Guidelines for protest in Rothamsted park

THIS POST IS MY PERSONAL OPINION AND NOT ENDORSED BY ROTHAMSTED. ROTHAMSTED WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE A PROTEST OR COUNTER PROTEST AT ALL, BUT THIS HAS GATHERED SO MUCH MOMENTUM ON TWITTER NOW I THINK IT'S INEVITABLE AND WE SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING STAYS CIVIL.

A team of  Rothamsted scientists will be at Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2EF to answer questions from 11.30 on Sunday the 27th of May - do go and talk to them, they're nice people.

If you're coming from London, when you get off the train go out the station exit to the left of the direction you were travelling, then follow the hill down. There's a pub on the corner called the Harpenden Arms - turn left after that, cross at the crossing, cross the green then follow the road to the left.  The entrance to the park is just after the town hall/


It looks as though there will now be three protests happening in Rothamsted Park on Sunday the 27th of May - the anti-gm protest which aims to destroy the field trial, an alternative peaceful protest which wants to express oposition to genetic modification without vandalising the trial and a #geekmob counterprotest in support of the trial.  To the first group I would obviously say please don't, but I hope something positive can come out of this by offering an opportunity for dialogue between the second two groups if everyone follows these guidelines:


  • There aren't many trains into Harpenden, so you'll probably end up travelling with members of the other camp. This is a great opportunity for dialogue but please remember there'll be other passengers on the trains who just want to nurse their Saturday night hangovers in peace so please keep it calm.
  • By all means bring placards, banners, pixel poi and Arduino LED displays but keep the messages attacking points not people. "Down with this sort of thing" is good, "your muzzer was an amstere, and your fazzer smelled of elderbereees" is not helpful.
  • The same goes for engaging people in discussion - remember that the person you're talking to may not have the same grounding in the subject you do or access to the same information, but they're an intelligent person doing what they sincerely believe to be best for planet and people. As an entomologist I'm not so keen on the phrase "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" - vinegar will work perfectly well if you're after vinegar flies, and you catch most Musca sorbens with shit which doesn't make a very good cliche, but it is true that if someone is wrong you're more likely to change their mind through rational argument than by insulting their intelligence.
  • Listen. Let the other person explain their concerns.
  • If someone isn't extending you the same courtesy, walk away. You will not be able to have a productive discussion.
  • If things are getting heated, and you feel safe doing so, you can deescalate the situation by sitting down.
  • Do not attempt to physically prevent anyone from destroying crops. Not only might this lead to ugly confrontations, the more people there are on the site the harder it will be for the police to stop people intent on destroying the trial and the more likely it is that something important will be trampled accidentally.
  • Finally, and most importantly, PLEASE DON'T DESTROY THE TRIAL..

Thank you.