Next time you’re inspecting a crowd for deteriorating activists consider your vantage point.  Patrolling around the edges or standing amongst you comrades will only allow you to see a small portion of the crowd. Perhaps your time would be better invested in seeking some high ground from which to observe the surroundings.

A common opportunity is while a rally is passing or ascending stairs as is seen in this recent example from the March against Monsanto held at the State Library of Victoria.  Witness the  vigilance that a MelbSMC’er exudes from her vantage point.  She’s like a well adjusted Batman.

You may also wish to perch above static gatherings.  During large  Occupy Melbourne general assemblies this proved to be a valuable method of spotting problems early and co-coordinating first-aid interventions for us.

When choosing your perch first consider your own safety.  Swan diving from a traffic light onto a casualty is awesome but probably sub-optimally effective [randomised controlled trials not yet complete].  The danger of becoming an easy target for abuse from state or corporate agents must also be appreciated.  Next consider the effort required to get to and from the perch; there’s no point spotting where you’re needed but not being able to get there in time.  Finally make sure you won’t be leaving your post by perching; at some events you’ll be assigned a specific area to attend, make sure you can actually see it.