BY DIANA RANKIN
MELBOURNE — This city's 19 consecutive weekly blockades of Nike superstore, and the coming Commonwealth Business Forum protest on October 3, prompted Resistance activists to get into training on July 28.
Resistance activist Chris Atkinson commented, "The anti-corporate movement has fuelled a real growth of activism, and the training day has been really important in passing on a lot of much needed skills to help build this movement."
Activists sought to develop their skills in public speaking, rally organising, leaflet-making, dealing with the corporate media, revolutionary journalism and campaigning.
Resistance plans to organise a whole series of such workshops in the leadup to the Commonwealth Business Forum, including in street theatre, graffiti, chant- and speech-writing.
A sign of the group's recent growth is its plans to set up a new branch in the city's north-eastern suburbs. Atkinson says activists also have their sights set on a Resistance branch in the city's western suburbs "in the near future".
The new north-east Resistance branch will be launched at a band night, "RAGE — Resistance to Global Exploitation", on August 18, starting at 7pm at Cafe 303, 303 High St, Northcote.
For more information, call (03) 9639 8622.