Protests 101 – Being safe in case things go wry

OK, I am going to be completely honest here. No matter how safe and tame people want a protest or manifestation to be, sometimes things go bad during it, and when it does, it does really fast. From opposing factions seeking a fight to the deployment of police officers, I aim to share a few safety tips I’ve learnt from experience, being part of both violent protests and non-violent ones in the recent years. This guide aims mostly on helping escaping when things go bad, not fighting back. I am not responsible if you, reader, use any of this tips to help you fighting.

Firstly, and the most important of all, never go to any kind of manifestation alone. Always have a group of friends to back up towards, and always designate a group leader to call the shots of were to run to when things go bad. This helps a lot in both the non-violent ones and the violent ones. In the case of the more tame ones, things tend to get boring with just the chanting and the walking, so having friends to share the experience is always a plus. In the event of things going bad, you will have more places to return to. It is really awful having no safe heaven to withdrawn to when the pigs start shooting rubber bullets and throwing gas at you.

Always have a group of friends to back up towards, and always designate a group leader to call the shots of were to run to when things go bad. This helps a lot in both the non-violent ones and the violent ones. In the case of the more tame ones, things tend to get boring with just the chanting and the walking, so having friends to share the experience is always a plus. In the event of things going bad, you will have more places to return to. It is really awful having no safe heaven to withdrawn to when the pigs start shooting rubber bullets and throwing gas at you. Have common sense. Don’t be an idiot. This is a good tip for everything you are doing with your life, even more when you are in a dangerous situation.

Don’t be an idiot. This is a good tip for everything you are doing with your life, even more when you are in a dangerous situation. Have thick clothing on you, even during the summer. If it is too hot, carry it inside your backpack. I never had the pleasure of getting shot by rubber bullets, but I have friends who suffered this fate. The ones wearing thick clothing got the better end of the deal, even if it is a minimum difference, it is still better healing from.

If it is too hot, carry it inside your backpack. I never had the pleasure of getting shot by rubber bullets, but I have friends who suffered this fate. The ones wearing thick clothing got the better end of the deal, even if it is a minimum difference, it is still better healing from. About that backpack, in case you don’t have one on you, don’t go. You need to carry some important things like water. Food is not entirely needed. About IDs, there is a bit of a problem with not carrying yours. The two worst events that could happen with you are getting arrested or getting hurt really bad, if you don’t have any way to identify yourself, police officers get a lot worse when they caught you. And if you were doing some of the more…interesting part… of the protesting, and they caught you, you could be getting some time regardless of being identified or not.

You need to carry some important things like water. Food is not entirely needed. About IDs, there is a bit of a problem with not carrying yours. The two worst events that could happen with you are getting arrested or getting hurt really bad, if you don’t have any way to identify yourself, police officers get a lot worse when they caught you. And if you were doing some of the more…interesting part… of the protesting, and they caught you, you could be getting some time regardless of being identified or not. Be smart about where you are choosing to walk on during the protest. What part of the mass of people to stay at. Always try to be on the sides of the group, near the walls or on the sidewalks. When the gas bombs start dropping, if you are near a wall you can just hug it and let most of the people start running. The risk of getting trampled being right in the middle of it is very much real. And you could go towards some alleyway faster.

What part of the mass of people to stay at. Always try to be on the sides of the group, near the walls or on the sidewalks. When the gas bombs start dropping, if you are near a wall you can just hug it and let most of the people start running. The risk of getting trampled being right in the middle of it is very much real. And you could go towards some alleyway faster. About that tear gas , if you have a gas mask, carry in your backpack. If you don’t, you can always DIY one using plastic bottles, a cloth dipped in vinegar and some string. Those DIY ones help with the breathing, not much with the sight part of the deal. When the gas drops, do not despair, this is the point of the goddamn gas. Keep a cool head and try to think straight of ways to run away from it.

, if you have a gas mask, carry in your backpack. If you don’t, you can always DIY one using plastic bottles, a cloth dipped in vinegar and some string. Those DIY ones help with the breathing, not much with the sight part of the deal. When the gas drops, do not despair, this is the point of the goddamn gas. Keep a cool head and try to think straight of ways to run away from it. DO NOT ENTICE POLICE OFFICERS. About that common sense thing. I know a couple of people who are very smart and still need to be reminded of this one. When deployed to handle the masses, they could be having a bad day with all the stress of handling that many people, they could be filled with adrenaline or they could straight up be psychos. I once saw one shooting a rubber bullet towards a girl simply for showing them her middle finger.

About that common sense thing. I know a couple of people who are very smart and still need to be reminded of this one. When deployed to handle the masses, they could be having a bad day with all the stress of handling that many people, they could be filled with adrenaline or they could straight up be psychos. I once saw one shooting a rubber bullet towards a girl simply for showing them her middle finger. Know the area you will be going through. If you don’t, study it on google maps or something like that. You don’t have to know everything by heart, but simply knowing the general area, where is north and the direction you are going helps a lot in retreating. If you are simply bad with directions, you are going to have to rely a lot more on the friends you are taking with you.

If you don’t, study it on google maps or something like that. You don’t have to know everything by heart, but simply knowing the general area, where is north and the direction you are going helps a lot in retreating. If you are simply bad with directions, you are going to have to rely a lot more on the friends you are taking with you. This is more of a thing you can do if you find yourself running a lot on these events. Try to learn some parkour. This might sound like a joke, but knowing how to climb, land and skip through walls are a big help if you did some…questionable… things.

This might sound like a joke, but knowing how to climb, land and skip through walls are a big help if you did some…questionable… things. If you want to be a Hero, don’t be one that attacks. A lot of people would simply say “Don’t be a Hero”, but here is the thing: if someone tripped whilst being dispersed, help them get up. Do not throw yourself into a fight, even if it is to help someone. Being a distraction will probably get you shot. If possible, always help people escape, running away beats everything in a fight. There are a few exception to this rule, but you need to use that common sense.

I hope this list finds helpful to anyone who wants to protest about something in a big group of people. Safety should always be your priority number one if you want to live a long life. Most of the times things go peaceful and calm, even so, always know that it could be a lot worse, and if it comes to it, know that you will be prepared.

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