--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If one sets a car on fire, that is a…" description: "\"If one sets a car on fire, that is a criminal offence. If one sets hundreds of cars on fire, that is political action.\" — Ulrike Meinhof" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/ulrike-meinhof-40153_action_if-one-sets-a-car-on-fire-that-is-a-crim_1157788.jpg" --- # If one sets a car on fire, that is a criminal offence. If… ![“If one sets a car on fire, that is a criminal offence. If one sets hundreds of cars on fire, that is political action.” quote by Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/ulrike-meinhof-40153_action_if-one-sets-a-car-on-fire-that-is-a-crim_1157788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/ulrike-meinhof-40153_action_if-one-sets-a-car-on-fire-that-is-a-crim_1157788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47a/ulrike-meinhof-40153_action_if-one-sets-a-car-on-fire-that-is-a-crim_1157788.jpg) > “If one sets a car on fire, that is a criminal offence. If one sets hundreds of cars on fire, that is political action.” [Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrike-meinhof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violent acts can shift from crime to political protest when scaled, highlighting the line between lawbreaking and activism. **In simple terms:** Mass destruction is framed as political action. Key Takeaway Recognize how scale changes perception of violence. Themes political activism violence law ethics Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - protest movements - civil unrest - state oppression - media coverage Key Concepts radicalism social change Questions to Reflect On - When does protest become terrorism? - Can non‑violent means achieve similar impact? A Different Perspective Violence harms innocents and may backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Offence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offence/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-action/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [It ought to be a criminal offence for women to dye their hair. Especially red. 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If you set a car on fire,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrike-meinhof/if-you-throw-one-stone-it-s-a-punishable-offence-if-1-000-stones-are/) [Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrike-meinhof/) > [ ...Nixon's subversion \[of the consititution\] consisted of: One presidental lie; one invocation of presidental privilege, and zero criminal offences. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/nixon-s-subversion-of-the-consititution-consisted-of-one-presidental/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [We must let the world know children’s stories and we must take effective protective, legal and political actions to ensure that as many children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-coomaraswamy/we-must-let-the-world-know-children-s-stories-and-we-must-take/) Radhika Coomaraswamy > [I also think we need unconventional political action, and I increasingly think that there is a need for people of faith to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-also-think-we-need-unconventional-political-action-and-i/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [There is a weapon we can fight with. 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Books change your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/books-are-a-form-of-political-action-books-are-knowledge-books-are/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [The essential thing is the formation of the political will of the nation: that is the starting point for political action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-essential-thing-is-the-formation-of-the-political-will-of-the/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [If Occupy Wall Street can see their way to more collaboration with the union movement, then there will be a great deal of political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/if-occupy-wall-street-can-see-their-way-to-more-collaboration-with/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) ## More by Ulrike Meinhof > [ \[I provoke\] the system \[to\] show its true face ... so that through its own acts of terrorism ... the masses will rise against it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrike-meinhof/i-provoke-the-system-to-show-its-true-face-so-that-through-its-own/) [Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrike-meinhof/) > [Objection is when I say: this doesn't suit me. Resistance is when I make sure that what doesn't suit me never happens again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrike-meinhof/objection-is-when-i-say-this-doesn-t-suit-me-resistance-is-when-i/) [Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrike-meinhof/) > [Protest is when I say...'I don't agree with something'… Resistance is when I ensure that things with which I disagree no longer take place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrike-meinhof/protest-is-when-i-say-i-don-t-agree-with-something-resistance-is-when/) [Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrike-meinhof/) > [Anti-Semitism is really a hatred of capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrike-meinhof/anti-semitism-is-really-a-hatred-of-capitalism/) [Ulrike Meinhof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrike-meinhof/) > [If you throw one stone, it’s a punishable offence. If 1,000 stones are thrown, it’s political action. 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If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. 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