On Protesting
Are you fired up and ready to protest?! I have been working with collaborators on how best to prepare people for upcoming demonstrations. This guide is based on research, resources, and experience. My experiences are diverse and there are successes and failures that I have learned a lot from. Even with that learning, I am not an expert or an authority on protests in general. If I were I would be one of these paid protesters that I keep hearing about. (Take that with all the sarcasm and comedy you can muster.)
Louisville, Kentucky 2020
The day Breonna’s Law, banning no-knock warrants, was passed.
To qualify all that I will write about here, I think it is important to give some detailed scale about the volume and diversity of protesting that I have done. Here is a list of all the protests I can remember:
2016 KKK Counter Protest Madison, IN
2017 Women’s March Washington DC
2018 Women’s March Indianapolis, IN
KKK Counter Protest Madison, IN
2020 Black Lives Matter Louisville, KY (4)
2020-24 MAARCH Protests in Madison, Indiana (approximately 55 individual protests centering varying topics)
2025 50501 Protest Madison, IN (2)
Women’s March, Washington DC, January 2017.
Whether you are new to protesting or you have a few under your belt and you need a refresher, use this guide for effective, safe, and meaningful protests.
1. Educate yourself and center those most affected. Understand that often protests aren’t specifically about “us.”
It is good to remember that when you are going to a protest, the purpose is to serve those most affected by the topic you are protesting. Usually protests are not about you, and if they are it is probably because you are a little late to the game. Oppressors usually come for the most vulnerable first, and then go for the broader public. Acknowledge your privilege in your own mind to keep focus on those most affected by the topic of protest. Protesters are there to be a part of an existing movement, not to center their personal opinions. Organizers are usually spending much of their time making sure that safety and legal requirements are being considered for the best outcome, so try not to distract them from those purposes at and leading up to the event. Protesters are expected to follow directions that the organizers have laid out in advance or that they express on location. Be sure to review that information before you attend, and make sure to defer to organizers at the event.
If you feel like you don’t 100% agree with or understand the topics of the protest but still want to attend, do work in advance to educate yourself about those topics. If you feel uncomfortable with the topics or other parameters of the protest, work through those with trusted family or counsel in advance. If you are not able to do so, don’t go. Don’t center yourself in movements that are much bigger and broader than you and your own personal opinions.
Here is an example of what not to post on a forum in the days leading up to a reproductive rights protest:
This potential protestor did a few things that are detrimental to the purpose of the protest. They centered their own beliefs hoping that their comfort would be prioritized over the people most affected. They weakened the movement by implying that abortion isn’t a part of women’s autonomy on a public forum. They expressed an interest in not disrupting a public space, even though protests are by definition disruptive. They prioritized an event that was historically modeled after debutante balls, which don’t exactly promote women’s autonomy, over the movement. They didn’t educate themselves about why abortion must be a topic included in events that promote women’s health, wellbeing, and basic human rights. They tried to assert a vision for the protest that made them comfortable, not a vision for the protest that made it effective. They insinuated that protesters may be inclined to not be respectful to the general public, which is loaded with lots of negative perceptions about protesters. I could go on, but before I do, know that some of the people taking prom photos at that protest actually took the time to join our protest which ended up being quite loud.
2. Rural vs. Urban protests.
Protests feel very different depending on where they are. This could be due to more conservative vs. progressive areas that fit these locations, and also the volume of people in attendance, and many other factors. While most protests are very much alike, these are some of the differences to be aware of by location.
Cities:
At city protests there are occasional counter protests, but they are rarely at the same scale of the planned protests. Generally, conflict arises with law enforcement. Cities often have more racially diverse populations, and people of color are over policed in a way that shows up in protests as well. I have experienced mostly supportive bystanders and passers by at city protests that have always had attendees range in the hundreds if not hundreds of thousands, but there is always a risk of violence from outliers like in Charlottesville and Minneapolis. There is also a component of anonymity at protests in highly populated areas as you are less likely to be recognized by people you know in large crowds that people travel long distances to attend.
Rural areas:
Rural protests exist on a much smaller scale because they draw from a smaller pool of people. There is no anonymity in these small town protests, and that also affects attendance in communities where social capital is an important commodity. Most of the protests I attended in a county with around 33,000 people had an average of about 8 people. Our smallest community protests were literally 2 people and the largest against the KKK were about 200. There was one protest with police interaction where the officer was reminded about the 1st Amendment, but no arrests were made and no one left the protest other than the officer. The danger typically comes from passers by at more rural protests. We have had verbal threats, guns waved at us, we have been spit at, and had one occasion of physical assault of an electric wheelchair intentionally running over a protester's feet. We also have had a lot of conversations with people passing by, some were really good and productive conversations and others were not. More to come on that!
3. De-escelation
Escalation is a danger to everyone at protests, and it can distract from the goals of the protest. Escalation is often unplanned, but it can be created by conflict with counter protesters or people that infiltrate a protest and create chaos. Your anger is what the opposition wants because it is better for them if protestors seem out of control, and they would love to record you and defame you in that state. That is their goal. When you don’t give that to them, it frustrates them. Without your anger they are forced to listen to reason, and usually they will leave before they will do that. It is important to understand when someone wants to have a conversation and when someone wants to have a fight. I generally just “Bless their heart” when we get angry reactions, flash a peace sign when people flip us off, and nod when people shake their heads in disagreement. What they want me to do is throw something at them so that they have a cue to act out their violent fantasies. Some protests are created to be more disruptive, to stop traffic or take up spaces that are off limits. These protests are organized with these intentions, and the participants will show up knowing all the risks.
You may have heard about some concerning news about the upcoming protest on the 19th of April. There is some buzz that the protests will be used as an excuse to impose martial law on the whole country through the Insurrection Act, and the threat of instigation from counter protesters and infiltrators may be higher to justify that action. I have friends and family that I don’t recommend attending protests because of their tempers or because they may just be more likely to be targeted in these scenarios, so I recommend not attending if you can’t keep your cool or you feel that you could be targeted. See the safety section below for de-escalation tips.
4. Safety Tips
Have a safe place to go nearby if things get out of hand, or park nearby for a quick escape to regroup.
Listen to protest organizers and follow their directions.
Don’t be alone, have a buddy or stay with the crowd. Also, don’t let others be alone.
Have a place for people who are overstimulated to make a quick exit.
If anyone is picking fights with people, get their info and try to verify if they are in support of your group or if they are trying to escalate on purpose.
Don’t stand in the street or parking spaces adjacent to traffic. Protests are disruptive, and they do distract drivers, so you must be road aware at all times.
Have a charged phone, but put it on airplane mode and try not to keep it out or on unless you need to take video. Take video if someone is trying to disrupt the event so that it can be shared with the ACLU.
Don’t block sidewalks or roads unless you have a permit to do so.
Wear sturdy shoes that can protect your feet in large crowds or if you need to move quickly.
Bring water and snacks if needed.
Review de-escalation strategies: Strategies from MoveOn.org
Dress appropriately for the weather.
Review the Protesters Rights Pamphlet by the National Lawyers Guild and consider writing a lawyer’s phone number on your arm.
Don’t bring anything that you would be upset about losing, and don’t bring anything that would be considered an illegal substance.
Be aware. Remember what you are there for, and don’t get so distracted that you can’t act quickly if needed or notice something that could be a danger to everyone.
Work on understanding the specific risks of the protest you are attending and prepare yourself. (Have there been conflicts with law enforcement, have there been arrests, has there been tear gas deployed, etc.)
5. Organizing
This is a short one to emphasize the simplicity of this. Anyone can organize a protest. There are plenty of guides available online. Even if you don’t want to publish an event and connect to larger movements, anyone with a sign can go out in public and have their own personal protest in the United States. It is smart to check ordinances in the community to guide yourself, but holding a sign with a political opinion in a public space is generally a constitutional right (give or take a few locations on election day and in high security government locations.) With the resources here, you are good to go. Go for it!
If you are not organizing the protest and want to be involved, reach out to the organizers directly to see how you can help. Don’t dictate what they should do, but offer advice, knowledge, skills, or funds that are helpful. If you are confused, posting your confusion publicly only makes everyone confused. Let organizers answer your question directly and then encourage them to clarify for everyone without messy conversations on social media or other forums.
6. What’s next?
Maybe the most important step of a protest is what happens next. Protests should be an exclamation point after a long rambling sentence of supporting action. Protest without supporting action is often referred to as performative activism. Action can be centered in service, financial support, political action, education, and more. Here are some recommendations and examples to get you thinking about action:
Who are the most vulnerable people in your community and how can you support them? It can change on the day, between our unhoused population, flood victims, and more. Here are some ideas:
Put your money where your heart is. My regular donation goes to PFLAG because LGBTQIA+ youth really need support in our community. LGBTQIA+ youth can face social stigmas, increased rates of housing insecurity, and more mental health issues connected to these concerns.* PFLAG has many chapters and many ways to get involved. Attending fundraisers, donating to projects they are working on, purchasing a pride flag to show your support daily, and more.
With the “Anti-DEI” push there have been many attempts to erase the histories of people of color. This means that you can counter that effort by learning more and support efforts to bring diverse histories to the forefront. Buy books by Black, Indigenous, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ authors. June will bring Madison Pride and Juneteenth events that need you to be there to support and volunteer.
Your voice is powerful. Make sure it is heard in as many ways possible.
Put your social capital on the line. Have one-on-one conversations with local politicians about your concerns. Make sure they know that you are unhappy with the direction of politics and that you oppose that agenda in your local community. Ask what they are doing to counter the measures that are a threat to your community. If you can’t meet one-on-one, go to their public meetings to raise concerns.
Get on 5CALLS and make a daily practice of reaching out to elected officials with concerns. Send them mail and email to make sure they get the point.
Talk to your friends and family about your concerns. Take the de-escalation tips from protesting and use them in these scenarios if needed.
Get more politically active in your community and consider running for office!
If you express yourself best through writing, art, music, or other forms let that be your voice as well!
Money is power.
Put your money where your politics are. Boycotts are good for your wallet, so use the funds you don’t use for Amazon impulse buys to donate to organizations that are supporting people being most affected by the atrocities of the Trump administration. Buy from companies that aren’t complying with the unconstitutional anti DEI demands of the administration. Link below to resource**
Boycotts of companies that are complying with the unconstitutional agenda of the Trump administration are powerful. The compliance many companies are moving forward with is based in a fear of financial retaliation for resisting. If they see a greater financial effect from boycotts, then compliance is no longer good for their business.
Boycotts of companies and goods affiliated with countries aiding the Trump administration in their unconstitutional work (Musk affiliates and El Salvador are two examples) is also effective. Boycotting Musk’s businesses brings down their stock, which is how he maintains control of companies and where his wealth lies. The worse those businesses do, the less money/power he has, and that will affect his usefulness to the Trump administration.
El Salvador is helping the Trump administration defy the US Constitution administering concentration camps/gulags for US citizens and documented residents, many of whom committed no crimes. It is an abomination of human rights and justice, and they refuse to return these individuals to the US knowing that mistakes, no due process, and rulings by the Supreme Court have been made. If you see El Salvador on a label (and be sure to check) don’t buy it. The power of the consumer is more than an inconvenience in the world market.
Good luck resisters! Below are sources and more photos from protests over the years to get you pumped up!
** https://time.com/7261857/us-companies-keep-dei-initiatives-list-trump-diversity-order-crackdown/
