Almost 100 activists answered the April 6 "Call to Action" advertised on little black-and-white fliers littered around the city: "Escalate the level of opposition to the war in new and creative ways," the posters announced. "Coordinate decentralized small and large actions." No doubt psyched after months of uninspiring protests, activists flocked to Polestar Music Gallery in the Central District on Sunday afternoon for a crash course in affinity groups, and a brainstorming session on attention-grabbing protests against the war.

The activists--representing most of Seattle's antiwar organizations, plus anarchists, students, peace protest veterans, and one dog--crammed themselves into rows of folding chairs in Polestar's bright white narrow room (which does multiple duties as a music venue, art gallery, and community meeting space). After an icebreaking few minutes of introductions, one blond guy stood up and asked any undercover cops to leave. "It's illegal to spy on activist organizing," he declared before taking his seat. Then student activist Brady McGarry and Not In Our Name representative Margo Polley dove into the agenda, which was scribbled on a large pad of paper propped on an easel.

For over two hours, the activists learned about affinity groups and started to form a "spokescouncil" to keep everyone on the same page. Here's how it works: Small groups of people will form their own affinity groups, which come up with and do their own actions. Then those groups send representatives to spokescouncil meetings, where they coordinate on dates, or hook up with other groups for bigger protests. It's an activist model that's been used all over for antiwar protests, like the dramatic ones in San Francisco: The loose-knit organization lets activists work together if they need to, but the autonomous actions maintain an element of surprise for the cops.

After working through the organizational minutiae, activists launched into ideas for "creative chaos" in Seattle. With a permanent marker, McGarry and Polley took notes: civil disobedience at local military bases, gas station actions, even protests focused on Seattle-based Stevedoring Services of America--a company that's been pegged by antiwar activists as a war profiteer for securing a port contract in postwar Iraq.

At the end of the meeting, folks decided to let affinity groups work out the details later--privately, so they can keep a lid on the exact time and place.

amy@thestranger.com