It was the belief of those with APT that it was only through nonviolent action that the nuclear testing could be stopped.
Before every action, there was a nonviolence training. These trainings included role-playing situations, development of affinity groups, logistical information about the action, and provided a sense of community among the people who came from around the world to participate.
Building on the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, nonviolence was at the center of the work of APT, and most actions had a collective agreement defining what was expected of each other in these actions.