Tuesday 2 April 2013

En-lightened protest: the Overpass Light Brigade

  
The Overpass Light Brigade was forged in the activist climate of the Wisconsin Uprising. Our messages shine over highways at night. We believe in the power of communities coming together in physical space, as well as the importance of visibility for grassroots and progressive causes. We are a loose and inclusive affiliation of people dedicated to the power of peaceful and playful protest.

I first came across the Overpass Light Brigade when I read an Occupy Wall Street post on the protest in Michigan against anti-union legislation in November 2012. What the OLB does is obviously effective as a means of communicating critical perspectives to vast numbers of people. Holding light-up letters in the dark is a strong idea, and the way in which words and phrases are articulated when activists stand together seems to me like a vintage metaphor for collectivity, cooperation, and solidarity. And just in case anyone is getting any ideas, here's their how-to video:


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