Supplies

• Drinking water
• Energizing snacks
• Cash, change, ID
• Prescription glasses (NOT contact lenses, to avoid further chemical weapon irritation)
• Permanent marker
• Easy access backpack or tote bag for all supplies
• Sunscreen (oil-free, to avoid further chemical weapon irritation)

At any protest, you should plan for the possibility of arrest or medical emergency. You will want to bring:

• Several days of prescription medication, in its labeled original container if possible
• Menstrual pads (no guaranteed access to change tampons)
• Rescue medication you use (inhaler, epipen, etc.)
• Assistive devices you use (cane, etc.)

Clothing

Plain, solid-color long-sleeve shirt and plain, solid-color pants

Dress for anonymity. Cover as much of your skin as possible to

• prevent chemical weapons from sitting on your skin
• obscure any identifiable tattoos or markings.

Mask or bandana

Shield your face to protect your identity and limit the spread of COVID-19.

Comfortable shoes

Only wear closed-toe shoes that are easy to walk, stand, and run in for hours.

Sealed change of clothes

Keep a change of clothes in a plastic bag inside your supply bag. You can use these to change to avoid continued skin irritation from tear gas. Changing your clothes will also protect you against surveillance after the action.

Protection

The more geared up you are, the more likely police will want to start shit with you. Protect yourself to your own comfort level.

Shatter-resistant goggles

Any eye protection that won’t shatter is better than no eye protection. “Less lethal” ammo causes permanent injury and death. Improperly-deployed tear gas canisters can cause permanent injury and death. Pepper spray aimed at the eyes from a point blank range can cause blindness. Use swim goggles or safety goggles instead of safety glasses. Your sunglasses or prescription glasses are NOT enough protection.

Look for products with the following ratings:

• ANSI D5: filters fine dust (for tear gas)
• Z87+: particles + high impact (an in-between option at a lower cost)
• MIL PRF 32432 — military-grade ballistics (for rubber bullets)

Head and face covering

Hong Kong protestors use standard yellow construction helmets for protection.

Consider using helmets made for high-impact or extreme sports.

• Hockey or football helmets protect against head trauma.
• Airsoft metal mesh half-masks protect the lower half your face. They withstand BB shots when worn with a mouth guard.

At the very least, wear a hat and hoodie. This is to cover the top of your head and face from surveillance and direct pepper spray.

Padding

The more space between you and a rubber bullet, the better. Consider knee or elbow pads to protect joints from injury during falls. Use adult diapers as padding. Keep your gear light for your own stamina and speed.

Know your rights

Be as informed as possible before you head out for an action.

• You have the right to remain silent: National Lawyers Guild’s “Know Your Rights.” This is a pocket-sized PDF booklet for dealing with law enforcement.
• Civil Liberties Defense Center: “Know Your Rights” for activists: 1-hour activist training video and slide deck
• ACTUP NY: Demonstrator rights: What the first Amendment and civil disobedience means when you are at a protest.
• Up Against the Law: Interactions with law enforcement: What to expect and how to best interact with law enforcement.

Remember our goals are not aligned with law enforcement. Remember that they can and will use anything you say against you and others.

Consider your arrestability

Consider the following:

• Your own private legal concerns
• Jeopardy of employment or professional license
• Obligations to your family or work

Keep to those boundaries.

Find a buddy and commit with them

Don’t go alone! It’s always better to have a partner. Talk about your vulnerabilities, comfort level, and special skills. Determine and agree to your desired risk level and stick to it.

Determine your place

Every action has many roles to fill — figure out where you can help the most. You don’t need to be a hero, you just need to be a body.

• Hong Kong protest role infographic

Learn about weapons they will use against you

Other countries have banned the “less lethal” ammunition that American police still use. This is because it can cause permanent harm and fatality.

• Tear gas (RCA, CS gas)
• Pepper spray (OC pepper)
• Rubber bullets (rubber baton rounds)
• Wooden bullets (wooden baton rounds)

Get familiar with:

• their effects
• potential complications
• how to care for yourself after the fact ahead of time.

Do not provide medical care beyond your training. There are many urban legends about how to best treat tear gas and pepper spray — water is safest. Your goals are to keep it out of your eyes, out of your lungs, and off your skin.

• Riot Medicine researched, public-domain PDF book
• What to do if you’re exposed to tear gas article by PopSci

Protect your identity

Take steps to protect your digital data security and your physical safety. You cannot over prepare for this.

• Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Surveillance Self-Defense: Attending a protest
• Civil Liberties Defense Center: Digital Security program

Coordinate with an emergency contact

Determine an emergency contact who will not be on-site. Let them know you are demonstrating and let them know when you are safe at home. This person may be your phone call in case of arrest or who the hospital will notify in case of medical emergency.

Make a jail support plan

Look up your city’s legal aid options for civil rights protestors. If you aren’t sure where to start, National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is a nationwide network. Write the legal aid phone number on your arm in permanent marker. They are equipped to help in the event of arrest.

• Popular Resistance: Best practices for jail support
• ACTUP NY: You are under arrest
• ACTUP NY: Civil disobedience training
• Up Against the Law: Jail solidarity

Determine escape routes and meeting sites

Have at least one escape route planned with your buddy. Have a meeting place if you and your buddy/group get separated. Consider agreeing on a meeting time as well. In a high-stress situations, you want to avoid improvisation.

More ways to help that need preparation

• Take part in street medic training. If you have at least 20 hours of healthcare/medical training, volunteer as a street medic. This includes (nurse, EMT, herbalist, etc.). Established groups of street medics, like NYC Action Medical provide bridge training.
• Donate supplies to organizers and street medics. Get in touch with your local activists to see where you can help with supplies. Often money is the best donation so organizers can get exactly what they need.
• Bring extra supplies to hand out. Consider bringing universal supplies like the following:
  • snacks without common allergens
  • extra water
  • bug spray
  • sunscreen
  • hand sanitizer
  • bandages

Take on as much risk as you can so that risk does not fall on the shoulders of Black protestors. Do everything possible to protect trans and undocumented Black people. Protect their identity and security. White folks MUST leverage their privilege to protect Black folks from harm.

Be a human shield

If you see a Black person approaching law enforcement with no barricade, get between them. If they are on the ground, get on top of them. If they are kneeling or standing, get in front of them.

Lock arms as a human barricade

Stand at the front line between Black protestors and police. Create a barricade by locking arms with others. Announce your intention: “white bodies, lock arms!”

Be a wellness volunteer

Support your fellow protestors without specialized training. Distribute supplies like water, snacks, and sunscreen. Drive people. Move supplies. Receive training in basic first aid or eye flushing. Shout “MEDIC” when someone needs more advanced help.

Show up

There is strength in numbers. Be part of the mass crowd — that’s what makes a protest a protest! Wield a sign. Chant. Be a champion of the cause. Show up.

Take part

More important than anything else, you’re there to show up for your cause. Take part and follow the direction of organizers.

Protect your identity

Guard your anonymity. Conceal as many identifiable characteristics as possible. Avoid surveillance. It might sound like overkill, but it’s not.

Protect the identity of others

DO NOT upload photos or videos with metadata, protestors’ faces or identifiable markings. Consider not taking photos or videos at all. Take a screenshot of your photo instead of posting the original photo. Doing this removes identifying metadata.

If you are a photo journalist or videographer, follow responsible practices.

At larger demonstrations, Legal Observers will be on site to document events.

Locate legal support

National Lawyers Guild (NLG) Legal Observers wear neon green. Alongside legal observation, NLG members often provide legal defense.

Locate street medics

Street medics are volunteers trained to provide first aid care. They wear the universal Red Cross symbol on their clothing, bag, or body with duct tape.

Stay as calm as possible

If you start to get stressed, take a minute to relax. Even if they have violated your rights, try to remain calm. Your adrenaline and survival instincts will kick in. Remember your cause goes beyond this one action. The movement needs you.

Your tools and equipment depend on what type of role you have at a protest.

Umbrella

An open, sturdy umbrella can conceal activity and protect against chemical weapons.

Heat-resistant gloves

Deployed tear gas canisters are hot. Heat resistant gloves include oven mitts and gloves for hair-styling tools.

Lightweight shield

Shields protect against rubber bullets and other impact. Use foam (like a camping pad) to cover a garbage can or plastic storage bin lid to make your own.

Laser pointer

Handheld, high-powered laser pointers can hinder aim, obscure vision, and block cameras.

Spray bottle or flip-top bottle

Fill the bottle with either:

• clean water to flush eyes and clean skin from chemical weapons, or
• a baking-soda–water solution to help break down the tear gas particles.

Traffic cone

Traffic cones can be set on top of a deployed tear gas canister. Pour a baking soda–water solution through top hole of the cone to help neutralize the tear gas particles.

Oil paint, thickened acrylic paint, Gulal powder

When thrown, these pigments can obscure shield/visor vision. Thicken acrylic paint with flour or cornstarch.

Leaf blower

Leaf blowers can diffuse tear gas out of the way of protestors.

Plywood board

Sturdy marching signs can double as a shield.

Bricks, stones, fencing

Strategically placed (and glued) debris can create barricades to block movement/vehicle traffic.