New thread for sharing tips on how to peacefully protest and stay safe!!

# HOW TO PROTEST SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY # BEFORE YOU GO * **Know the plan** 1. Go to the protest section of the Women's March site to find a local march. You can also search for protests in your area on Facebook. If you live in the South, you can check out this post. 2. Make sure you know the time, place, route, and goals of the march. 3. If you have specific concerns about the march (e.g. will you be allowed to bring your purse? will there be childcare services?) call the organizers. If you don't have time, comment below and I'll try to look into it. * **Know your rights** 1. Look up the laws in your state, county, and city regarding protesting. The ACLU has lots of helpful information on this topic. 2. Bring a hard copy of the laws that are relevant to protesting in your area. 3. Bring a print-out of your rights during a traffic stop, because you never know when you might be stopped on the way to or from a march. * **Know yourself** 1. Be honest about whether or not you should go to a march. For example, if you are immunocompromised, you may not want to go to a densely crowded march. 2. If you have a disability, you may want to call the organizers ahead of time to confirm that the route is accessible to you. If it is not, you may want to consider organizing your own march, or carpooling with other disabled folks to make accessibility arrangements. # PREPARATION IS KEY * **Get ready** 1. Charge your phone (or bring a battery back-up). Make sure to bring a portable charger if you plan on documenting the whole march. 2. Bring a water and snacks if you think you'll need them. 3. If you have a medical condition, don't forget to pack your medication, EpiPen, insulin, inhaler, etc. 4. Bring layers! It's always hard to predict the temperature at a densely crowded event. 5. Write the phone number of the ACLU or NAACP or your local bail fund on your body in permanent marker, in case you get arrested. 6. Don't bring anything you don't want to get lost or confiscated! For example, if you are planning on going into work after the march, you may want to leave your nice purse at home. * **Be prepared for conflict** 1. If you are a white or able-bodied protester, be prepared to take a "protective" role for protesters who are more likely to face police violence. For example, if you are at a protest and see a black woman being attacked by police, try to get yourself between the police and the woman without drawing attention to yourself. Sometimes, this means putting your body on the line. Be prepared to do so. 2. If you are new to protesting, consider going with a "protest buddy" who is more experienced. 3. Don't bring anything that you think that the police might construe as a weapon. 4. If you have anything on you that you think might make you seem "suspicious" to the police (like marijuana or a concealed firearm), seriously consider leaving it at home. Police are much more likely to harass/search/arrest you if they think you are "armed and dangerous." 5. Never, ever ever ever run from a policeman. This will make them think you are guilty, and they will aggressively pursue you. If you see the police coming towards you, stand your ground! 6. If you see someone being arrested, stand nearby and take video. Do not move until the person being arrested has been placed in a police car. IF YOU LEAVE BEFORE THEY ARE DRIVEN AWAY, YOU WILL NOT KNOW WHAT POLICE STATION THEY WERE TAKEN TO. Try to hear what charges the person is being arrested for, and take note of the badge number of the arresting officer. 7. IF YOU YOURSELF ARE BEING ARRESTED, DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE. Keep your hands visible and slowly get into the arrested position (usually pushing yourself up against a wall and spreading your legs). The police maymirandize you, but they may not. It's very important that you do not talk to the police at all, except to clarify whether or not you are free to go. 8. If you are thrown to the ground or otherwise manhandled by police, try your hardest to stay calm and stay still. If you are injured, ask for help slowly and calmly. # AT THE MARCH * **Stay in groups** 1. If you came to the march with friends, stick together! Make sure all of your friends know the exact route of the march so you canmeet up at the end if you get separated. If someone in your group is getting arrested, STAY WITH THEM. Take video. Try to hear the charges. Take note of the badge number. 2. If you didn't come with friends, try to make some! Protest buddies are really important for safety and morale. 3. If you notice someone who looks scared/upset/confused, check in with them. Help them contact lost friends or get to the hospital. Be compassionate. Be gentle. 4. Consider organizing your own "body bloc." A "body bloc" is like a protest buddy, except instead of just one person, it's a whole group of people who agree to look out for one another. Usually, the people in a "body bloc" have a shared identity that makes them more vulnerable to police harassment (e.g. queers, people of color, black people). Having a "body bloc" can help increase your sense of safety at a march, especially if you are new to protesting. * **Follow the plan (most of the time)** 1. Stay on the pre-planned route. If you're not sure where you are, ask someone around you. 2. If the march organizers are telling you to do something, you should probably do it! However, remember that the organizers do not have the ability to force you to do anything. 3. If you see something that you think is fucked up, trust your gut! Talk to your protest buddies and decide whether or not to stay at the march. Use your best judgment, and prioritize your safety. IF YOU FEEL SCARED ORUnsafe, GET YOURSELF TO A SAFE PLACE. * **Be respectful** 1. There may be different types of protesters at a march (e.g. there may be people from radical black power groups, socialist groups, feminist groups, LGBTQ+ groups, religious groups, etc.). Try to be respectful of the different protest tactics that people are using. 2. If you don't like the way someone is protesting, ask yourself whether or not you have a valid reason for that opinion. For example, if you are mad that people are kneeling in respect to the flag, you should reconsider, because the flag represents freedom of speech, even freedom to protest the government. 3. If you see someone being harassed or attacked for who they are, STAND UP FOR THEM. Use your privilege to protect marginalized folks. Listen to them, and amplify their voices. # AFTER THE MARCH * **Stay tuned** 1. Keep an eye on the news, even after the event is over. Check the protest's Facebook page or Twitter to see if organizers are saying anything about the march. 2. If someone you know was arrested at the protest, regularly check the website of your local jail to see if they have been released. * **Practice self-care** 1. Protesting can be very physically and emotionally taxing, especially if you have PTSD or a chronic illness. Make sure you are taking time to catch your breath and recharge after the protest. 2. Check in with your protest buddies. Make sure they are doing ok, and ask if there is anything you can do to support them.

New thread for sharing tips on how to peacefully protest and stay safe!!

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