Sneak into a meeting or conference to see what’s going on, or to play a trick of some sort. Or, stage a guerrilla musical in the middle of the keynote speech of an evil lobbyist. That’s what health care activists did at a major U.S. insurance industry conference in 2009.(Watch “Public Option Annie” video below.)
Always make sure that one or more of your team is filming your action. Remember: it is not the audience there in the room that you’re most concerned with, but the audience who will see your footage or benefit from the secrets you’ve liberated from behind closed doors.
In many cases, the actual sneaking-in is so easy it’s almost an afterthought. Simply walk up to the table near the entrance that’s full of name badges; choose one, and say it’s yours (and, if asked, say you’ve forgotten your business cards). Take the conference materials you’ll be graciously offered along with the badge, and proceed inside, or, if you like, to your nearest copy shop to make a bunch of other badges with other names for your pals.
If you choose to do something audacious, like stage a fake speech, set up the action not for maximum impact in the moment, but for how you want it to be seen and heard via the photos and videos that you take and later supply to the press.
