>>> lockboxes + Difficult to dismantle + Quick to deploy + Cheap - Heavy - Not easily concealed - Requires specialized tools (welding) - Exposes activist to police and opponents Lockboxes are heavy duty lock down devices with the potential to make your blockade last a lot longer. They are special sized steel pipes designed for activists to insert their arms and connect their wrists to a hidden metal pin attached to the inside of the pipe. The pin is what the lock down person clips their wrists to with chain bracelets, known as jewelry. It prevents the cops from pulling the person’s arms out far enough to cut their chain bracelets off with bolt cutters. Lockboxes were innovated to overcome the ease of which law enforcement had in cutting through chains and U-locks. Greenpeace designed the first lockboxes to blockade chemical shipments in the 80’s. Since then activists have successfully used lockboxes to blockade logging roads, shut down power plants, occupy offices, and disrupt work on mine sites among other wholesome activities. There are several different types of lockboxes. These are the straight box, the 90 degree Black Bear, the PVC box, and the hybrid concrete super box. Weighing in at approximately 20-25 lbs., steel lockboxes are not light! They are big and heavy. Unless you are in a crowd, they are difficult to conceal; although not impossible. Backpacks, shoulder bags, specialty hand bags, even baby buggies have been used by activists to smuggle them into convention centers, corporate offices and government buildings. Nothing seems to work better to lock down to vehicles, heavy equipment, or metal gates with than lockboxes. But, because of their weight and bulkiness, be extremely careful moving with them, especially around cops who may misconstrue them as weapons. A diamond saw is required to cut them, and it will take much longer to do so than a U-lock. It’s also one big hassle and they may choose to torture you instead! A 2008 blockade of the Cliffside Coal Plant construction site in NC came to an untimely end when police decided to taser the four people locked to machinery rather than attempt to cut them out. Never underestimate the ability of the police to engage in cruel and sadistic acts. ground blockades 113
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