Protest Tips

Digital Safety

Many people don't realize how much information your cellphone is sharing with everyone nearby. From your Bluetooth ID, searching for wi-fi access points, and saving location data, your phone is not protecting you. Here are some tips to keep your data private when facing local or Federal law enforcement.

• Before protesting, only use communication apps that offer end to end encryption. Signal is the most popular app for secure communication. 

• If possible, don't bring smart devices to a protest. Leave your phone, earbuds, smart watch, and heath trackers at home or in your car far from the protest. All those items are giving away your information. 

• If you have to bring a phone, buy a cheap Android burner phone. These phones are great for protests! Create a free Gmail account and only use it with this phone. Use it to document police and Federal agents. Don't install any extra apps on the phone and only use it while protesting. Turn off the phone when you are leaving the protest area. Do not leave the phone on while traveling from the protest and never turn the phone on at your house or workplace. Don't dox yourself! 

• Enable airplane mode. This will prevent your device from leaking information about you and your device. 

• If you have to bring your personal phone, know how to enable lockdown mode. This mode requires a passcode to unlock your phone rather than FaceID or a fingerprint. Modern Android phones also offer "Advanced Protection" which will disable the USB port when the phone is locked. This will prevent someone who has access to your phone from using hardware to unlock the phone. 

• Make sure your phone is sanitized. Remove any apps that hold personal information. You can reinstall them when you are home. Backup your photos and local documents, and delete them. Clear your internet search history. Make sure there is nothing on the phone that can be used against you. 

Personal Safety

• Don't bring firearms. Period. 

• Let someone you trust know where you are. 

• Don't wear brightly colored or unique clothing. Most video recording systems allow the owner to search by clothing color. Wear black or grey tops, standard blue jeans, and clothing without logos. Don't make it easy to filter your image from a database. 

• Wear a facemask that covers your eyebrows. Wear gloves. If you have tatoos, cover them. Again, the goal is to make it as hard as possible for autorites to pull your image from a database. 

• Memorize a phone number of someone you trust or write the phone number on your arm with permanent marker. If you are detained the authorities do not have to allow you a phone to search your contacts (you should never unlock your phone when in custody anyway!). Memorize or write the phone number on your body.

• Bring a water bottle and a snack. The water bottle can also double as an emergency face/skin wash if you are exposed to CS gas. 

•  If you are expecting CS gas or pepper spray, a half-mask respirator and googles will protect you. No need for the full military grade gas mask. While a full-face mask is nice, it is overkill for CS gas. A 3M 6000 Series Half-Face Mask and 60921 filters or 60926 filters will work. Make sure to ear tight fitting goggles if you wear a half face mask. 

• CS gas cartridges are HOT! Do not pick up the cartridge to throw it back at opposing forces. Kick the canister into a storm drain if possible. 

• A common tactic used in Hong Kong  to defeat CS gas canisters is to cover it with a traffic cone and another person pours water into the cone, drowning the canister. 

• There are companies that make Taser resistant clothing. Wearing loose fitting, heavy leather jackets can help prevent the Taser barbs from contacting with your skin.

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