Reclaim the Streets

The British initiative Reclaim the Streets, from the outset wielded considerable influence within the radical wing of the anti-capitalist movement and was a cofounder of the PGA, based on its pioneering of direct action tactics (e.g. street parties, carnivals, mass cycle demos) plus its willingness to form alliances with third world forces and also sections of workers in struggle.

The main organiser of the events in the City of London on 18 June 1999, RTS itself originated from the activists of the British "Earth First!", which was founded in 1991.They took their inspiration from the organisation of the same name in the USA. Its original organisers were all "green anarchists".

Their earliest direct action tactics centred on attempts to "protect the rainforest" by preventing shipments of tropical timber being unloaded at ports and to stop road building projects like Twyford Down. In 1992, several national days of action brought large numbers of protesters there to chain themselves to earth moving machinery, climb trees, dig and occupy underground tunnels.

Reclaim the Streets was, at its launch (1995) just a campaign of Earth First aimed at the urban environment. But, thanks to its very success, it soon outgrew its parent. Its symbolic trashing of cars, painting cycle lanes on London streets, "subverting" car adverts and street parties, sounded a new note in British politics. In the latter, a street would be blocked off by demonstrators, a sound system set up and a lively party held. Sympathy by passers-by, especially youth, meant the police were often taken by surprise and made to look foolish, and resistible, which was...

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