Orthodox Reflections has invited all Orthodox Christians who can to protest the granting of the “Beacon of Hope Award” in NYC on September 26th. (Click here for more information on the award.) We have asked locals, and those who can come in, to organize with their fellow Orthodox Christians to gather at 6:30 p.m. as close as they can to Casa Cipriani, 10 South Street, New York NY 10004. Below is a guide on how to hold a successful protest in New York, and anywhere else. The principles here can work anywhere, for any protest. They also are a good guide to online activity as well. Keep in mind that as Orthodox Reflections doesn’t have a central organization with professional organizers and a budget, participants will need to prepare themselves in advance for this (or any such protest) to be successful.
Why Are We Protesting
Why even do this? Here is the narrative the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Greek Archdiocese, the Archons, the Zelensky regime, and the U.S. Government want to use this event to reinforce: “The Orthodox Church stands united under its spiritual leader, Patriarch Bartholomew, the First Among Equals, in supporting President Zelensky and Ukraine in a valiant fight against Russian aggressors. The Patriarch’s bold move in recognizing the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) gave the Ukrainian people religious freedom by giving them a beloved, popular national church of their own, free from Russian influence. The Patriarch is a hero leading a globally united Orthodox Church in continuing to stand for people of Ukraine.”
That is the narrative they want to be reported from this event. Street protestors outside the event clash with that narrative, and provide a counternarrative for the media, and social media posts, to report to the public. No protests, no counternarrative and the average American will accept that Orthodoxy is fully behind the OCU and the Zelinsky regime in its religious discrimination policies. No protestors means there is no opposition.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople narrative is, of course, completely false in regards to OCU and religious freedom. OCU is recognized by only 3 of the world’s Orthodox Churches. The vast majority of Orthodox Christians, probably even most Orthodox directly under Constantinople, continue to support the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphry. Far from granting religious freedom to Ukrainians, the moves by the U.S. Govt, the Ukrainian Govt, and Patriarch Bartholomew have resulted in severe persecution of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians who simply want to continue to worship in the same Church they have belonged to all their lives.
You know that. I know that. But absent even a small demonstration to the contrary, over 300 million Americans will not know that. The goal of protesting in person is to “make news.” Your presence at the event breaks the narrative of unified support, and calls attention to the horrific persecution of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians that the official narrative desperately wants to bury. Standing up and holding a sign is the most effective thing you could ever do to support Orthodox Christians who are actively enduring martyrdom for Christ.
The Message of the Protest
The message of the protest is simple and direct. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is an independent canonical Orthodox Church of Ukrainian citizens, led by Ukrainian bishops, which is being severely persecuted by its own government led by Zelensky. Churches are being seized, people beaten, bogus criminal charges are being filed, priests are being forcibly mobilized into the army, monks are being murdered. A flyer attached to this article provides more details. As protestors, we are calling upon the U.S. government, the Ukrainian Government, and the Patriarchate of Constantinople to live up to their legal and moral obligation to support religious freedom. Americans don’t want the government involved in their church affairs. Why would American tax payers want to fund a foreign government that is actively persecuting the largest religious body in its own country?
They don’t. But most also don’t know that this is happening. It is our job to make them aware. This protest is not about the war. It is not about Russia. It is not about the Russian Church. It is not about geopolitics, or the mid-term elections, or anything else.
This protest is about religious freedom, the same freedom guaranteed to Americans in the U.S. Constitution. The faithful and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have the God-given right to organize their church governance and worship as they see fit. That right has been taken away from them by force through the actions of the Zelensky regime, with the active support of the Patriarch of Constantinople (plus subordinate organizations such as the Greek Archdiocese) and the financial support of the U.S. Government.
That is the message – religious freedom. Stay on message. Always.
Bring Signs with Extras
To make an impact, people have to notice you. Signs are essential. They should be impactful messages and could have optional images. Do not make the perfect the enemy of the good. If you just have a sign that says, “Zelensky murders monks” or “Religious Freedom for Ukrainians” or “Bartholomew – Christian Persecutors are not Beacons of Hope” in bold letters painted on a piece of white cardboard, that is good enough. Hand drawn signs emphasize the grass roots nature of this protest. Add in a printed picture of murdered monk or the archbishop which was beaten (images below) or government agents attacking a Church. Images are optional, however, as the message is the most important.
Bring extra signs. People will show up without signs, and some bystanders will want to join. If you are coming with four people, bring at least 6 signs. You can also rotate the signs you use during the protest for maximum effect.
Never use profanity in your signs. If anyone shows up with signs featuring profanity, refuse to stand with them unless they hide them. One sign in poor taste becomes the message the media will report. Don’t allow that to happen. Sample signs below:
Bring Flyers
Flyers reach people long after they forgot what you said, or what was on your signs. Attached is a PDF of a flyer you can print and bring out. For any one who contacts us quickly enough, Orthodox Reflections would be happy to send you 1,000 of these already printed. Visit our contact page and send us a phone number and address where we can contact you. Otherwise, print as many of these as you can. Feel free to create your own or edit this one, but keep the same general format. People need facts to make up their mind. A flyer gives them those.
Chants / Slogans
Group chants and group prayers are highly effective. Work it out with people around you. Suggestions:
“Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on the Ukrainian Church!”
“Zelensky murders monks!”
“Freedom for Ukrainian Christians!”
“You will face Jesus!”
“God save the Ukrainian Church!”
“Shame on you, Greek Archdiocese!”
“Freedom of Religion is not negotiable!”
Just a few suggestions, not an exhaustive list. Chants get attention to your signs, which then generates social media and media coverage.
Do not use profanity in your chants. Behave as if Jesus were there Himself. If you wouldn’t say it to Jesus, don’t say it to anyone else. Use of profanity makes you the story, not the message you are trying to get across. This is a good rule for online, in person, anywhere. Profanity never, ever helps. You can be angry. We are talking about murdering and abusing Orthodox Christians. It is okay to be angry. But it has to be controlled anger, not unhinged anger.
Profanity equals unhinged in the public mind. Don’t be unhinged.
Answering Objections / Challenges and Talking to the Media
You could get questions or challenges from either the media, bystanders, or there could even be counter protestors who are paid to be there. Common challenges would be:
“Do you support Russia?”
“What about Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Church supporting a genocidal war?”
“Why aren’t you protesting Putin?”
“Don’t the Ukrainian people deserve their own Church?”
“Who paid you to be here?”
We could go on. Who supports murdering monks, stealing churches, and beating old ladies? No one. Literally no one. The actions of the Zelensky regime are the definition of indefensible. So anyone trying to support or justify them has to redirect the conversation and/or discredit you as a person.
Do not take that bait. Remember the message of the protest. You are there to support religious freedom for persecuted Orthodox Christians. That is all. A good response to any question or challenge is, “I am a concerned American Orthodox Christian who believes the Ukrainian people should be free to practice the Orthodox Faith as they see fit, without government persecution financed by my tax dollars and supported by a jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church.”
Period.
Do not debate. Do not get angry. Do, however, respectfully and lovingly answer questions from those who want more information. But never go off on tangents. Keep it simple and clear. If you get into an angry shouting match over such challenges – then the story quickly becomes, “Angry Putin Supporters Protest Orthodox Christians Giving Award to Zelensky.” That kind of headline does not help the persecuted Orthodox Christians of Ukraine.
If someone really gets in your face, then walk away. Do not stand there and fight it out. That is most likely exactly what the person is trying to provoke. Walk away, and even be prepared to go home if it gets too bad. We help the Ukrainians by getting the message of their persecution out, and by showing support for them. Anything that shifts from the message to you, to Putin, to the Russian Church, etc. is not helping – it’s hurting.
A final note, if you are repeatedly challenged about why you are not protesting Russia or Putin, then simply repeat, “I am a concerned American Orthodox Christian who believes the Ukrainian people should be free to practice the Orthodox Faith as they see fit, without government persecution financed by my tax dollars and supported by a jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church.” As American Orthodox Christians we have absolutely ZERO influence on the Russian Orthodox Church or the Russian Government. None. Zippo. We could protest against the seizure of UOC parishes in Russian occupied territory every day of our lives. It would accomplish nothing. The Russians don’t care. On the other hand, Zelensky is completely dependent on aid from the United States. As Americans, we are objecting to an award unjustly given in Christ’s name to a man who takes our money while presiding over a government that murders, beats, imprisons, and displaces Orthodox Christians. That is the reason you are there. We are protesting injustices we are directly accountable for to God by virtue of our tax dollars, and (for Greek Orthodox) our tithing that supports the Greek Archdiocese and the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Do Not Tolerate Bad Behavior
Do not tolerate profanity, shoving, threats of violence, or any other type of bad behavior. Shun anyone engaging in any such behavior. Ask them to leave. If they don’t, move away from them. If the situation gets too bad, go home. It is better to simply walk away from a protest, than allow it to be hijacked in a way that does damage to the cause of religious freedom for Ukrainians. If someone tries to provoke you, walk away. If you can’t get away from the person, then go home. Confrontations become the story, and the message of the protest will be intentionally buried.
We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to forgive our enemies. If you would not do it or say it in front of Christ, or to Christ, don’t do it and don’t tolerate it.
Video and Photograph the Protest
Photos and videos of an event live forever on the Internet. It is great to get media coverage, and we are trying to do so. However, many protest actions have been ignored by the media, but still reached millions by going viral. Keep a record of everything in videos and pics.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact us via our contact page. Also reach out if you think there is anything we missed in this guide.
