Nonviolent direct action

Nonviolent direct action Back to Index

	Nonviolent direct action is action, usually undertaken by a group of people, to persuade someone else to change their behavior. Examples include strikes, boycotts, marches, and demonstrations – social, economic, or political acts that are intended to persuade an opponent to change its policies. While not violent initially, nonviolent direct action can provoke a violent response. Thus, forcing someone to do something at gunpoint would not be nonviolent direct action, but if demonstrators are forced to retreat by police using or threatening to use weapons, the initial action is still considered to be nonviolent.