NoKings Day Action Library
Whether you're flying solo, coordinating with a few friends, or organizing a full chapter actionβthese are proven nonviolent resistance tactics from around the world that use humor to defend democracy.
Nonviolent resistance isn't just feel-good theoryβit's proven strategy.
2Γ
Success Rate
Nonviolent movements succeed twice as often as violent uprisings (Chenoweth & Stephan, 2011)
3.5%
Tipping Point
Only 3.5% active participation needed to create major political change (Erica Chenoweth research)
100+
Countries
These tactics have worked in over 100 countries from Serbia to Chile to Poland to Hong Kong
All actions must maintain our nonviolent discipline. That means no property damage, no harassment, no confrontation. If an action could put you or others at risk, don't do it. When in doubt, ask your local chapter safety marshal or reach out to us.
β Stay Legal
Check permits, respect property, follow local laws
β Stay Safe
Buddy system, exit plans, marshal oversight
β Stay Kind
Punch up at power, not down at people
Write cheerful democracy facts, voter registration info, and anti-authoritarian quotes on public sidewalks.
Example
β"Vote Early! Registration deadline: Oct 9" with fun drawings of ballots with smiley facesβ
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Create bingo cards with authoritarian clichΓ©s. Hand them out at rallies so people can spot rhetoric patterns.
Example
βFree space: "Says 'many people are saying'". Other squares: "Attacks the press", "Blames immigrants", "Claims election fraud"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Make "No Kings Allowed" or "Crown-Free Zone Since 1776" signs with comedic illustrations.
Example
βA crossed-out crown with "We fired that guy in 1776" or "Democracy: Now hiring (no royalty need apply)"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Dress as a teacher and hold up a giant report card grading democracy metrics. Invite passersby to add their grades.
Example
βCategories: "Respects Courts: F", "Peaceful Transfer of Power: F", "Tells Truth: F", "Attendance: Poor"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Sit in a public park and take turns reading the Constitution aloud, especially amendments about democracy and voting rights.
Example
βRead the 14th, 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments. Discuss how they expanded democracy. Hand out pocket Constitutions to passersby.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Organize a public singalong of patriotic and democracy songs with updated satirical lyrics.
Example
βSing "This Land Is Your Land" or create parody versions like "God Bless Democracy (And Everyone Who Votes)"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Set up a "Free Fact Checks!" booth where people can bring claims to verify in real-time using reputable sources.
Example
βSign: "Rumor got you down? We'll check it out!" Use Snopes, FactCheck.org, and AP Fact Checkβ
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Parade through public spaces with music and costumes while offering voter registration help.
Example
βDress as founding fathers/mothers, carry "Register to Vote" signs, play patriotic music, stop to help people registerβ
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Create parody "warning labels" for authoritarianism that look like product warnings.
Example
β"Warning: Authoritarianism may cause loss of democracy, erosion of rights, and bad hair. Not suitable for free societies."β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Create a scavenger hunt where teams find democracy landmarks, register voters, or complete civic engagement tasks.
Example
βTasks: "Take a selfie at your polling place", "Find 3 people to check their voter registration", "Post a democracy fact"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Clean dirt off public walls, sidewalks, or tunnels to create protest messages and art. Also called "clean tagging" - you're making things cleaner!
Example
βUse a stencil and scrub brush to clean "VOTE NOV 5" into a dirty tunnel wall, or create artistic patterns that spell out democracy messagesβ
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by Chile, Iceland, and Quebec - bang pots and pans in a coordinated noise protest. The sound symbolizes that democracy cannot be silenced.
Example
βGather at city hall at 8pm and bang pots and pans for 10 minutes. Chant: "Hear the people! Democracy rings!" Simple, loud, joyful.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by UK's CIRCA - dress as clowns to deflate authoritarian displays with absurdity. Use slapstick, pratfalls, and silly antics to make fascism look ridiculous.
Example
βAt a MAGA rally, clowns "struggle" to lift tiny toy weights labeled "Democracy" while acting exhausted. Or follow speakers around with squeaky horns.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by global flash mobs - suddenly freeze in place in a busy area. After 5 minutes, unfreeze and hand out voter registration info.
Example
βAt a busy intersection during lunch, 30 people suddenly freeze mid-stride. One person holds sign: "Democracy is frozen. Will you help thaw it?"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by global guerrilla knitting - cover public objects in colorful yarn art with democracy messages. Remove after photos.
Example
βKnit red, white, and blue "cozies" for parking meters with tags: "Voting keeps democracy warm." or cover bare tree trunks with yarn art.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by Bread & Puppet Theater - create giant puppets representing democracy, Lady Liberty, or mock authoritarian figures for parades.
Example
βBuild a 12-foot Lady Liberty puppet and a tiny 4-foot "King" puppet trying to boss her around. She swats him away with her torch.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by Augusto Boal - perform a realistic scene about democracy/voting in public without revealing it's theater. Bystanders think it's real.
Example
βIn a cafΓ©, actors loudly discuss: "I heard the voting machines are rigged!" Other actor pulls out phone: "Let me check that..." debunks it with facts.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Inspired by Ron Finley and global guerrilla gardening - plant democracy-themed gardens in neglected public spaces with educational signs.
Example
βPlant sunflowers (symbol of hope) in empty lot with sign: "Democracy grows when we nurture it. Register to vote!"β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Flood elected officials with handwritten postcards about protecting democracy. When thousands arrive, it makes a physical impact.
Example
βWrite: "Constituent here. I vote. I expect you to protect our democracy by [specific action]. I'm watching." Include your address.β
Materials Needed
Safety Tips
Need inspiration? Click to generate a unique action idea by combining random elements!
π‘ Pro tip: The generator pulls from 21 formats, 22 props, 20 messages, and 20 tones β including tactics from Serbia, Chile, UK, Hong Kong, Poland, Brazil, and more!
21 options
22 options
20 options
20 options
These actions draw from successful nonviolent movements around the world. Humor and creativity transcend borders.
Painted Barrel Action: Activists painted a barrel to look like dictator MiloΕ‘eviΔ. When police arrested the barrel, it made global news and showed the absurdity of the regime. Participation spiked.
Pots & Pans Protests: Citizens banged pots and pans from windows and streets to protest Pinochet. The noise symbolized voices that couldn't be silenced. Also used in Iceland, Quebec, and Argentina.
Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army: Clowns used absurdity and slapstick at protests to deflate tension and make authoritarianism look ridiculous. Laughter disarms fear.
Umbrella Symbol: Protesters used colorful umbrellas for defense and as symbols of peaceful resistance. The visual became iconic worldwide. Simple objects can become powerful symbols.
Giant Puppets: Since the 1960s, this theater company has used massive puppets to tell stories of resistance. Visual metaphors reach people that speeches can't.
Flash Mob Dancing: Thousands danced simultaneously in city squares to protest internet censorship. Joyful choreography turned policy debates into cultural moments.
Guerrilla Knitting: From Chile to Australia, activists cover public objects in colorful yarn art with protest messages. It's gentle, removable, and impossible to prosecute.
Invisible Theater: Actors perform realistic scenes in public without revealing it's theater. Bystanders witness and discuss, spreading awareness organically through conversation.
Guerrilla Gardening: Transform neglected spaces into community gardens. Growing food becomes an act of resistance against food deserts and urban neglect. βGardening is gangsta.β
Learn more: These tactics come from research on successful nonviolent movements. Check out Blueprint for Revolution by Srdja Popovic (Otpor founder) and Why Civil Resistance Worksby Erica Chenoweth for the full story.
If you've run a successful nonviolent resistance action, share it with us! We'll add the best ones to this page so other chapters can learn and adapt.
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