Flood the Zone with Us!
What People Without Organizations Can Do To Claim Freedom
Introduction: The Urgency of Mobilization
We are in a post-election period where authoritarian forces are actively engaging in administrative coup tactics and employing “flood the zone” disinformation strategies to seize power, undermine democracy, and erode trust in institutions. The time to mobilize is now. For those in communities where polarization is extreme and vulnerability is high, kitchen table actions may be the best ways to engage people. But, overall, the best defense against authoritarianism is a mass movement that is highly visible, disruptive, and resilient.
But what can individuals do if they aren’t part of a formal organization? Plenty. In fact, in times of crisis, it is often individuals acting independently but in coordination with others who tip the balance. Below are ten impactful ways to fight authoritarianism—especially through mass disruptive action—and 13 groups you can join remotely to amplify your resistance.
10 Ways to Fight Authoritarianism Without Joining an Organization
1. Mass Presence: Take Up Space, Be Seen, Be Loud
Join and sustain protests, even if it’s just you and a small group. Visibility matters.
Organize disruptive public actions—sit-ins, die-ins, banner drops, or creative street theater—to flood public consciousness with the message that authoritarianism will not be tolerated.
Engage in swarming tactics: Show up where they least expect it (e.g., country clubs, political fundraisers, corporate board meetings).
2. Flood the Information Zone—With Truth
The far right is “flooding the zone” with lies—counter it by flooding the zone with truth.
Use social media aggressively: Post, comment, share resources, and counter disinformation in community groups, neighborhood pages, and news site comment sections.
Create a rapid response team with friends: When you see a disinformation campaign, counter it in real-time with factual narratives and strategic humor.
3. Mass Coordinated Work Stoppages and Economic Disruption
If feasible, organize a sick-out or walkout with co-workers on key days to disrupt economic activity.
Target corporations that support authoritarianism with boycotts, worker slowdowns, and public pressure campaigns.
Coordinate no-purchase days or “week of resistance” economic disruptions to demonstrate people power. Remember that the consumption habits of the bottom 80% economically is responsible for 62% of the capital flow through our economy.
4. Build Parallel Systems of Mutual Aid and Resistance
Authoritarians win when people feel alone and dependent on the state. Mutual aid builds resilience and expands freedom.
Join or start a local mutual aid network focused on food distribution, rides to protests, or legal aid.
Train your community in digital security, first aid, protest safety, and rapid response organizing.
5. Physically Defend Democratic Institutions
If authoritarian groups attempt hostile takeovers of government buildings or institutions, nonviolent direct action can prevent them from seizing physical control.
Organize human chains or blockades at sites of coup attempts or illegal power grabs.
Mobilize rapid-response teams for peaceful but forceful resistance at courthouses, statehouses, and election offices.
6. Hold Elected Officials Accountable—Through Disruption
Flood their offices with calls, emails, and in-person visits—make sure they know the price of complicity.
Surprise interventions: Show up at town halls, fundraisers, and public appearances and confront them loudly and relentlessly.
Demand public statements of opposition to authoritarian actions—refusal to speak up must be treated as complicity.
7. Protect and Shield Vulnerable Communities
Be prepared to physically intervene against acts of political violence or harassment.
Coordinate community patrols, court-watching programs, and emergency response teams to monitor and report on political violence.
If mass arrests begin, mobilize legal observers and provide jail support and pooled bail funds.
8. Flood the Courts and Bureaucracy with Resistance
Authoritarians rely on bureaucratic processes—we can slow them down by filing challenges, lawsuits, and mass requests for information.
Engage in mass FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests to flood government agencies with transparency demands especially if you believe you have never been a target of surveillance and direct state repression.
Volunteer with legal defense organizations that challenge authoritarian policies in court.
9. Disrupt Right-Wing Media & Disinformation Ecosystems
Report and flag disinformation accounts to slow the spread of propaganda.
Organize counter-demonstrations at anti-democratic media headquarters and amplify alternative media voices.
Use strategic humor and culture-jamming tactics to mock, delegitimize, and disarm authoritarian propaganda.
10. Prepare for Mass, Sustained Direct Action
The goal is to make the country ungovernable for authoritarians.
Plan for long-term encampments, general strikes, and mass occupations of public spaces.
Identify critical choke points in your local infrastructure that, if disrupted, can exert economic and political pressure.
13 Groups You Can Join to Take Action from Home
For those who want to connect with a larger movement, here are 13 organizations you can join remotely:
Indivisible – Grassroots resistance to authoritarianism through civic engagement.
MoveOn – Digital organizing, petitions, and advocacy against far-right policies.
Common Cause – Strengthening democracy through election protection and legal action.
Democracy for America – Supporting progressive candidates and mobilization.
Center for Popular Democracy – Organizing for democracy and racial justice.
Fair Fight Action – Founded by Stacey Abrams, defending voting rights.
Color of Change – Racial justice advocacy through digital activism.
Stand Up America – Mobilizing voters and defending democracy.
Public Citizen – Fighting corporate influence in politics.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights – Policy advocacy for civil rights.
Women’s March Digital Defenders – Fighting online disinformation and hate.
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) – White allies organizing for racial justice and democracy.
League of Women Voters / League In Action – Electoral activism and civic engagement.
The Takeaway: The Power of Mass Disruptive Action
We are in an extremely urgent moment for democracy. The authoritarian right is flooding the zone with chaos, disinformation, and institutional takeovers. Our response must be equally overwhelming. Through mass disruptive action, coordinated resistance, and decentralized mobilization, we can block authoritarian power grabs and defend democracy.
No one is coming to save us. But together, we can make the cost of authoritarianism too high to sustain.
Flood the zone with us. Take the profit out of authoritarianism. Fight like our future depends on it—because it does.