I need tips for going to a protest.

On March 20 I will be going to the peace protest down here in AL. I am 19 and this will be my first protest that I go to. I am very excited, but am not too sure about some stuff. What do I need to bring? Is there protester etiquette I need to follow? If you can help me out with these or anything else I will be grateful.

if you see things starting to get out of hand...if there are people that want to make violence a part of the protest...put some distance between them and you...that's what I would do...

what is the protest about...?

Make a sign, state your case and try to make it fun...

and water R always on my list. Layered clothes if U R in a place that starts out cool then warms up. If it is warm wear a hat.

Have a good time - meet new people. I'll B in LA next Saturday.

I advise my daughter to wear long a sleeve shirt and long pants preferably sturdy ones. If you have a run in with the cops they tend to put you on the ground. Good clothing might protect from road rash.

Protests in my town tend to be pretty peaceful but the footage I've seen from other places leads me give this suggestion.

Have a great time!

Stay on the margins- police et al will drive for the nucleus

Keep "situational awareness", know your ground, be aware of several escape routes at all times

Carry a lot of bottles water, the only way to clear pepper spray is water

carry a basic first aid kit

Dress appropriately, don't get too hot or cold, shoes that fit well and have good traction, appropriate for the weather hat

Know your rights, carry a cheap disposable camera for documentation

I don't want to sound alarmist. These rules are just as applicable for an afternoon's hike.

HAVE FUN, BE LOUD

The name and phone number of a lawyer. The march will probably have them, in which case, make sure you know how to contact them.

A cell phone if you have one.

Snacks. Food to eat and food to share. Not all sweets and starch. Peanut butter sandwiches?

get a disposable camera...share some of the picture with us...!!!

there is teargas of pepper spray (there is little chance of it March 20)
wear glasses NOT contact lenses.
Also, Maalox added to water makes an even better wash.

wearing contact lenses....trust me.

I can't think of anything else to add. So I will say keep two of these things in mind: preparations for comfort (clothing, food, water); a good sign to carry; and keep a close eye on the situation. We are at a time when there can be two general types of problems: both involve stupid people. One, stupid people who are supposed to be part of the protest; they may be intoxicated (bad), rowdy, or just plain old anti-social. Avoid them. March near old hippies.(Always the best choice!) Two, people who oppose the march; some may be trying to provoke violence from within or from the outside of the march. Again, avoid this type of "action." Old hippies have years of experience in how to handle this type of thing. On the bright side, most peace demonstrations go off with no problems. Good luck, enjoy yourself, and we are proud of you for participating in this action!

.....a foil lined emergency blanket that can fit in your pocket, they cost about three dollars and can be used in a variety of ways to shield you from direct contact with pepper spray, slow down bean bags or even block microwaves from their new crowd dispersal trucks. Also carry a turkey roasting bag, they're small, light weight and can offer a couple of minutes of fresh air to get you out of harms way if tear gas is used.
A camera with telephoto lens is also advisable in the event you witness trouble. It always helps to document problems caused by either side. :)

a hooded sweatshirt
Steel tipped shoes
Bandanas
ski mask
lighter, matches, Charcoal lighter fluid










This is just a joke

not that i have...erm...

apparently you can mix lsd with some kind of agent and spray it at ppl and they trip, oh, the 60s/70s

I was advised that if we should get caught up in something and end up getting arrested, do not go limp. You can state that you object to being arrested but if they try to take you to the police station and you go limp they can claim you were "resisting arrest". This will be my 6th protest since the January 2001 Inauguration and I have not been arrested so far.
Also check with the organizers to see if there are restrictions on the size of poles/sticks for signs. Pretty sure 1 inch is widely acceptable (the police are often concerned that thick poles/sticks could be used as a weapon).

Today at our protest a number of people didn't check to find out rain and a cold front was coming through. I lent my gloves to one rather frozen protestor. Wear comfortable clothes. Make sure your sign is readable from a distance and is made with permanent, not water-based markers. Above all, keep your cool! Stay away from rowdies, stay close to people you know have protesting experience (if you don't know anyone, look for a named group, like Quakers). If someone flips you the bird, just smile. If they yell something about supporting Bush, tell them that is their first amendment right. Keep moving around and keep your sign raised high!

Good luck! And thanks for going to the streets!

good shoes, with at least one extra pair of white tube socks.

Long pants and long shirts, the more pockets the better, since I suggest a bunch of stuff to put in them.

at least 3 liters of water in medium sized plastic bottles, some preferably frozen (they'll thaw during the protest). Do NOT go with gallon jugs, while they're great for quantity, the weight can't be distributed easily. More is better, and it's VERY useful if you get hit with CS to flush your eyes out. Remember, if you get hit with gas, try to keep your eyes OPEN afterwards. If you don't, it'll go from liquid to gas under your eyelids, making it MUCH more painful. Also, you might check into a Camelback hydration system. This is a soft personal canteen worn on the back under your pack. It has a clip-on hose to drink from. Good point: Very unobtrusive, easy and comfy to carry, and pads your back. Bad point: expensive.

dry snack food (like trail mix, bring a fair bit, you may be quite hungry at the end of the day)

a small trial-size thing of baby powder or corn starch (in case you start chafing, it can be a lifesaver, dump on your hand, slip it under your clothes, and rub where needed. Be subtle about it, do it out of sight or in a porta-potty, and keep it in the original marked container.)

gas mask (available from army-navy surplus stores for around $20 for surplus Israeli, with one 5 hour canister, others can be much more expensive. The Israeli ones always did fine for me.) If you don't want to appear militant, go with a contractor's respirator, with OSHA-approved filters for particulates and paint fumes. If you go this route, bring goggles of some form, like CLEAR swim goggles or a dive mask. Make SURE that they are airtight. If you get a chance immediately before you need them, spit in them and wipe it around, it'll keep them from fogging so quickly. This is just to give you time to unass the area. Plastic safety goggles are better than nothing, but they're perforated along the edge to prevent fogging so the gas can still get in. Still, it'll keep the liquid stream from hitting your eyes directly, and that's worth doing.

A few folded up Bounty paper towels. They come in VERY handy at the oddest times, and can be used for many things. Make sure they're Bounty or another VERY durable brand...If you need them, you don't want them disintegrating or easily ripping on you.

A wee bit of toilet paper, just in case.

A pair of EMT safety shears. These are light weight, can handle most cutting duties (they can cut a penny in half no problem or do a seatbelt "toot-sweet") and shouldn't be more than 4-5 bucks. DO NOT CARRY A KNIFE, EVEN A LITTLE POCKET KNIFE. EMT shears can cut what's necessary, but they're very blunt and the cops can't claim it's a weapon.

Get all your stuff together a couple of days beforehand, "load up", and walk around the house with it all for a few hours. This'll let you know if you're carrying too much stuff, or if it rubs you wrong. Unframed backpacks can be OK, but depending on the amount of weight you're carrying, you may need to score some military-style Load Bearing Equipment (H-frame is better than Y frame IMHO, but the H-frame went out of service many moons ago) or a small framed pack. Try to carry as much weight as you can on your hips, NOT your shoulders. If you go with the LBE, remember to hang stuff of the belt, not the shoulder straps. You can get attachment points at the surplus store, or use plastic ties, or buy surplus "asspacks" which can hold a fair bit of stuff, and come with the attachment points built in.

Last and not least: BAIL MONEY and contact numbers, but not in your wallet. Better safe than sorry.

Let people (family) know where you will be located or call from that location so if there is a disruption with detention, they will know where you were taken to.

Park a good distance from the event. Safer to have something to run to.

Carry enough money in your shoe with photo ID so you can't be arrested for vagrancy.

Do not display a camera in the open or
around your neck(lanyards) no long scarfs, chains, etc. Could be used to usher you out.

It will be something you will never, ever forget, no matter what.

Seriously, from the bottom of my heart thank you.

A lot of the suggestions above are VERY good advice - like wearing a seat belt. Don't expect a collision, but take precautions. I've been at demos since the '60's and never been injured or busted (well, willingly tossed in jail during one protest) and you will have a lot of control ("situational awareness") over your experience. The main thing you can do is to figure out the message you want to contribute and look forward to a chance to share your voice with others who care.

in case you shout yourself hoarse.