Antiracist Resources: Protesting
How to Protest Safely
Remember to use your critical thinking skills when evaluating a protest, march, or demonstration you may want to join. Who organized the protest? What can you find out about the organizers and their approach to action - or their previous demonstrations? That said, unexpected things can still happen. Always be prepared when you go to a protest. Below is an infographic via Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and here is link to Amnesty International's How To Protest Safely guide. Check the side-bar to the right for digital safety tools.
Credit: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Infographic Reads:
Protesting Safely
What to Wear:
Nondescript, solid color, layered clothing; cover identifying tattoos
Heat resistant gloves
Goggles & mask
Emergency contacts written down
Tie your hair up
What to Bring:
Water for drinking & tear gas
Cash/change & ID
Bandages & first aid supplies
Snacks
Washcloth
Ear plugs
Protest signs
Don't Bring:
Cell phone without first turning off Face/Touch ID, going on airplane mode, and disabling data
Jewelry
Anything you don't want to be arrested with
Contact lenses
Digital Safety
Staying safe during a protest includes not only physical safety, but making sure your digital footprint is protected. These resources offer tips and guidelines.
- Electronic Frontier FoundationThe Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. We work to ensure that rights and freedoms are enhanced and protected as our use of technology grows.
- ACLU Apps to Record Police ConductDownload your state's mobile justice app.
- RiseupRiseup provides online communication tools for people and groups working on liberatory social change. We are a project to create democratic alternatives and practice self-determination by controlling our own secure means of communications.
- Signal appSignal is an encrypted instant messaging and voice calling application for Android and iOS. It uses the Internet to send one-to-one and group messages, which can include images and video messages, and make one-to-one voice calls.
- Surveillance Self-DefenseTips, Tools and How-tos for Safer Online Communications
- Tor BrowserTor software protects you by bouncing your communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world: it prevents somebody watching your Internet connection and learning what sites you visit, it prevents the sites you visit from learning your physical location, and it lets you access sites which are blocked. Tor Browser runs on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux without needing to install any software. It can run off a USB flash drive, comes with a pre-configured web browser to protect your anonymity, and is self-contained.