Hello guys! Continuing with our posts supporting Black Lives Matter, we have decided to compile information about being safe while protesting. While it is impossible to be completely safe while protesting (we have all seen what has happened to many a protester during this time), we wanted to make sure that our readers have the resources to stay as safe as possible.
Hong Kong
The Hong Kong protesters have really set the precedent for organized protesting. Many of these pieces have become standard for protesters everywhere.
A List of Resources
These are some resources that we have found when researching. There are many more, but these were the most helpful.
ACLU’s Protester’s Rights Page – The most important thing you can do is to know your rights. Protesters have specific rights in the United States, and you should know about them. This page also details the rights of the protest organizer, and the rights of someone who wants to take pictures or video at a protest.
RightToProtest.org’s Protect Your Protest Page – They list important things to consider before you go, during the protest, and after. Before you go, it states that you must make sure that you will be making informed decisions, plan carefully, protect your privacy, and communicate safely.
Hopes & Fears’ How to Gear Up For a Protest – Includes a lot of information about how to protect oneself during protests. It makes a good point that gasses will bind to any makeup or oil/mineral-based moisturizers and products you might wear, so it may be best to go without if you are expecting you might be gassed in any way. Carrying a fume mask for your safety is recommended, but it is also recommended to carry it in a bag until necessary, as it may make you a target for police. We highly recommend reading the full article for more.
WIRED’s How To Protest Safely – One of the most important things in this article is the list of “What to Do If’s” at the bottom of the article, which detail basic what you should do if something happens.
ABSOLUTELY Make Sure You Have
- Water!!!!!! (you need this for many things, from drinking to eye washing from tear gas, so don’t forget this absolute necessity!!)
- An Emergency Phone Number written on your person (not carried on a piece of paper)
Please continue to support these causes and organizations:
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
National Police Accountability Project
Unicorn Riot Alternative Media
And as always, keep fighting, stay safe, and say their names
