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The marketing drive was crafted by creative agency Elvis and is titled ‘They can’t arrest this billboard’. It won gold in the non-profit category of Ocean Outdoors’ annual Digital Creative Competition.
The virtual protest will premiere today (3 July) across Ocean city centre Loop networks in Birmingham and Manchester and London’s Westfield Stratford.
It stars six activists: Jen Reid, Black Lives Matter activist; Khalid Abdallah, Palestinian rights; Dr Helen Salisbury, Keep Our NHS Public; Andy Greene, Disabled People Against the Cuts; Andrew McParland, climate activist and Greenpeace UK board member; and Sahanika Ratnayake, environmental issues.
They are featured with placards reading “I’m protesting in here to avoid arrest out there”. The work also contains scannable QR codes with more information about the Crime and Policing Bill that is currently being discussed in Parliament.
The campaign will also include social media activity that features interviews with the activists and the general public.
Jen Reid said: “The anti-racism movement has long experienced police abuse of their powers to suppress protest, and it does have a chilling effect. It takes real courage to raise your head and your voice when you know that you’re unlikely to receive fair treatment under the law, when democratic rights don’t apply to you.
