A Guide to BLM Protesting & Donating

In San Francisco, it’s midnight but the air is alive with the sound of helicopters flying overhead, and sirens racing down the street.

I participated in a peaceful protest earlier today that started at town hall, went down the Embarcadero and then blocked several of the on ramps to the Bay Bridge. The police presence was heavy, with every officer in full riot gear and several armored cars at the ready, but protestors marched with their hands up, and when they stopped to gather, people would take a knee to show that they were there to make a stand and to say their piece, but they weren’t there to incite violence.

It was a beautiful moment, and now in Union Square and along Market street there’s shop windows breaking and arrests being made. In Oakland yesterday someone tried to run over protesters with their car, and several others were arrested for setting a store on fire. This is nothing compared to the rest of the country that seems to be burning up. In Atlanta the national guard has been marching down streets and shooting tear gas canisters at people who are standing on their porches, and in Salt Lake City a man got out of his car and starting shooting a bow and arrow at people, because he was trying to come to the defense of the police. In New York there’s video footage of a squad car revving its engine and plowing into people, and Minneapolis, well, there is so much horrific, surreal content coming out of there it’s hard to know where to start.

I wanted to make a quick guide, pulled from many different sources, of ways that you can help participate at whatever level. As Toni Morrison once said, “if you are free, you need to free someone else.” The privilege of being white has been one that has been taken for granted in this country, with willful disregard of the continual violence that must occur to maintain this imbalance. It is shameful that we have ignored the problem for this long, and we cannot rest until we end systematic police brutality, violent and deadly racism, and state-ordained/excused murder.

If you are anything like me, you were raised to never raise your voice, and to never dissent. I always made excuses for why I didn’t show up for things, even if I believed in them. I didn’t want to stir the pot, I didn’t want to get in trouble, I didn’t want to get arrested. And that fear made me a coward, and made me turn a blind eye to the uncomfortable truths that were in my face every day. I was afraid of doing it wrong, of being accused of being fake or self-serving on one side, or too radical on the other. I was afraid to have convictions, and I see now that it was the laziness and fear of losing my privilege, as well as the systematic patriarchal oppression of marginalized groups (in my case, as a woman) that kept me from standing up for those who needed our support to fight oppression.

Mental Health Resources:

• Mental health resources for the black community

Places to Donate:

• The Bail Project, a nonprofit that aims to mitigate incarceration rates through bail reform.

• Black Visions Collective, a black, trans, and queer-led social justice organization and legal fund based in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

• The Minnesota Freedom Fund, which pays criminal and immigration bail and bond for people who cannot afford it.

• The Brooklyn Bail Fund, which helps pay bail for those who cannot afford it.

• The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which supports racial justice through advocacy, litigation, and education.

• Communities United Against Police Brutality, which operates a crisis hotline where people can report abuse; offers legal, medical, and psychological resource referrals; and engages in political action against police brutality.

• Northstar Health Collective, a St. Paul–based organization that provides health services and support at protests.

• The ACLU, which provides legal services and support for a broad range of people with civil rights complaints.

• The Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee Fund, which helps pay bail and legal fees for those who have been jailed at protests. Please check your city for your own local fund to donate to.

Getting Ready for a Protest/March:

-Wear black head-to-toe. The more uniform everyone looks the harder it is for the state to identify who did what (no face no case).

-Masks up (you can do this with a black t-shirt, google Piqueteros). This is for COVID but also to blend in.

-Tie hair back, and don’t wear jewelry or clothing that could be easily grabbed at.

-Comfortable footwear for being on your feet potentially for an entire day.

-Wear another color under your black in case you need to strip it off to blend into the general population.

-Bring extra PPE to assist everyone in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

-Do not wear contacts if you can help it/wear eye protection such as goggles.

-Bring lots of water (extra in case other people need it/to rinse chemical irritants out of eyes), snacks, and a first aid kit if possible.

-Pad your dominant forearm to absorb baton blows (it may save you a broken arm).

-If you can, try to not bring your phone (sometimes these can be tracked by police to see who attended a protest) or wallet. Write the numbers down for several emergency contacts directly onto your body or onto your clothes, in more than one place. Just bring ID, and some cash.

-If you are bringing a phone, make sure you have FaceID turned off, and put it on airplane mode.

-Alert someone who is not going to the protest about your timeline; give them critical info such as your emergency contacts, medication needs, DOB etc in case you need help during the protest.

Protest/March Etiquette:

-It's everyone's job to assist medics in collecting supplies and lending a hand when called on during an emergency. They are oftentimes easily identified by red tape crosses or patches on their arms or on their backpacks. Try to identify them during the protest so you know who/where they are in case they are needed.

-Call for a medic with both arms crossed over your head and shout "Medic!!”

-In the event chemical irritants are deployed, eyes are washed with water. The chemicals are oily, treat them like you would poison ivy.

-When medics offer a snack or water, take it (you need it).

-If someone goes down, shield them with your body as they are vulnerable to attack/trampling.

-Keep the cameras off injured peoples (short spray paint cans are good for taking care of camera lenses that refuse to move).

-Watch what you broadcast and post, everyone is watching and you don't know what or how it will be used, maybe against you or others.

-Stay mobile, avoid being cornered/ kettled/ flanked. Cops will yell loudly/ concussion grenades are fucking loud. Their noise is meant to rattle and disorient you.

-Tear gas canisters will burn a naked hand. They should be returned with at least a 100% cotton gloved hand to the cops that shot them/ covered with something like a traffic cone.

-Never turn your back to an attacker, do not run. Use your eyes to constantly scan the crowd.

-Remain hyper-vigilant at all times.

-Leave no one behind.

In Case of Arrest:

-If you are arrested, invoke your right to remain silent by saying “I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak with a court-appointed lawyer.”

-Do not tell cops anything else, not even what you had for breakfast (everybody walks when nobody talks).

-Legal teams are often standing by to provide support and assistance. Try to find the number of a legal team in your area doing so, and write their number on your body in permanent marker.

-In the event trans/non-binary comrades are arrested or detained, cis people MUST go to jail with them. If you have to cross the police line or sit in the middle of the street to get this done, do it. Never let trans/non-binary comrades go to jail alone.

-This also applies to white people when POC are arrested. We protect the most marginalized in our ranks.

Afterwards:

-After the protest, check in with medics. Medics are notoriously bad at self-care during crises and deal with major trauma and compassion fatigue. Show them care and emotional support.

-Be sure to check in with organizers about actionable plans afterwards, sign up for facebook groups or newsletters, or follow leaders on social media so that you can stay up-to-date.

-Check in with yourself and your community. Be vocal about your experiences, especially the positive ones. Focus on the message of the protests and don’t get sucked into the weeds of conspiracy theorists or trolls.

-If you’re experiencing symptoms of PTSD due to protest-related trauma, many mental health professionals are providing free care for those who are struggling emotionally.