bro i really fuckin admire you for going out and protesting!!! i want to really badly but with covid going on i'm afraid bc my family is high-risk and ik they wouldn't be okay with me going. but, in case an opportunity opens up, do you have any tips for how to properly prepare to maximize safety? thanks so much, you're the shit bro!!!!
hey thanks!!! i understand that feeling, since most of my family (including myself) are at risk. this is definitely not everything, but here are some tips i’ve utilized that i heavily recommend:
• dress in all black / nondescript clothing – NO LABELS! nothing that’s gonna make u stand out. clothes baggy enough to conceal ur figure, tight enough to be able to run in without tripping u up. COVER UR FACE, HAIR, TATTOOS, ETC. black bloc is the move.
• wear shoes u can run in, seriously. and the plainest shoes u can find
• FOR TEAR GAS: goggles strapped tightly to ur face, glasses > contacts (trust me), bring multiple disposable rubber gloves u can use to clean ur face without spreading the powder, bring water to flush ur eyes and then flush (and clean ur face!!) with a baking soda and water solution (soak a bandana or cloth in this solution beforehand too)
• r*bber b*llets really hurt, wear layers / padding / a shield or something
• bring snacks (like energy bars) and a generous amount of water. idk abt y'all but here, there have been plenty of ppl with water and snacks for ppl that don’t have them, but it doesn’t hurt to have some on u. DRINK WATER!!!! you might think you’ll be good but you do NOT want to be dehydrated while you get gassed, it’ll almost definitely make you throw up
• i suggest bringing a first aid kit (we had a medical tent but the cops destroyed it), a knife/scissors, money (bills) in a plastic bag, sanitizer, extra masks, a change of clothes, any medication u might need (especially if u have asthma or anything like that), and again: WATER!!! CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH
• IF YOU ARE WHITE: when the police show up STAND IN FRONT OF UR BLACK COMRADES. they will be less violent with you, and this is something that’s helped us a lot. DO NOT SPEAK OVER THEM, but shield them.
• always go with a group and have an exit plan (and each others contact info / multiple meet up places); if u get separated (ESPC IF UR BLACK), link up with another group immediately (they’ll be more than welcoming). we’re all in this together and need to protect each other
• LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS! if you’re white DO NOT stray off and do random harmful shit that black people will be blamed for. if ur black, do what u see fit but be smart. be safe.
• NO PICTURES OR VIDEOS THAT COULD BE USED TO DISCLOSE ANYONES IDENTITY AT ALL. no faces shown on camera at all. no facebook lives or insta posts. police and alt right assholes can and will use this information to find and kill or arrest us, especially those of us that are black. don’t be an idiot and risk ur or someone else’s life. also @ nonblacks: u don’t need to be taking pictures to flex at all, it’s weird and remember that this is about antiblackness, not ur uwu ~revolution~
• if u can, leave ur phone at home. for some of us that simply isn’t possible while remaining safe, so if u can’t, turn off cellular data and disable icloud. no pics that could put u at risk. no compromising text messages. location services off. don’t brag abt stuff u’ve done online, and don’t guess about who did what. keep us all safe!
• these are our cities!!! get free, and do it as safely as u can!!!
(wrote this in a rush, sorry for any typos)
