#BLACKLIVESMATTER Protest Information

Protest Support

Phone Numbers

If you are arrested for protesting in Minneapolis, call (612) 444-2654 and they will bail you out

Legal Rts Ctr: (612) 337-0030

If you are arrested in NYC call The National Lawyers Guild hotline with name and arrest location: (212) 679-6018

Legal Aid Society: (212) 577-3300

Atlanta Jail Support: (404) 689-1519 (via: @KirstenTheGreat on twitter)

Louisville Jail Support: (502) 705- 0081

The Bail Project: 1 (833) 425-6827

National Lawyers Guild LA - Legal

Defense Hotline: (310) 313-3700

Charlotte Jail Support: 980-224-2097

If You Are Unable to Protest

Note: Do not donate to change.org.

Picture you can print out and hang up around your town, via: @wreckurcar on Twitter

CALL OUT YOUR RACIST OR IGNORANT FRIENDS/FAMILY!!

Challenge any racial prejudices those close to you have. It isn't enough to be actively anti-racist in online, combat racism when you encounter it in real life.

USE YOUR PLATFORM

Use your platform to share petitions and donations; Any information you see online that could help, share it. Don't be concerned about ruining your account's aesthetic, there are more important things to focus on.

IF YOU FIND OUT ABOUT FAKE PROTESTS, WARN PEOPLE!

Protests in conjuction with the police or organized by white supremacists have been circulating around. If you find out any of these are fake, please RT (or share on whatever social media you're using) to hopefully warn anyone planning on attending these protests.

How to Prepare for a protest

To prepare in case you come into contact with tear gas or rubber bullets, make sure to:

Wear sunglasses/eye covers
Wear a face covering mask
Do NOT wear makeup (especially on the eyes + lips)
Do not wear contact lenses
Cover yourself in strong and mobile clothing; the more skin covered, the better
If available, protect your head with a helmet

Extra:
Wear clothes easy to remove (preferably in layers), so that if the need arises, you can shed them quickly

To shield your identity to the best of your ability:

Wear shapeless clothes with no logos
Wear a hat or hood to prevent being identifiable by your hair

(all via: @R0KAFRU1T on Twitter)

Avoid using CV dazzle makeup— it’s been proven to be ineffective against facial recognition software
and will only give the cops something distinguable to help identify you later on.

DON’T call people by their names; if necessary, make up a code name.

Bring a change of clothes for the way home to avoid being stopped.

Wear gloves to protect your hands from tear gas and avoid contaminating others, especially if you’ll be performing first aid on them (via: @R0KAFRU1T on Twitter).

The coronavirus is still going on, wear a mask or balaclava (preferably a plain one to avoid identification). Not only does this help to protect you and those around you, it covers your facial features.

How to Make a Balaclava Mask With a T Shirt

Step 1: Pull the T-shirt over your head until the neck opening lines up with your nose.

Step 2: Fold the bottom of the shirt up once, and double-fold it down across your face.

Step 3: Criss-cross the back of the T-shirt once and pull up over the top of your head.

Heat resistant gloves allow you to throw back tear gas containers before they explode, you can find these in any construction store (via: @mrseratonin on Twitter).

If you get hit in the head while protesting and develop purple spots under your eyes or behind your ears, that can be a sign that you have a skull fracture and are at risk for nerve damage so seek medical attention immediately (via: @BussyGalore on Twitter).

If possible, avoid telling healthcare providers you were at a protest if you need care. Insurance plans can deny coverage for participation in “Civil Unrest or Riots” (via: @tipptipphorray on Twitter).

Grabbing the bottom of a police officer riot shield and flipping it up will push the officer on their back, rendering them immobile due to the weight of their riot gear. Be cautious when doing this, as it will most likely incite a reaction from other officers, possibly violent (via: chaney-kier on Tumblr).

Bring a first aid kit, and guard those performing first aid as they are susceptible to outside force

Stay discreet, don’t reveal to others that you’ll be going to a protest/riot.

Using a VPN service can change your IP address, so keep this in mind if you plan on bringing your phone.
ExpressVPN is rated as the most trustable VPN, but if you want a free app, Psiphon allows you to TEMPORARILY change your virtual location.

Extra

If you are BLACK and planning to protest in OAKLAND, please enter your info in the form so the Peoples Program can assist in bringing you home.

If the situation escalates: run and get to safety (running does not mean backing down)
Record the cops if you can, document the time, date, and experience of the escalation, and note down the badge number of the cop if possible.

If you are attending a protest as an Ally to the affected communities, follow the lead and guidance of Black leaders during the rally. Do not escalate situations with police, riot, or loot just to do it. Should include something about how if you’re attending a protest, hear out black people and don’t just protest because rioting and destroying property is good (some teens have been doing that when asked not to).