Guide to Safety and Victory in Street Confrontations

The tips below are provided by veterans of street battles within various contexts. Everyone who seeks to use them should try to bring as many of the described materials as possible in order to provide extras to others. But don't carry too much, as it will make it harder to move quickly when quick movements may be required. Remember: When you record and document, you allow the world to watch, and to act; bring more than one recording device and keep one concealed if possible, and in such a way that you may set it to record without it being known.

Remember, the carrying capacity of the group also counts. Distribute supplies as per your group strategy and do so as evenly as possible among protestors.

Protect Yourself

Tear Gas

Preparing for tear gas

  • Tear gas is most often delivered to its target with grenades. When then tear gas is being used you will hear gunshots.
  • After you hear a shot, look up. The grenade will be arcing toward its destination trailing white smoke. If the grenade is not headed directly at you, there is no reason to move. So don't move just yet. Warn people that there is a grenade incoming, and figure out where it will land.
  • The grenade will explode. This usually happens while it is in the air, but not always. Again, this can be scary until you get used to it. After the explosion, a small gas emitter remains. It is metal and about the size of a hockey puck. It will be hissing and spewing out tear gas.
  • Put on your mask! If you don't have a gas mask, a bandanna or other cloth which has been soaked in vinegar or lemon juice will allow you to breathe long enough to escape the gas. Cider vinegar is less harsh-smelling and is recommended. Breathing in vinegar is not pleasant, but compared to tear gas it's like fresh air. Unfortunately, the vinegar's protective effect does not last long (minutes), and your bandanna will be saturated with gas afterward. So bring several. Retying a gassy bandanna around your face is not a good idea. Make sure the bandanna fits tightly around your nose and mouth.
  • Put on your goggles! Make sure your goggles are air tight.
  • The wind is your friend. Move upwind of the gas. This will blow the majority of the gas away from you. Do not panic. Do not run. Panic is precisely what the police are trying to create.
  • Spread the information to other demonstrators about where to go.
  • If you have heat-resistant gloves (like welder's gloves) and something to protect your face you can pick up the gas emitter and lob it back at the police. This is a considerate thing to do to protect your fellow protesters. The emitter will be very hot, so gloves are recommended. Picking up the gas emitter will ensure that your clothing is saturated with tear gas. This is extremely unpleasant and will require very thorough laundering with harsh detergent. Prevent contact between gassy clothes and your face, as the chemical agents are active even days later. Remember, the police are thoroughly protected against gas.
  • DO NOT pick up a grenade which has not exploded. You will be injured when it goes off in your hand. Some are, of course, duds. But it is not safe to assume that unexploded grenade at your feet is a dud.

If exposed to tear gas

  • Remember, the main purpose of tear gas is to cause fear. Remain calm. Panicking increases the irritation.
  • Tear gas feels as if the inside of your head is being dissolved by acid. There is a burning pain and a liquefying feeling as mucous, tears and saliva all begin flowing.
  • Breathe slowly and remember it is only temporary.
  • Spit, blow your nose, rinse out your mouth, gargle. If necessary, do an eyewash by squirting water across your eye from the inside to the outside with your head tilted to the side.
  • For the eyes:
  • If you are wearing contacts, first remove the lenses or get someone to remove them for you, with clean, uncontaminated fingers.
  • We recommend a solution of half liquid antacid (like Maalox) and half water. A spray bottle is ideal but a bottle that has a squirt cap works as well.
  • Always irrigate from the inside corner of the eye towards the outside, with head tilted back and slightly towards the side being rinsed.
  • It needs to get into the eye to help. This means that if the sprayed person says it’s okay you should try to open their eye for them. They most likely won’t be able/willing to open it themselves, and opening will cause a temporary increase in pain, but the solution does help. It works great as a mouth rinse too.
  • Secondary treatments can include: spitting, blowing your nose, coughing up mucous (you don’t want to swallow these chemicals!), walking around with your arms outstretched, removing contaminated clothing, and taking a cool shower. In fact, it is essential to shower and wash your clothes (this time in real detergents) as soon as you are able. This shit is toxic, and will continually contaminate you and everyone around you until you get rid of it. Until then, try not to touch your eyes or your face, or other people, furniture, carpets etc. to avoid further contamination. Remember, it is only temporary, and we are extremely strong.
  • Diffuse tear gas lingers in the air for a long time. Expect eye, nose and throat irritation for several hours after tear gas has been used in an area, especially if the use of gas was extremely liberal.
  • Some individuals exposed to tear gas will develop contact dermatitis even after what appears to be an unproblematic initial exposure and severe blistering can emerge several hours later. An exposure to even a low concentration of tear gas raises blood pressure and there is a particular risk of health damage to anyone over 30, under physical strain or having an undetected aneurysm. At high concentrations tear gas has been associated with heart failure, liver damage and death.

Staying Safe & Sensible in an Action:

  • A demonstration where police might attack requires a higher level of tactical awareness than your run-of-the-mill picket. Here are some generally applicable suggestions to help you stay safe and effective in the streets.
  • Always have a safe space in mind. All demonstrators need to be aware of a safe place to get to if a situation grows out of hand. You define “safe” and “unsafe” for yourself. For some, safe is among the locked arms of fellow activists, right on the front lines; but there’s no shame in a lower threshold, for any number of reasons. Safe spaces change depending on movement and barriers by other demonstrators and the police, etc. In some cases they include wide open spaces or public areas. Other times they may take the form of an alleyway or similar hiding s
  • Use the buddy system and move in a group. If at all possible, make sure to have a partner you can trust, to whom you will always stay close. That way, at least one person always knows your whereabouts and condition. Working in small groups of people, all of whom you know well and trust with your own safety, is another important factor. Even if you are not part of an organized group with a plan of action, it is helpful to at least be with folks you can rely on.
  • Be aware of crowd dynamics and dangers. You need to know what is going on - not just in view, but around the corners and a few blocks away. Pay attention to the mood of the crowd and the police. Certain actions like property destruction and violence will likely be caused by or result in violent behavior on the part of police. Be aware of police movement and different groups of protestors entering or leaving an area. Try to monitor the vibes and focuses of friends and foes at all times.
  • Know what is going on out of view by regularly sending out scouts to investigate what the police and other demonstrators are up to. Since the situation at a dynamic protest will change frequently and rapidly, scouts need to check around and report back often. It’s a good idea to appoint a pair of group members as scouts.
  • Don’t act on rumors. It’s common at demonstrations for someone to approach a group of activists shouting, “The riot cops are coming!” As often as not, of course, there are no police coming at all. These people may simply be panicking, or they may be agents trying to confuse you. Acting on bad information is disruptive at best, and often dangerous. All critical information needs to be verified. If the person conveying info can’t claim to have witnessed something directly, or if he or she is a stranger, then that information is unreliable.
  • Assume the riot cops may be coming. While acting on rumors and fear-mongering can be disruptive and dangerous, it shouldn’t be surprising when the “authorities” do decide to blockade, surround, penetrate or break up a demonstration. This happens frequently, and the key to not being caught off guard is to stay prepared.
  • Don’t panic; help others stay calm. Sometimes at actions, the situation grows just plain frightening. But panic reduces critical judgment, adapting and coping abilities, and it can spread rapidly. Our best defense in a crisis is our collective cool - keeping each other centered & focused. If you can’t stay focused and centered, then you need to quit the demo to calm down. Similarly, if someone else can’t be calmed down, they need to leave.
  • Your best offense and defense is being part of a solid group. Groups combine various skills and powers. Savvy groups practice often, plan, and develop amazing strategies and tactics that are beyond the abilities of individuals. They have the numbers to do the various tasks: act, scout, medical, communicate with others, security, etc, yet they are small enough to act quickly.

Team Organization

BE PEACEFUL! DO NOT ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE IF POSSIBLE! WHEN POSSIBLE, DO NOT ANSWER VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE!

General team preparation

  • Different teams have different jobs.
  • Every team needs a person in charge.
  • All people that are part of a team should be wearing a cloth with the color that corresponds with that team.
  • Get team members cheap phones with spare SIM cards so you can stay in constant contact. You can also use Twitter and Facebook to send updates.
  • Make sure no one else other than the communications operator of the team is communicating through the radio channel, Twitter account, or Facebook account you are using. This could cause a breach of security if the police are spying on your conversation.

Important teams:

Runner Team (White)

  • Gives information from headquarters to teams.
  • Needs perfect knowledge of the neighborhood the team is deployed in.
  • A bicycle or scooter is ideal, but if no bike is available the fastest runner will have to do.
  • May also serve as a support team if any other team is in need of backup.

Medical Team (Red)

  • Provides medical assistance to people who need it.
  • If you expect that other protesters will not know what the red cloth means, consider adding a red crescent, red cross, or similar symbol of medical purpose.
  • People in this team should carry scissors, bandages, gauze, antiseptic, water, protein bars and anything else necessary to help people.
  • See http://m4t.wikidot.com/ for medical protocols.

Documenting Team (Green or no color)

  • Takes pictures and records video.
  • Uploads picture and video to internet sharing sites as soon as possible.
  • Real footage and reports are important, because the media might be not on side and might not report accurately. If your government cuts off the internet or censors the media, ordinary citizens become reporters, so capturing images and video is very important to get your struggle out to the world and gain international support.
  • Don't wear a colored cloth if police are targeting journalists.
  • This team can stay away from the front lines to organize data from collected memory cards and wireless comunications.
  • Protect yourself to upload data: http://pastebin.com/
  • Use Anonymous contacts to assist with editing and spreading the information. Anonops.ru will help you. Leave the editing to people outside the riots, just keep recording, we'll get the rest. We do NOT propagate violence.

Front Row Team (Black)

  • These people usually confront authorities. (Be nonviolent if possible.)
  • The front row demonstrators are what the media will focus on. They should be well prepared to relay your message effectively. Bring signs, banners, megaphones, t-shirts, effigies, and similar items.

Observation Team (no color)

  • Views and reports street activities from a rooftop or other high position.
  • Watches what the police are doing: how many police, what they are doing, where they are going.
  • Relays information to headquarters or relay teams.
  • This team should have walkie-talkies or phones, if available.
  • This team should not show active support with t-shirts, banners, thrown rocks, or any other form of participation. Your information is important for other demonstrators so you do not want the authorities to target you.

Headquarters Team

  • Try to set up headquarters with links to observation and runner teams.
  • Can coordinate movement through maps, following teams and preventing them from falling into traps.
  • A fast Internet connection is great here, so this team can provide information to runner teams as well as send updates to internet supporters worldwide.

Fighting Police Tactics

  • Often, the police strategy at a protest they want to end is to disperse the participants. They tend to operate in coordinated units, and use the following tactics:
    • Show of force to intimidate and scare people away.
    • Surprise attacks by troops hidden in reserve.
    • Surround and isolate entire crowds — sometimes not allowing people to leave or enter. They may also try to divide the crowd by moving into it at its weakest point. If you see the police about to attack your weak spot, try to reinforce it. When dispersing demonstrators, they may try to drive them like cattle towards certain areas and away from other areas. Your group can avoid the cattle drive dynamic by splitting off from the crowd. This can be effective if the police are operating as small units and not splitting up to deal with smaller groups outside the crowd.
    • Police will often use snatch squads to perform surprise arrests of individuals they have chosen at random from the crowd, or whom they identify as “leaders” or “troublemakers”. Snatch squads often are made up of, or collaborate with undercover agents, and can strike at any time. The best time to stop a snatch is as soon as the snatch has happened. You need a group of people to break the police’s grip and some people to act as blocks. An important and low risk role in the de-arrest involves simply placing your body between the police and their target. Once you have your person back, all should link arms and disappear into the crowd. The police may try to snatch back or arrest one of the de-arresters. Surrounding police vehicles containing arrestees and preventing them from moving might lead to them being released. Cars don’t move very well when they have flat tires, but keep in mind that when tires are punctured they can be loud.
  • Always be on the look-out for where your friends are, and be ready to act clearly and sensibly at a moment's notice.

Outmaneuvering The Police

  • Listen to where the observation and headquarters teams tell you to go and go to exactly where they tell you. When they tell you to get out, leave the area. They both work to prevent you from entering situations and places that could land you trapped and subsequently in jail or worse!
  • Don’t let yourself be intimidated onto the sidewalk. Police will push marches onto sidewalks in order to thin them out and divide them into smaller groups. Once the police force a march onto the sidewalk they can much more easily direct its movements and single out troublemakers. Street crossings can be used to move into the roadway though groups may have to turn. In instances like this people walking bicycles can help form barriers, which will slow down police trying to push into the march.
  • Police move slow, so move quickly and in a large tight group. Occasionally running in a coordinated manner will help to keep the police always behind you. Countdowns will not only intimidate the police but they get you all charged up before running. Moving the wrong way down one-way streets my thin out the demonstration (as people have to make room for stopped cars) but it makes it very difficult for large groups of police to follow.
  • Look outwards from the crowd. If someone is being administered first aid, face away from them.
  • Form cordons around anything the police want. (buildings, sound equipment, etc.)
  • Sitting down is good for dissuading police charging but only in large numbers. Sometimes sitting is not really worth it. Horses and camels are unpredictable. Particularly violent cops, especially those employing gases or rubber bullets, may be dangerous to sit in front of.
  • Throwing is a defensive act. It may not be wise to throw stuff at the best of times — that will only provoke them and make them want to hit you harder. If you want to throw, do it defensively, strategically, and en masse — a constant hail of debris will create a ‘sterile area’ where the police will not want to go. Remember: don’t throw to attack or cause injury. Throw from the front and then disappear into the crowd. Only jerks throw from the back.
  • Gas canisters can be thrown or kicked away from the crowd before they explode. Be careful! Don’t pick up with your bare hands, as they can be very hot. They will explode.
  • Barricades can be more hassle than they are worth. If you make impassable blockades you might block yourself in when you need to run. The best barricades are random material like newspaper boxes, dumpsters turned on the side, and road or construction material, strewn all over. One or two groups can lift small parked cars and place them in the street with out damaging them.
  • The best defense is chaos. If situations change constantly the police cannot keep up. Keep moving. Change your appearance. Open new directions and possibilities. Be unpredictable.
  • Watch out for provocateurs including but not limited to “peace police”. These self appointed enforcers of “peace” infiltrate demonstrations and try to prevent people from walking in the street or engaging in many forms of protest. They sometimes wear armbands (usually white) and will report people to the police or attempt to apprehend them personally. Also watch out for individuals trying to instigate violence against obvious non-targets. These people are often police or employed by them to discredit us.

Countering the Police

  • With any rowdy crowd, the police will be trying to break it up.They will try to intimidate and disperse crowds using baton line charges, horse charges, vehicles, gases, rubber/wooden bullets and a few violent arrests. The dance steps will include one or more of these:
    • Cops in lines will surround you.
    • Either from the middle or one side, the cop lines will force everyone onto the sidewalk trying to create ‘spectators’ & ‘actors’ out of the crowd.
    • Baton/horse/gas attack to lower morale.
    • Loud speakers, and concussion grenades, to disorient and breakup the crowd.
    • Line charges will slowly push the crowd down the street to where they want you (rush of cops à fall back à strengthen line à repeat).
    • The police cannot arrest large groups of people unless they have lots of little plastic handcuffs.
    • The police won’t use tear gas unless they have their own gas masks on.
  • Stop the lines from forming! Surrounding you, preventing you from going where you want to go, and pushing you down the street to where they want you to go, all require the police to be in a tight line. It is important to prevent the first lines from forming. If the crowd seems volatile, they will hold back and form their lines a distance away. But if the crowd is hanging around looking confused and passive they will sneak in and form the lines among you.
  • Don’t stand and watch them. Always stay moving
  • Don’t look like you’ll let them anywhere near you.
  • Spot gaps in the crowd and fill them. stick together.
  • Figure out where they want to go and get there first.
  • Protect your escape routes by standing in front of them.
  • Get those people who turned into ‘spectators’ back into the crowd and moving around.
  • Now they may just charge and start arresting. At least you are in a stronger position to deal and your escape routes are secured. Whatever happens next, don’t stand there waiting for it. Keep moving and acting defensively.
  • If they have blocked your only exit try counter advancing: this involves moving your lines into theirs thus gaining more space and opening up more exits. Use the front line as a solid wall, linking arms and moving slowly forward. Try a countdown for a faster advance. Use the banner as a plow (this prevents them from breaking your line). Dumpsters on wheels, saw horses and fencing also work.
  • If they have blocked your only exit try reforming: always look for ways to increase your number, by joining up with other groups and absorbing stragglers. Everyone has to get out and you’ll stand a better chance of getting out unharmed, with all your belongings and equipment if you leave together at the same time.
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