The fight for a better world is a dangerous one. We cannot guarantee our safety in this moment. But, there is time-honored activist knowledge that can help us stay safer: know how to protest, do your research, and evaluate new information carefully.
There is a lot of conflicting information about how to stay safe while protesting. To support our many students and colleagues who are out in the streets or supporting street demonstrations, the librarians of Seattle Central College have pulled together the best evidence we could find about dealing with the safety hazards of direct political action. There is a distinct lack of research on many of these subjects, so we humbly present this as best practices. If you have resources that should be included or replaced please contact us and let us know: seattlecentral@askwa.libanswers.com
The recommendations below come from the People's CDC, along with additional recommendations from infectious disease experts at the University of Washington :
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has excellent advice on how to think about phone safety at a protest. Facebook, Twitter (now X), and Instagram have provided user data to companies that market to law enforcement. EFF says that through cell phones, "those engaging in protest may be subject to search or arrest, or have their movements and associations mapped. They could become targets of surveillance and repression."
This is a personal question to ask yourself, since a phone is often a key to getting help, getting around, and maintaining your safety plan. Your phone can also be confiscated by the police, and used to track your movements.
Here's another guide to quick measures you can take to make your data more secure at a protest.
Tensions are high at protests and people on the street can react in unexpected ways. Think about strategies for de-escalating conflict and agitated or oppositional bystanders. Sometimes protest organizers will have a crew of people trained and available to help de-escalate. Get in touch with local activists to see if you can attend a de-escalation training!
These tips for de-escalation aren't only for protest situations, but give some ideas. There is no one set of ways that will always work to bring down the energy of someone who is agitated, but preparing in advance can help you remain calm in the moment.
1. Be empathetic & non-judgmental
2. Respect personal space
3. Use non-threatening body language
4. Stay aware of your own emotions
5. Redirect challenging questions--your goal is to stay safe, not win an argument
There is a lot of conflicting advice about how to deal with the effects of tear gas and pepper spray in the moment. Based on the best evidence we could find, rinsing the eyes, from the tear ducts outward with clean water or sterile saline solution for 10 minutes is the evidence-based approach. From a 2020 article on PubMed:
The face should be wiped to remove any particles before being washed. Copious water irrigation with soap should be used to remove contaminants. If there is significant skin breakdown, saline irrigation is the best choice.
For more detailed information, see the Vision Change Win Get in Formation Community Safety Toolkit section on tear gas and pepper spray.
The American Association of Ophthalmology has an overview of Eye Safety During Protests published in April 2024. In addition to eye care after exposure to tear gas and pepper spray, this guide includes what to do if your eye is injured by a rubber bullet or other projectile.
More advice on what to wear and bring from the New York University Law School's Center on Race, Inequality & the Law and a (sadly) now defunct Black Lives Matter of Seattle King County Protestor Safety Guide.
It is important to know your rights, but be aware that police might lie or break the law in order to detain and intimidate protestors.
If you're worried you might not remember your rights in a moment of pressure, consider writing them down or printing them out to bring with you.
If you are being questioned by police and are uncertain, ask "Am I being detained?"
As adrienne maree brown says in her post Caring For Ourselves as Political Warfare,
protests and actions can give us the highest highs and the most gut wrenching terrors or deepest disappointments. in the midst of wildly inspiring actions and protests happening worldwide, there is increasing racialized violence and the urgency of trying to grab this moment, the feeling of pressing up against our edges.
To stay in the fight, we have to take good care of ourselves and those around us. Here are some resources for politicized self care to keep us all in the fight.
Here are some "rules" from a veteran activist that are good to keep in mind for long-term political work. To see an explanation of "the rules" click on the link below the list.
- The first rule, of course, is don't get caught.
- If by some chance the first rule is violated, there’s the second rule, which is admit nothing.
- Once they realize that you're not going to say anything, rule number three comes into play, because they'll start asking you to name other people. So, rule number three is don't name names.
- Rule number four is never ever put it in writing.
- Rule number five, is a corollary to that, which is always get it in writing. And always getting it in writing means basically working off your own paper.
- Rule number six is always ask the question advantageous to yourself.
- So rule number seven has to do with strategy. And that is, you have to always keep the enemy in front of you...Because without a clear understanding of opposing forces, you will have no strategy, no effective strategy.
- So rule number eight is always keep your passport valid.
- Rule number nine. It's an important rule; rule number nine says, “Even though they tell you that all your questions will be answered, all your health care needs will be taken care of and everything will be fine; never ever go to the stadium.”
