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** Hello, friends.
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This past weekend, fierce protests developed across Los Angeles against immigration raids. Like in Minneapolis ([link removed]) , the initial spark involved rapid response to an ongoing raid. Dozens of people surrounded the building, trapping ICE agents inside and attracting more protestors. Since Friday afternoon, demonstrators have continued to gather in rolling protests across LA. Thousands are facing down federal and local police outside of sites of immigration raids, detention centers, ICE staging areas, on freeways, and even at a hotel where federal ICE agents were reportedly staying.
We have published a firsthand account from LA ([link removed]) overviewing how the protests began and spread.
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Read the article ([link removed])
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** Getting prepared
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We’ve compiled guides for demonstrators on our Bluesky ([link removed]) , including a short checklist about how to participate in demonstrations as safely and effectively as possible.
** 1.) Don't go by yourself.
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Go in a group of friends you have good reason to trust—ideally, people you have been to demonstrations with before. This is called an affinity group. Talk in advance about what you aim to accomplish and what each of you needs. Read: How to Form an Affinity Group ([link removed]) .
** 2.) Learn basic security culture.
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Share sensitive information on a need-to-know basis: if someone does not need to know something, they should never hear anything about it. Don’t speak about your or others' participation in high-risk activities. Don’t brag, gossip, or speculate. Learn and abide by the security expectations of each person you interact with, and respect differences. Never give up any information that could endanger anyone else without their explicit consent. Read: What is Security Culture? ([link removed])
** 3.) Learn about digital security.
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If you can, leave your phone at home. If you have to bring your phone, back it up and delete all data that you would not wish to share with police. Use a long alphanumeric passcode. Only message via the encrypted app Signal. If you need to use a burner phone, check out a guide to best practices ([link removed]) .
** 4.) Dress to preserve your privacy.
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If you could be in the vicinity of high-risk activities, bring a change of clothes that completely conceals your identity and matches the crowd. Change clothing out of sight of cameras. Don't let your bag or shoes give you away. Read: Fashion Tips for the Brave. ([link removed])
** 5.) You can't be sure how things will go, so err on the side of safety.
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Bring ear plugs and, if there is even the slightest chance of projectiles, a helmet.
Our guides will help you pick the helmet that is right for you ([link removed]) , and cover your options when it comes to body armor ([link removed]) .
** 6. If there is any chance that chemical weapons could be used, consider bringing a gas mask and/or goggles.
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Our guide reviews the different kinds of munitions ([link removed]) that police and other mercenaries use to terrorize people, and how to protect your community against them. You have a wide range of options for protecting your eyes and lungs from chemical agents and projectiles. We’ve detailed the advantages and disadvantages of each, so you can pick out what is best for you. Read: A Demonstrator’s Guide to Gas Masks and Goggles. ([link removed])
** 7. If you buy things while you're in the streets, use cash.
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Your credit card purchases and bank account ATM locations can be used to track you. This also applies to sending money online. Be aware of metadata. After the protest, don’t publish photos without removing metadata. You can do that quickly by screenshotting them. Across Frontlines has published a useful protest safety guide ([link removed]) covering this issue and others like it.
** 8.) It's not a bad idea to have a plan in place for the worst-case scenario.
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Know where the nearest hospital with a trauma center is, how you will get to it, and what to do if someone sustains a gunshot wound during a demonstration. Read: A Demonstrator’s Guide to Responding to Gunshot Wounds. ([link removed])
** 9.) Learn about police tactics, such as kettling, and think about how you will conduct yourself in the event of arrest.
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Under questioning, invoke your right to remain silent and emphasize that you would like to speak to a lawyer. You should not say anything else to your captors under any circumstances. Read: Making the Best of Mass Arrests ([link removed])
** 10.) Learn how to survive a felony trial ([link removed]) , should it ever come to that.
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** 11.) Finally, don't just be a spectator. Set your goals and accomplish them.
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Here is a step-by-step guide ([link removed]) to organizing and carrying out direct action, from the first planning stages to the debrief at the end, including legal support, media strategy, and proper security.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone out there who takes a stand against oppression—whether by taking the streets, playing a support role, or in other ways.
All the freedom we have, we owe to those who have acted to resist tyranny.
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** ICYMI
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In moments of mass protest, we often see the open sharing of resources as people work together to achieve their goals and care for each other in the streets. We’ve published a new article exploring the distinctions between mutual aid and charity, “Mutual Aid, the Commons, and the Revolutionary Abolition of Capitalism. ([link removed]) ”
** “When people get to do what they love most, rather than being forced to squander their lives on tasks that they do not care about, it takes a lot less to feel prosperous.
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** By contrast, those who seek to profit at others’ expense find that no amount of material wealth is enough to satisfy them.”
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** What We’re Doing
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All of our projects are copyright free. We distribute them for free, or else, where that is impossible, sell print versions for the costs of production and delivery alone. We do this work freely, without seeking financial compensation. The future of our species and of all life on earth is more important to each of us than turning a profit at others’ expense. True wealth is collective, not individualistic.
If you want to help us expand the scope of our efforts, you can support our projects financially ([link removed]) . But the most important thing right now is to form networks that are capable of mutual aid, collective defense, and transformative revolutionary change. Find people who share your desire for a better world and practice taking action ([link removed]) together.
For a selection of resources on how to prepare for turbulent times, you can begin here ([link removed]) .
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