05/29/2020
TLDR: if you’re participating in direct action, this is a quick refresh!
Short protest guide. Copy text and share:
Street protests are erupting in major cities across America. We should be preparing. Get your friends/ crew/ affinity groups together. Decide on roles (everyone of them is critical).
Antifascists have been fine-tuning violent encounters with fascists and their police protectors for years. Wear black head-to-toe. Masks up (you can do this with a black t-shirt, google Piqueteros). Comfortable footwear for being on your feet potentially for an entire day.
The more uniform everyone looks the harder it is for the state to identify who did what (no face no case). Wear another color under your black in case you need to strip it off to blend into the general population. Bring extra PPE to assist everyone in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
Strikers should move to the role of unarresting/ interveneing physically against police violence. Pad your dominant forearm to absorb baton blows (it may save you a broken arm).
It's everyone's job to assist medics in collecting supplies and lending a hand when called on during an emergency. Call for a medic with both arms crossed over your head. "Medic"!!
In the event chemical irritants are deployed, eyes are washed with water (street medics have moved away from maylox in recent years). Do not wear contacts if you can help it/ wear eye protection. When medics offer a snack or water, take it (you need it). If someone goes down sheild them with your body as they are vulnerable to attack/ trampling. Keep the cameras off injured peoples (short spray paint cans are good for taking care of camera lenses that refuse to move). After the action check in with medics. Medics are notoriously the worst at self-care during crisis and deal with major trauma. Show them care and emotional support.
Stay mobile, avoid being cornered/ kettled/ flanked. Cops will yell loudly/ concussion grenades are fu***ng loud. Their noise is meant to rattle and disorient you. Tear gas cannisters will burn a naked hand. They should be returned with at least a 100% cotton gloved hand to the cops that shot them/ covered with something like a traffic cone.
Never turn your back to an attacker, do not run. Eyes constantly scan outside the crowd. Remain hyper-vigilant at all times. Leave no one behind.
In the event of arrest, do not tell cops anything, not even what you had for breakfast (everybody walks when nobody talks) Legal teams are already working to get you out/ bail is already being raised internationally. When the protest is over everyone who is able should go to the jail to stand in solidarity until everyone is released (there are exceptions, legal will help make that call). Write the legal number on your body in multiple places with sharpie.
In the event trans/ non-binary comrades are arrested or detained, cis people MUST go to jail with them. If you have to cross the police line or sit in the middle of the street to get this done, do it. We never let trans/ non-binary comrades go to jail alone. This also applies to white people when POC are arrested. We protect the most marginalized in our ranks.
One person not in the street needs critical info for those arrested. Real names/ DOB/ medications/ etc. Write it down somewhere safe off-site, burn it later. Do NOT use Google Docs or other online forms. These are insecure and subject to subpoena.
This is non-sectarian defense. We may have beef outside the protest, but in the street we stand shoulder-to-shoulder. We protect each other, we have each other's backs.
I am open to questions/ edits. Had a lot of questions in recent days so wanted to put something out there. Copy this text and share, please.
