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Get creative with the "canvas" that a broad, flat shield offers you. Some protestors involved in the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri were able to use their plywood shields as protest signs by painting the fronts of the shields with messages and slogans. [11]

Be resourceful and look for things around you that can be effective shields. Protesters involved in the 2014 anti-government riots in the Ukraine improvised heavy-duty shields made from materials like sheet metal and old iron doors. [12]

Note that lexan is expensive and you may want to opt for less expensive materials.

For protection beyond what you can get from sturdy clothes and makeshift armor, consider building a shield. Depending on the size, thickness, and material of your shield, it may potentially provide protection for you and others against rubber bullets, rocks, and batons (especially if used in conjunction with others' shields). Ideally, a shield should be as hard and sturdy as possible, have a U or V shape facing towards your person, and have a padded arm strap and grip handle set at a 65 degree angle to make blocking projectiles and strikes as well as supporting the shield easier. Additionally, a second handle on the middle of the shield can be added for an extra sturdy grip. This is most effective for deflecting blows from melee weapons. As a better form of deflecting projectiles, you can use a handle parallel with the ground. This handle design is used in heavier ballistic shields that are employed by the police. You also may want to add a way to see through the shield, but be cautious, as an empty hole in the shield large enough for even rubber bullets is dangerous. Try a metal mesh reinforced with lexan or plexiglass behind it. The shield should not be so large or heavy that it makes it hard to move.