Tag: protest tips

Etiquette for the Streets

Essential affinity group questions to ask yourselves before actions:

1. Are you able to and willing to be in situations that may involve a risk of arrest and or police violence?

2. Are there any reasons why you CANNOT go to jail? Do you need meds/medical attention if incarcerated, people others not incarcerated that you think should be notified/called/emailed?

3. What is our plan, what are our goals, and how do we do our exit strategy? Roles within affinity groups:

• First aid, medic, snacks water carrier

• Facilitator

• Spokesperson

• Cop watcher

• Safe retreat lookout

• Use the buddy system, move in a group

Essentials:

• Bandannas soaked in vinegar in plastic baggies

• Shooting glasses/sunglasses, googles

• Fresh shirt in a plastic bag, hella water!!!

• Cloth, and gauze for chemicals

• Gas mask/ chemical and or gas respirator for hazardous gases

• Heavy duty welder’s gloves for throwing tear gas canisters back at pigs

• Snacks, cash, maps optional Clothing:

• All black, and/or dark colors

• Good running shoes

• Cup/ sports bra

• Layers!!! Cover logos with duct tape

• Water repellent everything if possible

• Hammer, paint, rocks, bats, brass, fireworks, lighters

Other Recommendations:

• Disposable gloves, no DNA traces

• Don’t all carry your phone at demo

• Emergency phone numbers and contact info written multiple times on your body

• No contact lenses

• Hide piercings, hair, tattoos, etc.

Important Notes:

• Rendezvous if split up

• Never run when the police use anti crowd devices

• Comfort levels before during and after should always be vocalized

• If disagreements arise break up into smaller groups of at least 2

• Discuss plans for possible scenarios

• Don’t carry identification

• Do not resist arrest or touch an officer

• Identifying safe spaces

• Always have exit plans in mind

• Embrace crowd dynamics/mood and tune into the local police force’s personality

• Send scouts to scope the area—a communications team

• Don’t act on rumors—if you did not see it, it did not happen

• Assume that the pigs may be coming

• Keep 360 degree view with your team

• Prepare to maybe be photographed/filmed

• Keep others calm

• Never let the police snatch your friends, learn to de-arrest others!

Police tactics:

• Dispersing crowds

• Surprise attacks and sporadic arrests/force

• Surrounding, isolating and dividing crowds

• Blocking entrance and exit, kettling crowds

• Snatch squads secretly target leader-like individuals from the crowd

• If caught, do not make sudden movements and keep your hands in view

 

An F.A.Q. on Local Protest for IE Folks

This post addresses common concerns and responses for the growing movement for abolition in the Inland Empire. Since we are trying to promote unrest and social change in the IE, we get a lot of questions about protests and actions. We put together this post for folks who are new to protesting and commonly asked the following questions. These perspectives can give us a sense of how to orient ourselves in our growing social movements. It is still only the beginning!

Who are the organizers?

95% of the time, this does NOT matter. We all know the stories of well-known and prolific organizers whose names were publicized and became targets of white supremacist, police, and FBI harassment. Knowing names and faces of those who organize actions not only puts them at risk, but has nothing to do with the REASONS people should be turning out to actions in the first place. If you agree with the need for social change, you don’t need to know who the organizers are because you are showing up for the what you believe in and not showing up for some social media celebrity with clout. In the almost non-existent cases where the protests may be organized by cops or sus people, still show up. Be cognizant of your surrounds and simply stay on the outskirts of the demonstration or in the back of the march if you are wary of who is there or who organized it.

Will it be peaceful?

This question also misses the point of actions and demonstrations, mostly due to the fact that this is impossible to guarantee. The only people who guarantee this are the police themselves which, in this case, are the very institution that people are protesting against. All other people who attempt to guarantee peace at actions are known as “peace police” because they replicate the actions of police themselves. They tend to be annoying people with vests and megaphones and should be ignored. Most importantly, the only way to guarantee your safety is for you and the homies you’re with to have each other’s backs because only we keep us safe. If you disagree with the abolitionist actions of property destruction, simply move out the way, but don’t act like the same police that you claim to protest – DON’T SNITCH.

Is this a permitted march?

This is also a question that misses the point: we roll out to the streets with the intention of shutting down this white supremacist system and all means are needed to accomplish that. Sometimes this means that actions transform and change moods, and actions are reflections of that. If the protest has the appearance of illegality – such as if people march without permits or begin to walk on the streets instead of sidewalks – these are only superficial appearances. Police act in illegal ways all the time and even following all of the “rules” at protests does not guarantee that the police won’t turn violent. The safety of those around you depends on your own boundaries, limits, preparation, and flexibility to respond to changing situations. Freedom is always risky and only your homies will ever have your back, not protest “leaders” or cops. The protest is ultimately about getting in touch with our own autonomy.

I don’t like how others are doing it, can I just organize one myself?

Yes! The more actions the better. There is a role for everybody in our movements. Accessibility is key to freeing our communities and so, invention is also needed to figure out ways to fully involve everyone. The more people who organize projects and actions, the more people who will be pulled into the inspiring work of liberation and abolition. It is within everyone’s autonomy to take action for themselves and their loved ones, and you don’t need to be a celebrity or experienced activist to do so. The point is to begin anywhere with those around you; all we need to free ourselves is already in our midst.

Further Reading:

“Revolutionary Solidarity: A Critical Reader for Accomplices”

“Who Is Oakland: Anti-Oppression Activism, the Politics of Safety, and State Co-optation”

“Anarchism and the Crisis of Representation” by Jesse Cohn