' Strike

    The Liverpool Dockers' Strike action lasted from 1995 to 1998.Although referred to as a strike it was strictly a dispute because the employers, the MDHC had actually used the opportunity to sack the dockers who were caught up in a separate dispute....
     march from Kennington Park, April 1997
  • RTS video from Teubingen, Germany.
  • Made by
  • RTS articles, 1996 onwards
  • invites people from all over the world to claim back the streets
  • skateboarders reclaim the streets