monkey-wrenching
Deliberate mechanical sabotage
Monkey-wrenching is sabotage of equipment or infrastructure, especially by environmental activists targeting logging, mining, or development operations.
The term comes from the idea of throwing a monkey wrench into machinery to disable it.
Tactics include spiking trees to damage chainsaws, disabling bulldozers, or pulling up survey stakes: The group was accused of monkey-wrenching at the construction site.
Willful property damage
- trespassingUnauthorized presence on property
- arsonCriminal deliberate burning
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- unlawfulForbidden by statute
felony · prosecution · arrest · fugitive · underground · clandestine · evading · anonymity
Something blocking the way
- interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- hamperingInterfering with progress
- derailmentLeaving the intended track
complication · setback · breakdown · stoppage · jamming · stalling · delay · gridlock
Advocacy for nature protection
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- biocentrismLife as moral center
- grassrootsCommon people as political base
- old-growthLong-undisturbed forest
biodiversity · campaign · solidarity · protest · demonstration · boycott · awareness · leafleting
Deliberate disruption of operations
- ecodefenseMilitant environmental protection
- decommissioningWithdrawing from active service
- blockadeSealing off a place
- lock-onAutomated target tracking
New and unusual
- fictionImagined narrative work
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
vandalism
Willful property damage
- trespassingUnauthorized presence on property
- arsonCriminal deliberate burning
- destructionAct of completely ruining
unlawful · felony · prosecution · arrest · fugitive · underground · clandestine · evading · anonymity · imprisonment
obstruction
Something blocking the way
- interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- hamperingInterfering with progress
derailment · complication · setback · breakdown · stoppage · jamming · stalling · delay · gridlock · bottleneck
environmentalism
Advocacy for nature protection
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- biocentrismLife as moral center
- grassrootsCommon people as political base
old-growth · biodiversity · campaign · solidarity · protest · demonstration · boycott · awareness · leafleting · organizing
sabotage
Deliberate disruption of operations
- ecodefenseMilitant environmental protection
- decommissioningWithdrawing from active service
- blockadeSealing off a place
novel
New and unusual
- fictionImagined narrative work
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
monkey-wrenchingfacilitation
Making tasks easier
assistance · enabling · cooperation · collaboration · support
monkey-wrenchingpetition signing
Supporting a formal appeal
lobbying · peaceful protest · civil disobedience · nonviolent resistance · public advocacy
monkey-wrenchingcompliance
Adhering to requirements
conformity · system maintenance · rule-following · obedience · acquiescence