Philomena Polefrone, associate director of American Booksellers for Free Expression, led the final session at the MPIBA conference last week, giving booksellers a presentation on how to be proactive in preparing for attacks and harassment. She cautioned that none of the content should be considered legal advice, and to always contact a lawyer and local authorities in a crisis, but to also keep ABFE in the loop because they may be able to help with threat assessment, as well as spread the word to other stores that may face similar crises.
The presentation hinged on three key ideas. First, when the heat is on, try to keep it where it started. If a situation arose in the store, do what's necessary to keep it offline. If a situation arose online, prevent it from spreading into the store. The worst cases Polefrone has seen involved an in-store situation that escalated online, or online situations that entered the store. Keep a crisis offline OR online--never both.
Online harassment can be psychologically draining, but it can be managed by figuring out what attackers want (typically attention) and not giving it to them. Don't fan the flames; instead, control comments, shares, and visibility to limit virality. Don't post about the situation further (to counter bad-review bombing, you can use your newsletter to draw engagement from supporters whom you already have relationships with).
On the other hand, if a situation arises in the store, avoid behaving in ways that might be fodder for social media posts. Don't escalate the conversation, and always assume you are being recorded. One especially helpful strategy is to have a curation policy and code of conduct in place, something staff can easily point to when met with complaints about the types of books available on the shelf.
In any case, avoid talking to the press. Even if a journalist appears sympathetic, the headline for a story may be written with inflammatory and counterproductive language. If necessary, appeal to journalistic ethics off the record and request that a story not run.
Second, Polefrone urged store owners to prepare ahead of time and to create pressure valves that de-escalate confrontations, given how quickly controversies can spiral in today's heated political climate. Have complaint forms available; many antagonists consider themselves to be activists, and this will give them an action to complete, to feel heard. It also buys time and shifts responsibility from floor staff to a designated responder. Similarly, a business card for the owner or responsible party (perhaps with a complaints@ e-mail address) can also be effective.
Last, but not least, Polefrone reminded everyone to prioritize staff safety. Consider offering de-escalation training. Some employees may be direct targets for racist and homophobic harassment, and so it's wise to keep them out of harm's way. Meanwhile, identify the person with the right temperament and communication skills to respond to high-stakes situations.
In extreme cases, it may be necessary to unplug phones, or send calls straight to voicemail, if the line is being bombarded. When possible, keep a record of numbers from the call log; similarly, don't just delete harassing e-mails, save them in a folder. This information will be useful in the event that making a police report is necessary. In those cases, make reports in person at the precinct if possible, rather than bring officers into the store (which can be disruptive), or even calling them in (police call recordings can be accessed through FOIA requests).
Other proactive strategies for minimizing disruptions include talking to publishers about security for authors at flashpoint events and vetting a mission-aligned security option. Also, build relationships with like-minded businesses in the community for mutual support. For bomb threats, print out CISA guidelines. Use DeleteMe to scrub sensitive info from the Internet (ABFE has coordinated a 20% discount for ABA members). Notify local police when there is a credible threat of swatting and vandalism. Additionally, Binc is a vital resource for booksellers in need of financial help as well as mental health support.
Polefrone urged everyone to reach out to ABFE sooner than later. "There's more that I can do if a crisis hasn't happened yet and you're just worried about one." ABFE can be reached by e-mail (abfe@bookweb.org) and phone (914-406-7534) with more resources available here. --Dave Wheeler, senior editor, Shelf Awareness