Protests

This is a collection of resources for people looking to attend non-violent protests, a form of direct action.

Gear

Protests are outside and involve a lot of marching and chanting. The most important thing to bring is lots of water. Make sure to apply and re-apply sunscreen as well. Hats help here too. A thin long sleeve shirt can help protect your skin from not just skin but also things like tear gas.

Making yourself harder to identify makes it harder for you to be tracked or targeted. Wearing your shirt inside out (to hide any graphics) and otherwise wearing baggy (so not form fitting) and generic clothing helps. Masks and shades help make your face harder to identify too. If you have tattoos, keep them covered.

Beyond that, having snacks and first aid items for yourself and those around you can help. It's okay if you don't have access to those, and you should be wary of over-encumbering yourself. You should ideally be able to run in an emergency with all that you're carrying. Likewise, your shoes should be close toed and something you should be able to comfortably stand and march in for a long time, and also run in if the situation arises.

Your electronic devices are being used to track you. If you're okay not being reachable, leaving your phone at home is best. Make sure to tell someone (in person) when you expect to be back. If you need to bring your phone, at least keep the networking services off until you're away from the protest. That said, this is something that some have switched stances on. Social media has been a really powerful tool for documenting these protests and increasing their impact. While there are some decrying the poor opsec (operational security), there isn't necessarily a right answer here. Just do what you feel comfortable doing, and respect comrades' requests to not be on camera (and certainly don't call out their names). You don't need to extend the courtesy to counter protestors and certainly not cops, though. Make sure any biometrics are turned off - you should require a pin or password to open the phone, so cops can't look through it.

You either won't have your phone, or your phone can be taken from you. Either way, you should know the information of an emergency contact memorized and, ideally, written on your body so someone else can reach out to them if you're unable to. Just a number will do.

Interacting with Others

If you're not already in any local activism groups, protests are a great way to find out about them. These are your local comrades, and being connected with them will help you know about future mobilizations or other community building events. Remember, the key to lasting change is to build stronger communities that can rely on one another, and you definitionally can't do that alone.

Remember, the cops are not your friends. Don't talk to them, and certainly don't report things to them. Find community members if you need help. Similarly, don't police other protestors. They're doing what they're personally comfortable with, and this isn't the time to try to change their mind. If their actions are making you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, move away from them and, if necessary, seek help from other protestors.

Stay in groups. Ideally you'd come with a friend and ensure you don't get separated. Otherwise, really try to make a friend while there.

Have fun!

What you're doing is important, but it doesn't have to be a slog. Activism needs to be sustainable, and it's really common for people to get motivated by a large event and go to several protests in quick succession, get burnt out, and leave activism.

With that in mind, it's important to rest and have fun, so these are things you enjoy going to and want to continue doing.

If you're getting bored of marching and chanting, you can find some buddies to play some protest games with.

Goals

Don't expect to change the government system overnight. The more important thing is to get yourself and those around you involved. Make your voice heard, and get people acting collectively. Connect new protestors to local orgs and other ways they can contribute to the fight against capitalism.

That said,

Further Reading