A transgender activist group known as Bash Back has issued a guide to its members, advocating for "direct action" that includes illegal attacks on politicians and organizations. The document instructs activists to establish "independent local cells" and identify targets such as Members of Parliament, various organizations, and political party conferences. It further advises that targets should be "hit repeatedly" until they cease activities deemed "transphobic" by the group.

The guide outlines tactics for actions it acknowledges would be "rarely legal," warning participants of potential charges for offenses including criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, and aggravated trespass. Practical advice within the document covers methods for carrying out attacks and evading detection. It recommends equipment such as a hammer, suggesting tools be cleaned with alcohol or disposed of in "unsurveilled residential bins" after use. The guide also advises stealing equipment to prevent tracing and using encrypted messaging services like Signal, with disappearing messages enabled. Participants are encouraged to use pink paint to ensure their actions are identifiable as Bash Back's work. A promotional image accompanying the guide features a masked figure holding a hammer, the slogan "smash transphobia," and an invitation to "choose your weapon."

Bash Back describes itself as a "nonviolent direct action group" but acknowledges its methods involve unlawful activity. The group was established following a Supreme Court ruling last year that affirmed the definition of a woman in the Equality Act is based on biological sex. While women's rights campaigners welcomed the ruling, groups such as Stonewall and TransActual characterized it as "devastating" for transgender individuals. Bash Back states its tactics aim at "striking where it hurts," arguing that traditional modes of protest are ineffective in a country it perceives as increasingly hostile to trans people, citing financial opposition from figures like author J.K. Rowling. In a manifesto included in its document, the group asserts that transgender people have been "made the victim" by politics, healthcare, and society, expressing frustration over the perceived lack of impact from conventional protests.

The group has claimed responsibility for previous actions, including targeting the constituency office of MP Wes Streeting, the prison contractor Sodexo, and the Free Speech Union. These actions, it stated, were carried out in solidarity with Prisoners for Palestine. Bash Back also targeted the offices of the Equality and Human Rights Commission last year.

Author and women's rights campaigner J.K. Rowling last year urged politicians to address what she described as threats of violence from activists. Referencing Bash Back's plans, Rowling highlighted "threats and harassment" and accused groups of "doxxing" opponents. A spokesman for the government previously commented on Bash Back's rhetoric, describing it as "dangerous" and a "distraction" from efforts to improve the lives of transgender people. Bash Back has previously stated its actions aim to advocate for trans people and that it does not condone violence or seek to cause harm to human beings.