What kind of incidents are we talking about?
The LLC will hear and respond to incidents occurring at official LLC-sponsored events as well as incidents at any other time or place that are a concern to community members.
What can I do about an incident?
In general, the LLC encourages community members to work things out on their own to each person’s satisfaction. If there’s a sound camp you think is too loud, ask them to turn it down. If there’s a boundary dispute with a neighboring theme camp, cooperate to resolve it and share space.
But there are some problems that people can’t just work out on their own. An outcome where one community member backs away from the community out of fear that a certain person may be there is not acceptable.
If you are having a disagreement or conflict during Mosaic that you aren’t able to work out on your own or don’t feel comfortable addressing on your own, find a Ranger. Rangers circulate through Mosaic for the duration of the event, and there’s almost always one at the Hubbub.
If you are the victim of a crime during the event and you feel that your safety is at risk or has already been violated, find a Ranger or other person with a 2-way radio and tell them “I need to talk to an LLC member now.” The Hubbub is always staffed with volunteers who can reach an LLC member and you can wait there for them.
If you are the victim of a crime during the event, you also have the option of going directly to law enforcement, although the event organizers would appreciate a heads-up, and an LLC member may be able to get law enforcement on the scene more quickly if you go through them.
You can, of course, avail yourself of whatever other resources are at your disposal, including friends, campmates, consent team, etc.
If you are the victim of a crime outside the event and you are concerned that the perpetrator will be present at Mosaic or other LLC-sponsored events, contact LLC.
Sometimes there are actions by individuals or groups that are offensive to the community, or parts of the community, but are not criminal and do not target an individual. In cases like these, the community at large acting to solve the problem may be more effective.
How should I report an incident?
During Mosaic, most interpersonal incidents should be reported to Rangers, who roam the event 24 hours a day and are stationed at the Hubbub. Serious incidents where personal safety is at risk or has been violated should be immediately reported to an LLC member via anyone with a 2-way radio. A board member (usually the one on shift) will meet with you at the earliest opportunity to take your report orally. The LLC encourages people to report these incidents right away, but recognizes that doing so when traumatized can be difficult. Trained Rangers and Consent team volunteers can help.
Outside of Mosaic, report directly to the LLC by e-mail at llc@mosaicexperiment.com. Please provide an account of the incident with as much information as possible, along with whatever supporting documentation you might have (photographs, police reports, protective orders, statements from any witnesses, etc).
How will LLC handle my report?
For serious incidents that happen during Mosaic and are reported during Mosaic, the members of the LLC will typically meet to discuss the case and decide on a course of action by consensus. They will locate the subject of the report and will carry out that course of action. If something happens at Mosaic, try to report it during Mosaic if at all possible, in order to take advantage of the available organizational resources (Rangers, Consent Team, LLC members).
The LLC will sometimes have additional questions for the reporter. The LLC will invite the reporter to meet in person or over the phone to talk through the details of the incident, and will stay in regular contact working towards resolution.
The LLC will then get in touch with the subject of the report, and attempt to meet in person or talk on the phone with that person to hear their story. There have been situations where finding the subject of the report and/or setting up an appointment to talk to them has taken a long time.
The LLC will then deliberate and decide on a course of action.
What kind of actions will LLC take?
The LLC will ask the reporter what outcome they hope for, and will use those wishes to guide the final decision.
The LLC does not have a lot of tools at its disposal for dealing with people who pose a threat to the community. The one people think of most often is “banning,” from the event. An event ban applies to Mosaic and any other LLC-sponsored events (if there is a formal Decompression, for example.)
An event ban can be for a fixed length of time (for example, three event-years), or indefinite (no fixed length of time) or permanent. An indefinite ban will involve a minimum length of time, after which the subject of the report can seek re-entry after demonstrating an effort to make good.
The LLC can refuse to allow someone to volunteer in certain roles, or in any role, without banning them from the event.
The LLC can have a serious talk with the subject of the report about how their behavior affected others and the community as a whole.
What should I do if I witness an incident?
If you directly witness an interpersonal incident that you think warrants reporting, encourage the individual involved to report it, or remind them that this is an option. But it is up to them to decide if and when to report it. In the meantime, you can report it yourself.
If an interaction has left a community member in distress or injured, and they’re not being attended to or supported by others, we recommend that you:
Ask if they are OK and offer to help.
Encourage them to go / offer to escort them to 1) their camp and fellow campmates 2) First Aid where trained volunteers can assist.
Basically, don’t leave someone alone and in distress unless that’s what they want. Sometimes, we just need some alone time to process things.
If they are clearly physically injured and are refusing assistance, notify someone with a radio so that First Aid volunteers can make an assessment.
If you witness what you believe is a crime against a community member—theft, assault, destruction of property, or trespassing by a gatecrasher (this puts the entire event at risk)—immediately report it directly to anyone with a radio.
You say that during the event, I should report incidents to Rangers. What if I need to make a report about a Ranger?
If you do not feel comfortable making a report about one Ranger to another Ranger, talk to an LLC lead instead. They are located at the Hubbub, and are often circulating through the event as well.
You say that outside the event, I should report incidents to the LLC. What if I need to make a report about an LLC member?
Contact the Rangers Team using this email address: rangers@mosaicexperiment.com
What will the LLC not do?
Will not act on secondhand reports alone: it needs a firsthand report to take action.
Will not provide “ban lists” to other burn events or to the public.
Will not publicly discuss the actions that it took in a case, or that there was a case at all. The one exception is that if a party in the case discusses it publicly, the LLC may offer public clarifications.
Does not have the power to exclude a person from the burner community at large, public spaces where the community gathers or private, non-sponsored community events (parties, private fundraisers, etc.).
Does not intend for this process to be an alternative forum for justice. It does not have the power to make things right, repair damage or reverse trauma. The LLC’s goals for this process are to foster a safer environment for community members, limit LLC’s liability and ensure the sustainability of Mosaic.
Final notes
This is a living document and is likely to change over time. If you have any questions not answered here, contact the LLC by emailing llc@mosaicexperiment.com