* What does GBC stand for?
GBC stands for Green and Black Cross

* What is the relevance of the name?
The name is a nod to the Anarchist Black Cross and chosen to illustrate that the project is a support project encompassing environmental, social justice and anti-authoritarian politics.

* What is the Anarchist Black Cross?
Anarchist Black Cross dates back 100 years and is movement of mutual-aid projects providing practical assistance to anarchists facing repression.

* What is the Green and Black Cross?
Much like ABC, the GBC has been set up to practical assistance to the community of autonomous projects and activists associated with social justice and environmental struggles.

* So why didn't you just use the name Anarchist Black Cross?
We used the 'Green' prefix as much of the experience, skills and infrastructure in the contemporary autonomous/activist scene in this country has come from the ecological direct action movement over the last two decades.

* What specifically does the Green and Black Cross do?
Currently the GBC consists of two active projects: Legal Support providing legal observers and arrestee support to protesters, and Street Medics and Action Kitchens.

* What else might GBC do in the future?
Ideas for future GBC projects include trauma support, logistics, workshops & training, facilitation, conflict resolution and child care.

* When and how did it start?
It's not a new idea and has been around in various forms for a while. GBC was sparked into life in order to ensure legal support for the student protests when the need became obvious after the 11th November protests at Millbank (Demo2010).

* Who started it?
That would be telling. Lets just say a mix of the usual suspects - new and old.

* How do we know you aren't cops?
You don't, so please don't tell us details of your actions etc if they're super secret. If you want legal observers for highly sensitive actions, then find people you trust and ask us to train them. If your action/demo is publicised and you'd like legal observers then please email us - gbclegal[at]riseup.net. In terms of arrestee support, we only need enough info to put witnesses in touch with people who have been arrested or assaulted (or people's solicitors).

* Why contact you rather than just a solicitor?
Collectively, with all of us together working in solidarity, we are stronger and more effective. If you go it alone then not only do you miss out on the assistance, experience and support, but you potentially also deny your own support to others in the same boat. We often have a lot of valuable witness information for defendants from both Legal Observers and members of the public.

* Are you connected to or funded by a law firm?
We have no connection to any law firm or solicitors. We are entirely independent. The solicitors we recomend are ones we have used and found to be good and experienced in protest related cases.

* Are you funded/payed?
We accept donations to help cover printing, phone bills etc.

* Can we donate money towards costs?
Yes, that would be amazing! Click this link to donate online. If you'd rather give a cash donation you could probably get money to use via places like Freedom Bookshop (56A Crompton Street), and the London Action Resource Centre, or if you attend one of our trainings.

* Where is GBC based?
There is no permenant GBC 'office'. Geographically GBC groups are spread over many cities including Birmingham, Brighton, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester.

* Can I get involved?
We organise trainings for people willing to act as legal observers. For security reasons, we only recruit people we know to do the more sensitive arrestee support roles. If you want to get more involved and get to know us (and us you!) then why not come along to our regular meetings. See here for a list of cities where we have active groups, each page has details of each groups meetings.

Please do contact us and get involved!