Protest Tips
NEW: The (il)legality of militias in Washington state. Below tells how to recognize a group as a private militia and how to report them if they're participating in voter intimidation.
| illegal_militias_washington.pdf |
Protesting Tips Compilations:
How to Protest Safely During a Pandemic, nymag (the Strategist)
Street Guide for Protesters. Contains:
- the essentials
- optional suggestions
- tear gas & pepper spray
- the big picture
Warrior Crowd Control & Riot Manual, Contains:
- Equipment (pages 2-5)
- Crowd Control Tactics (pages 5)
- Know your enemy: the Riot cop (page 12)
- NOTE: some of these tactics are only for EXTREME measures and many are violent. Seek peaceful methods at all means possible if can be. If you are White, do Not start violence/escalate the situation--your actions will be blamed on Black people.
From Hong Kong to the World, card. Contains:
- Outfits/gear
- Roles
- Tactics/Strategies
- Police Weapons
- Barricades
- Supplies
- Communication
- Arrested/Shot/In Danger
What to Bring (bolded the essentials):
- Water bottles: for hydration and eye flushes (sports caps water bottles are best for this)
- Masks: to hide your identify (facial recognition and police tracking down protestors) and to avoid spread of COVID-19. Best to bring extra in case masks are maced/pepper sprayed and thus are unwearable.
- Goggles/Eye Protection: to protect your eyes from tear gas and mace. Do NOT wear contact lenses, even if you have goggles over them.
- First Aid: Band-aids, alchol wipes, antibiotic cream (neosporin), Tourniquet supplies (last resort only!)
- Sharpie: Write down allergies (serious ones, allergies to medication) on left forearm. Write down bail numbers, lawyer numbers, and/or the ACLU's phone number(s). Do NOT write down loved ones' numbers on yourself as they can be tracked down by police/law enforcement.
- Cash: To avoid being tracked (location). For transportation, if not blocked/shut down. For last-minute supplies.
- Snacks
- Ear plugs: to protect your ears. Note: they cannot fully protect from LRADs (sound cannons).
- Washcloth
- Heat-resistant gloves
- Hair-ties: you do not want your hair in your face as it will absorb tear gas. Tie it up. Hair ties can also be used in the rare case that a tourniquet is necessary.
- Change of clothes, especially T-shirts. Avoid clothing with logos. Consider wearing shoes that are good for running, offer ankle support, and are NOT easily identifiable and won't be woren regularly.
What Not to Bring:
- Cellphone: If you bring it, then:
- turn face ID/touch ID off
- disable location/tracking data
- turn it on airplane mode
- consider a Faraday bag to put it in, or making a signal-blocking pouch
- passcode-locked
- log out of social media accounts (consider deleting the apps)
- turn off notifications/sensitive alerts
- record the police, avoid recording protesters (essential if your storage is connected to the cloud/an equivalent).
- consider buying a burner phone (in cash).
- use encrypted services. (i.e. Signal)
- Makeup: Do NOT wear makeup, as it will absorb tear gas. Avoid wearing face paint above or near your eyes for this same reason. Face paint can help confuse facial recognition, but due to these risks it is better to pad your nose and jawline under a mask that covers most of your face than risk damage to your skin and eyes.
- Anything you don't want to be arrested with (such as knives, mace, drugs, alcohol etc.)
- Jewelry
Tactics to Know:
- Hong Kong tactics, general. "Be Water"
- Kettling, how to avoid being kettled
- Evade Surveillance, Hong Kong Protests
- Move in groups to avoid individual targetting
- Black clothes at protest, "civilian" clothes after protests
- Cover as much skin as possible, especially tattoos. Take any piercings out (septums can be hidden in nose if cannot be taken out). If you have identifiably dyed hair, cover it with a scarf, hat, or even a wig/natural extensions.
- Listen to police scanners (apple app)
- Photographing Police Brutality Protests
- Data Protection
- How to Spot A Cop
How to deal with tear gas and rubber bullets:
- POPSCI's Tear Gas Guide
- How to treat someone who's been tear gassed, twitter (spoiler: do NOT use milk on eyes)
- How to extinguish tear gas canisters, instagram. Verbal instructions in caption, video from Chile.
- CDC's facts and treatment for tear gas
- How to treat bullet wounds, tear gas, and pepper spray, instagram.
- How to put out tear gas, twitter. Hong Kong protesters with cone method.
- CNET's Tear gas: How to protect yourself and what to do if you are exposed to it
- How to protect your eyes from rubber bullets
Know Your Rights:
How to be a White/Non-BIPOC Ally:
- Amplify Black voices. Don’t lead chants. Make space for BIPOC folx to lead chants.
- Don’t post photos/videos/iglive with protestors' faces. Protestors will face repercussions if they are identified, so blur faces and only document encounters with law enforcement.
- Be a physical barrier. Use your body and you privilege to create a barrier between Black people and the police. Police are less likely to harm you.
- Don’t provoke or antagonize the police. BIPOC folx will face much harsher retaliation than you from police.
- Don’t police or tone down BIPOC protesters.
- If someone is getting arrested, ask their name and birthdate. Share this info with organizers so they can be bailed out.
- Stay on message. Don’t use a anti-racist protest to push another agenda or cause.