As someone who's older, wise, and far less afraid of what it will do to my family if I should be arrested for doing the right thing, I'm more inclined to join protests than ever before. Being me, I researched how do to it right, and safely. This information is cobbled together from many sources.
Attending Protests
The DON’Ts
Cell Phones: Don’t even bring it. Regardless of how you turn it off, turn off location service, use airplane mode, deactivate facial or fingerprint recognition, change passwords, etc., the police or other law enforcement agencies may be able to use your phone to prove you were there and/or remained after being told to disperse. It’s not uncommon for phones temporarily confiscated to be damaged. If you can afford it and must remain in contact with someone, consider a burner phone.
Social Media: Don’t use any social media platform to plan, respond to the plans of others, or otherwise make public your attendance at a protest, before or after it occurs.
Contact Lenses: Don’t wear them. They can literally melt to the eye when police use pepper spray or tear gas. (There seems to be some disagreement on which is more harmful to contact lens wearers, but the bottom line remains the same: don’t wear them.)
Makeup: Don’t wear it, especially eye makeup, which traps tear gas or pepper spray right by the eyes. This includes facial moisturizer, which can mix with pepper spray and help it cling to skin.
Jewelry: It can identify you in photos, be lost or broken, or disappear in police custody. Remove all of it, including piercings (if possible) and wedding rings.
Valuables: Leave them where they are safe, including credit cards and most of your cash.
Knives, Drugs, Weapons, or anything else you don’t want in your possession if you are arrested.
Long Hair Worn Loose (or grab-able, like a braid, topknot, bun, or pony tail). Restrain your long hair flat against your head with low-profile barrettes.
Purse: This means of carrying what you may want or need is the least convenient and the most easy to take from you. Replace with a small backpack or a fanny pack.
Signs on Sticks: Some protest organizers report that a sign’s stick can be used to harm the person carrying it or others. It’s also the best way for your sign to be seen in a crowd. Decide carefully and adhere to any guidelines set by organizers.
COVID Precautions
Even if you are vaccinated and boosted, a close crowd raises the chance of infection transmission.
Wear a face mask at all times, over your nose and mouth. If you have them, bring spares for others.
Carry hand sanitizer and use it often.
If you feel unwell or live with people at high risk for COVID complications, don’t attend.
Basics to Bring, in a small backpack or a fanny pack
COVID mask, not readily identifiable
Hand sanitizer
Water
Portable snacks like protein bars, fruit, crackers
First aid items: bandaids, antibacterial wipes, gauze pads and tape, menstrual pads, tampons
Cash and change, but not a large amount
Your ID, stored securely--in your sock or shoe, a zipped pocket, etc., not in a backpack
Earplugs to protect against police use of stun grenades to disperse crowds, although construction-grade earmuffs are better—but bulky
Protective shattterproof goggles for tear gas or pepper spray. If you wear glasses, goggles must fit over them. Together a non-unique COVID mask and goggles makes facial recognition technology difficult or impossible to use against protesters
Necessary medications in their original Rx container
Emergency phone numbers, written in permanent marker on your arm:
- One or two family members or friends to contact if you are arrested, injured, or stranded
- An attorney
- Any hotline offering legal support to protesters
A buddy. It’s important to have someone who will be looking out for you, and you for them.
Maybe:
- Print map of the protest area, on a single sheet of paper
- Eye wipes for tear gas or pepper spray relief
- Gas mask
- Heat-proof gloves to allow the return of grenades, which are hot
What to Wear
You want to be comfortable, able to move freely, and blend in with the crowd. Don’t wear anything that allows you to stand out or be easily identifiable. Some recommendations are to wear all black or gray. Your wardrobe:
Dark pants, fully comfortable, ideally with useable pockets. No shorts; you want as little skin as possible exposed to tear gas or pepper spray.
Dark long-sleeved shirt with no brand or logo. If you have tattoos, make sure the shirt covers them. Consider medical tape over any tattoos or scars not covered by clothing.
Dark hoodie or jacket as weather dictates, with secure pockets, no logo.
Shoes comfortable for standing and walking for long periods. Toe protection from work boots or hiking boots is a plus. Consider a thin sock under your regular socks to minimize friction if you’re not used to walking distance in these shoes.
A plain hat, no logo or pattern, to protect you from sun or other weather, and to cover your hair, making you harder to identify.
Safety
Before you leave for a protest, you and your buddy need a plan to establish:
- What time will we arrive, and when do we need to leave home?
- How will we get there? If we drive, where will we park? It should be well away from the event. Ideally, you walk or bicycle there, since license plate readers help cops know what car was where and when.
- What time will we leave? When should we arrive home?
- What events or situations would cause us to leave early?
- How will we change our plan if there’s a change in situation?
- Do we agree that if one leaves, both leave, even if we disagree?
- If we are separated, where will we meet?
- If the situation seems dangerous, how will we leave? Know local streets.
Share this plan with your written-on-your-arm contact before you go. If needed, they can send you help or look for you.
During the protest, practice awareness of what’s around you. Red flags include:
- Do there seem to be people who are not prepared and came last minute? Are they talkative with strangers? They may be from “the other side,” there to incite violence, identify protesters, etc. Or they may be plainclothes police officers.
- Is the protest skewing toward destrictuon of property or violence against people? That’s a sign to leave immediately.
- Is anyone protesting also carrying a gun or other weapon? Leave immediately.
- Do many protesters seem drunk or under the influence of drugs? Such individuals may show poor judgment if confronted by police, and you don’t want to be close.
- Does your intuition or gut feeling say something’s not right? Time to leave.
If the police use physical means to disperse crowds:
- If you can, learn what means the police department has available.
- Leave the area when it begins.
- Keep away from police horses and dogs, both trained to be aggressive and able to injure you.
- Consider padded protection or civilian-grade Kevlar vests. Rubber bullets can cause injury, including breaking bones. Shatterproof goggles will help but cannot necessarily stop a rubber bullet.
- Consider putting on a helmet if they’re firing rubber bullets.
- If police are using pepper spray or tear gas, put on a gas mask. Move upwind if possible. Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth. Change your face mask if it seems contaminated.
- Be ready to help the injured. Carry extra first aid supplies, especially water to wash eyes. Some people say Johnson’s Baby Wash helps clean eyes.
- Stay calm. People panicked into running can injure others.
- Keep an eye on anyone nearby who’s elderly, disabled, or may require assistance to be safe.
If you are arrested:
- Stay calm. Do not resist arrest. Ask on what charges you are being arrested. Memorize the name of the arresting officer.
- If you can, tell witnesses your name before the police take you away.
- Control your words and body. Tell the police your name and show ID if asked. If you are injured, demand medical attention. Tell the police you are exercising your right to remain silent, and that you want to speak to an attorney. Say nothing more.
After the protest:
- Know more than one route home or back to your bicycle or vehicle.
- Be aware police may block roads or stop public transportation near the protest site.
- Once you’re home, let your emergency contacts know you are safe.
- If police used tear gas or pepper spray, wipe off anything that cannot be washed: leather shoes, goggles, and glasses. Launder all clothing and wash or wipe down backpack. Take a shower and wash your hair.
