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Notes
1: While some of this may seem hyperbolic and might not always apply, it is important to safety plan for the worst case scenario, because they happen, and usually people are not prepared to respond and have no plan in place if they are detained or police violence occurs. It is important to understand that protestors are often treated as terrorists and are not given basic civil liberties. No phone calls, no access to needed medications, no rights.
ICE also treats immigrants (document and undocumented and even native people because racists cannot tell the difference) as terrorists – no matter what documentation you carry. White people - remember that as a serious privilege. That said:
Just to keep saying it, write the number of a lawyer or someone you have preplanned with in case of incarceration. While the arm is usually suggested, it is better to put it somewhere they won't see immediately and you can see. Memorizing it is even better. Worst stories are of people getting numbers scrubbed off until the arm was red.
2: Throughout this document the word Terrorist is used when the government is likely to use that term in order to bypass legal civil rights. It is important to remember that many individuals and groups have been labeled Terrorists despite not posing any actual violent threat to anyone else. Before the Black Panthers Party started carrying guns, they were under surveillance because they were a threat to capitalism, offering free breakfast and other Mutual Aid resources to their community. AIM, MLK, our history is full of non-violent protestors met with extreme violence.
3: All links are underlined.
4: This is a living document that will continue to be update via our website or CryptPad: https://cryptpad.fr/doc/#/2/doc/view/BdjO3ySkyEv-6+IBrjgztqEtWg7YfChF+nIGijrVeVE/embed/
5: Is there something you think we should add? Email us at cog at riseup dot net, or
Part One: Security Culture
Contents:
Security Culture
Events/Protest Security
Black Bloc aka Clothing
Street Medic (Training Basics)
Mental Health First Aid
Technology Recommendations
Technology
Biometrics
Surveillance
Social Media Surveillance
Know Your Rights
Aka If You Get Arrested or DetainedPhones
Bad Actors vs Angry Marginalized Folks
Snitchjacketing
Security Culture
#1 Rule - Never talk to Law Enforcement, Cops, ICE, anyone. Never talk to anyone, even plain clothed strangers on the street who might be undercover cops. When in doubt - Shut the fuck up.
Security Culture is what organizers use to define a praxis, a common set of protocols and practices that help keep each other safe especially when confronted with Police Violence. Police Violence can be physical (ex: Protests, Raids, Incarceration) or Social - Psychological which can range from Surveillance to Manipulation to a range of abuses that governments call anti-terrorism tactics which can include locking people in rooms and leaving the light on and playing loud noises so occupant becomes sleep deprived, with the idea that this will cause the individual to “break” aka snitch.
Events/Protest Security
Do NOT Go Alone.
Media pushes the idea of "rights for prisoners" vs lived reality - many protestors still believe they will be treated as they see on TV, this is simply not the reality. Find a friend, even if they are not a medic. Never go to a protest alone. At minimum, make sure someone knows where you are and has ways to contact the main organizers and trusted lawyer support. If you get detained, you are not (usually) given your civil liberties (such as making a phone call) so it is important that someone can react if you are detained - especially if you are disabled and/or have medication needs. Again, no civil liberties, no rights. At the point you are detained at a protest, you are considered a terrorist.
Protect the Most Vulnerable!
Someone reposted a TikTok by an ex-cop which did have some useful information for newbs- namely, if you see Full Riot Gear, it is time to be careful. In the video, he told people to disperse, which is the whole reason for Riot Gear, it is first and foremost Fear Mongering. They want people to disperse, to leave, to go home. By complying, why are you protesting in the first place, if you are just going to comply in advance of potential violence? Yes, this is a cue that violence might happen. That the gases and rubber bullets might come out. But it takes less resources to scare someone into compliance.
Instead use careful tactics: create a line, create a chain by linking arms. Use the environment against them, find an alley that is skinnier so they cannot overwhelm and flank but keep your back open do not get trapped on an alley. Move into many smaller groups to break their line. And whomever is the most vulnerable, protect them at all costs. CIrcle up, keep them in the middle away from police or help them get somewhere they can leave if necessary. For example if you are a mostly white group with a few people of color - the police will target the PoC or the person with a visible disability or visibly queer/trans, etc. Anyone visibly new to protesting and unaware of security culture’s ethos is a target as well.
They see these individuals as most likely to cause everyone else to give up. As soon as fear starts, it becomes a part of the herd. Moreover, if they are trying to get someone to snitch, the police see vulnerable individuals as more likely to crack. They will also target people they see as leaders or instigators which is why it is important not to have defined leaders – organize laterally, autonomously. This can be a bit difficult, to create a consensus in a large group of mostly strangers, but it is possible, and awesome to observe. Repeat information so those in the back can hear.
Black Bloc aka Clothing
Black Bloc exists for a reason. When a group of protesters is wearing all black it is hard to distinguish one person from another. So that cool patch you want to show off is going to be a way to identify you. ALL black. If you cannot do all black, do other ‘normal” clothes without patches or prints on them. Protests are not the time to show off your fashion originality. If you want to seem more casual (hopefully no violence and do not want to be seen as black bloc, wear neutral boring clothes.
If you are super serious, you can put a layer of black over other boring clothes (boring because you still do not want to stand out) and these black top clothes can either be thrown away or hidden away in a bag so if you need to leave the protest you will look different. You can also bring a change of clothing if nothing else. (Cameras are always watching you). In Seattle, there are many jokes about the Seattle Dress Code being all black which does make it easier to blend in with non-protest foot traffic if necessary.
Another reason to not wear your favorite clothes to a protest is that the gases they use (like tear gas) do not come out of clothes. Generally the only option if you get gassed is to throw away your clothes. The gases they use are nasty and will continue to cause reactions after normal washing.
Mask-Up
It’s basic health safety when you are in a crowd with a bunch of strangers to wear a mask. Also, it means that it will be harder for face recognition software and surveillance. A gasmask will protect you (somewhat) from gas. An N95 less so. If you do not have a mask then wear a bandana. Cloth face coverings only reduce disease transmission by 10-20% so we are emphasizing anonymity here. Also a wet bandana works better against gas then nothing.
And wear goggles, over eyeglasses. DO NOT WEAR CONTACTS! Saying these are gas is confusing because there are microparticles, dust, that sticks and irritates your sinuses and anything it touches and can get under contacts. And wear a hat can help hide who you are and also can help stop projectiles. Other things like an umbrella, a metal sign, metal garbage can lid if they even still make those, be creative of what is on hand that you can use to shield yourself – the less you get on you the better.
Do NOT take photos/videos without permission. Even if you think you are not getting anyone’s face, it makes people feel unsafe and the cops can use other identifying information to target you or other protestors. Ask permission if you are a journalist.
Gases, Rubber Bullets & Self-Protection
There is no really great solution here aside from avoiding gases and bullets if you can.
Do NOT pick up gas cans. While the image of this action has been immortalized in protest history, often touching these cans not only means it is on your hands now and usually your whole body, but also the cans can be hot or unnaturally freezing cold depending on what gas they contain. Often people seen doing this have special gloves that are resistant to temperature and masks that they bought just for these direct actions.
If you get gas in your eyes, water* is the only thing that is going to help. Milk is a myth and full of microbes that can cause infection. The person gassed needs to tilt their head to the side and pour the water from the bridge of the nose so it streams down through the eye.
*Sterile saline may also be used, but is not as common of an item. Also seeing some other recipes out there but i have not tried. Usually keeping several plastic water bottles is good practice because someone will forget and be dehydrated.
If you get it on your clothes - do NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES or MOUTH! Even if it is in your nose, eyes, or mouth, Call for a medic.
Best Practices - do not touch anything. Time to go home, cut off and throw your clothes away and take a warm to cold shower as soon as possible.
Gas masks are great, N95s are also good, if not wet bandannas are tried and true.
Goggles can help protect you from getting gas in your eyes.
Wear clothes you can easily throw away. Layers. Not to be repetitive but this is often ignored to the later pain of throwing away favorite clothing items.
Avoid rubber bullets, while easier said than done, there is no great way to protect yourself. It IS a bullet and it will hurt. Usually leaving a huge bruise which can be treated with arnica but can last for over a week. They can permanently injury you and possibly kill you in the right conditions. Shields can help but again it is still a bullet and has force behind it. Furthermore, having a shield can make you stand out and become a target.
Review: Best Practices in general. Wear all black disposable clothes. Bring a change of clothing. Bring a mask or a bandanna and a water bottle. A disposable water bottle is good practice. Do not bring anything that can be used to identify you. Do not wear your everyday bag but the most boring plain bag you have. Unless it is your medic bag which should be identifiable such as a red bag with a cross on it. **You are a beautiful unique being** but on this day - be boring. Do bring any necessary medications, a water bottle and a snack. If you are a medic, also bring your medic kit (obviously).
Street Medic (Training Basics)
There is no standard for Street Medics, but in general there are some basics anyone wanting to medic needs to know before going to a protest. When packing your medic bag, think about what is going to be the most common issues. Is there likely to be police violence? Is it going to be a hot day? Water is important for both because it helps regulate temperature plus you want lots of water if they start gassing people.
Do not go alone.
Find a friend, even if they are not a medic. In general, never go to a protest alone. Make sure someone knows where you are and has ways to contact the main organizers and some lawyer support. If you do decide to go alone, you can be a legal observer, not a protestor. Stay to the side or behind the crowd. Cops are not supposed to bother medics/observers but if you are at the front of the protest screaming all pigs must die, they won’t see you as a medic/observer and also it breaks that delicate protection we are allotted. If you want to join the protest, remove any visible signs you are a medic. (*In 2020 medics were targeted directly by police at the cap hill protests, in a separate zone, labeled and all; police say they will not target medics but do not always follow this code.)
Get certified in First Aid and CPR.
Medical Ethics - While there is some conversation about this, as a community there has never been a consensus about this. Medical ethics says we should treat anyone who needs our help, this includes the opposing side. If you see a medic treating someone from the opposing side, this does not make them a traitor. It makes them a good person following the code of medical ethics.
Medical Ethics 2 - Do no harm. If you are not trained as a medic - do not go to a protest flagging as a medic, find a class (usually offered for free or donation). Obviously, there are always outliers like if someone is bleeding to death, try to stop the bleeding even if you are not trained. In this situation you would not be held liable.
ODs and more:
Most important is remembering that this is someone’s life. If they are not responding, are not breathing, nor have a heartbeat and you know they have done Heroin, Opioids, and/or Fentanyl - anything is better than them dying.
Carry Naloxone/Narcan!
Be prepared for anything.
This includes people coming to protests high, drunk, dehydrated, disassociated, with mental health symptoms, and really anything you could imagine.
Carry naloxone/narcan.
Get trained to recognize an overdose and how to give someone naloxone.
In general, naloxone is not going to hurt anyone, including someone not ODing.
The worse naloxone will do is stop someone’s high which can be a risk itself because the high individual might be upset you “ruined” their high.
Narcan is naloxone nasal spray and should have attached instructions. If you have injectable naloxone, you can inject it into a muscle, usually the thigh is the easiest.
Fentanyl - One dose of naloxone often works with Opioid ODs but not Fentanyl which usually requires two doses. So always carry at least two doses and if they do not respond after the first dose, give them a second dose.
Carry lots of water especially in the summer. Carrying disposable water bottles you can give away is better than treating dehydration later.
Carry snacks and electrolyte packets. People rarely think about food and how much they will sweat out and can have blood sugar crashes.
Carry portable warmers to give people in the winter.
Unless you are a nurse or other certified medical person, you cannot legally give people NSAIDs or any over the counter medications. If they have medications, you can help them take them but you could be liable if they have a reaction to something you give them. Aspirin for example is a blood thinner and could impact someone who gets hurt and starts bleeding.
Good Samaritan Law does offer some protection. Good Samaritan laws protect individuals who voluntarily assist others in emergency situations from legal liability, as long as they act in good faith and within their level of training. These laws aim to encourage bystanders to help without fear of being sued for unintentional harm. So stay within your scope of practice. Distributing medications is not within the scope of Street Medic trainings/certifications.
Gasses:
Water is the only thing that will help. The person gassed needs to tilt their head to the side and pour the water from the bridge of the nose so it streams down through the eye. A water bottle with a narrow spout is nice because the flow of water is smaller and easier to control. It is more about the flow than the amount. You can also use a syringe and it will help save water. A wide mouth water bottle being the worst because most of the water will just fall on the ground and not help. If it is what you have, use it.
Stop them from touching their face or mouth. Really any skin. If they can, have them strip off the clothing pieces that have gas on them and throw them away. They need to go home and shower, several times.
Rubber Bullets (suck). Treat just like you would any other bruise. Topical Arnica is what is recommended by herbalists who are also medics. Generally topic arnica is something that most people tolerate without bad reactions. Note: Arnica is not edible, it is poisonous. ARNICA CANNOT GO ON OPEN WOUNDS!
If someone gets hit in the head with a bullet - they need to go to the ER ASAP (!!!) or something and get an MRI. People have been rendered disabled from being hit in the head with a rubber bullet.
In review: most Street Medic trainings will teach First Aid and CPR and should offer certification in these. They should offer Overdose response training. They should cover legal issues, Good Samaritan Law, and Medical Ethics. Most also have a section on anti-oppression and how to communicate with your patient. Lastly, they should cover how to respond to protest specific medical treatments - namely gases and rubber bullets. Most also offer some drills, scenarios, or practices of situations one would encounter at a protest. Honestly, the usefulness of drills is up for debate. Some find them helpful, others find them a waste of time. The main idea is that you should learn the skills to respectfully approach someone, get their consent, and be able to assess what help they need, and provide that or help them access someone who can help them.
Bridge training - is a training for medical providers: Nurses, Nursing Assistance, Doctors, EMT, anyone with a substainal medical background and focuses less on medical and more on the roe of the medic and situations more practioneers would not come across - like rubber bullets and tear gas.
Mental Health First Aid
Most Street Medic trainings do not cover Mental Health First Aid or cover it briefly but one can generally find free classes to further their education. Mental Health First Aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person experiencing or developing a mental health condition or experience trauma (like being hit by a rubber bullet), some mental health conditions that can arise after a direct action including depression or anxiety disorders, or experiencing a mental health crisis situation such as suicidal ideation or panic attack. Anyone going to a protest should be aware of panic attacks and how to control them within their own body. Panic attacks are most common among first time protestors and arise at almost every protest in response to crowding, use of force (by cops or otherwise) and even unfamiliar circumstances.
First Responder Trainings
Many Street Medics are also trained in some other First Responder Certification. Easiest to access are Wilderness First Responder trainings which are also unregulated/not standardized and typically cost a good chunk of money. These trainings go deeper than a Street Medic training. Other First Responders include Medics and ER personnel.
Technology Recommendations (More Below)
In short, do NOT bring your actual phone to a protest - EVER. Or at least turn it off and tuck it away. But if they already found your Unique identifier, from trusted source, they can still triangulate when your phone is off especially if you have location finders like Find My Phone turned on. Having a burner is best practice. In your burner have the number of a lawyer or at least someone you can call to help you arrange a lawyer. And nothing else. Phones that have cameras are always helpful for documentation but can be smashed by cops. Please read the technology section for more information on this.
Legal Observer
This is another protest attendance option for those more vulnerable. Legal observers are individuals, usually representatives of civilian human rights agencies, who attend public demonstrations, protests and other activities where there is a potential for conflict between the public and the police, security guards, or other law enforcement personnel. Legally, police are required to leave Legal Observers alone but you must adhere to being only an observer - you cannot participate in the protest and say you are an observer. There is no official regulation or certification to become an observer. It is illegal for cops to obstruct the documentation of their actions as long as you are not interfering. It is illegal for cops to stop you from filming them. Do cops regularly harass, lie, and intimidate people who are observing? Definitely. Especially during protests, cops tend to have more freedom to be violent. Especially when Martial Law/Police State Emergency is called. This can happen regionally (declared by the Mayor), on a state level (the Governor), or on a Federal level ( the President). At this point, the cops can do whatever they want really. Anyone in the protest zone is considered a terrorist and forgoes their civil rights.
Technology
End-to-End Encryption:
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a method of secure communication that prevents third parties from accessing data while it's transferred from one end system or device to another. In E2EE, the data is encrypted on the sender's system or device, and only the intended recipient can decrypt it.
You write a message on your end and hit send. This message is encrypted so absolutely no one can read it until it hits the end user's device.
Turn off the option that makes it pop up on your screen, if you are detained they can read your messages as they pop-up.
E2EE is great. Especially apps like Signal that allow you to set how long messages last before they get erased. The messages are not on any cloud (server) so they cannot be subpoenaed unless you as an individual are issued a subpoena or someone whom you were chatting with.
Note: company owned E2EE such as facebook messenger or whatsapp is NOT as good as Signal. The company has access to SOME data and may choose to comply with or revoke E2EE at any time; Signal is an independent app with vested interest in keeping user data private.
The bad - they do live on YOUR device(s) until you delete them. As well as on the device of the person you are sending the message to. If that person already has a spyware virus on their device or get a subpoena then it is a moot point. Signal allows you to delete your OWN messages on others' devices, but it will not allow you to delete others' messages on their devices. Some devices may store deleted messages if they are disconnected from the internet between receiving the message and it being deleted.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
If you use Wi-Fi at home or work, generally those are closed systems and no one, besides your ISP, can see what you are doing. But if you are using an open network (coffee shop, a university, library, etc.) it is fairly easy to hack your system.
Note: For home/work networks the ISP has access to certain data if a VPN is not being used and will turn information over.
VPNs also protect you by masking your IP address. But all your data is going through your ISP who can see everything unless you are using Tor.
VPNs do not mask location data which is why some location based apps (Lex, Buy Nothing) won’t change even if you are using an IP address from another region. Also a good reason not to bring your phone to protests. Or at minimum turn it off.
Even with location services turned off they can still triangulate your approximate location.
RiseUp is highly recommended. There are many others but RiseUp has been serving the activist community for over twenty years and are based in Seattle/PNW. ProtonVPN is also good.
More on VPNs: https://www.globalguardian.com/global-digest/what-is-a-vpn-and-why-you-need-one?hs_amp=true
Note: On Android, Android Exploits will scan every link before you open it. There are multiple options to catch trackers on your computer and phone such as AdBlock, Privacy Badger, Malwarebytes, etc.
1Password
1Passord was the password program recommended by a Systems Security Specialist who regularly does trainings. The password savers on Google Chrome or your iPhone are not protected and are a point of vulnerability. Security is mostly safety planning and analyzing your points of vulnerability as an individual and also as a protest.
Tor
If a VPN was a browser it would be Tor. Tor is the most secure browser as of February 2025. Firefox is also good, especially Firefox Focus.
Tails
Is from the same folks that created Tor. It is an Operational System (like Windows, Mac, or Linux) but runs independently on a thumb drive. It does not interface with the OS already present. If you use it on a computer that has a virus, that virus won’t transfer to the Tails OS Thumb Drive because the drive is running the computer independently.
Each of these addresses a point of vulnerability in the Operational Systems we use. At the end of the day (unless you are a hacker, which if so why even read this) the government has all the money it could dream of for “Terrorist Surveillance” so if they want to hack you they likely can but best practices make it harder.
Graphenos
This is an alternative OS (Operational System) for your phone. Honestly, we do not know much about the company other than we got this link from another security tech person we trust. https://grapheneos.org/
RiseUp and CryptPad:
Cryptpad is a Cloud like Google so there is a document editor, etc. and everything is/can be saved to an encrypted Cloud. More info on Company. It is based in France which means it is not impossible but definitely more difficult for the data to be subpoenaed.
RiseUp Pads are anonymous and always public but unlisted - meaning any one with the link can view but won’t come up in search engines like Google. RiseUp is mostly an email service but they have been around forever and known for their security. While RiseUp is currently closed to new users and you must get a referral code from an existing user to get an account, they have a whole section on security that is worth a gander. They have great educational resources for human, device, encryption, message, and network security as well as a resource page. Part of their security is automatically wiping all their systems if they get subpoenaed or raided. They are an invaluable resource that has been supporting autonomous organizing for over 25 years. They are the experts.
Phones
To drill it in, do not take your phone to a protest nor into the room where you are discussing said protest or any other illicit activities.
While some of this might be activist folklore, everything is hearsay because the cops are not going to be honest with us. It is better to be precautious than deal with a Grand Jury process. If your phone is on, it is constantly sending location data to the nearest cell tower. This is a truth. There have been many stories about cops hacking devices and listening in. In theory, if your phone is turned off it should not be capable of either but there are stories of spyware (viruses) that can be installed on phones and operate even if the phone is off. So turn it off and shove it away. Back in the day we would always remove the battery from the phones when discussing anything. Now that is not always possible nor as easy. But if your battery is easy to remove, do it. These are all precautions. Ideally we would not need to live in fear but with a Fear Mongering President, it is time to armor up. Hopefully with these shields in place, as a community, we can mitigate harm/violence.
If you absolutely have to bring your every day phone, turn it off. If you cannot, delete as much as possible from it and follow the above precautions. Definitely turn your wifi and Bluetooth off as that is an open door for police hackers. Turning it on Airplane mode makes it more difficult because it is no longer sending out signals, but it is still possible to hack. Note - any Wi-Fi connection will automatically carry very accurate location data with it. If a phone must be used, cellular data is better than Wi-Fi.
Computers
Start with the above. Use a VPN, use a good browser and/or use plugins for security. This is all harm reduction. Do what you can and do not feel like a failure if you are not doing every little piece. Linux OS generally are hacked less then Windows or even MacOS. Most malicious hackers are going to be lazy. They are going to go after the easiest target that has the largest reward for energy expenditure ( though that could be said of most living things. No shade). So it is about knowledge, knowing what is going to make your computer the most vulnerable.
Android (phone) tends to be the easiest to exploit because it is so unregulated on so many levels. Some apps literally require access to everything especially your contacts. Don’t give them that access. But if you know what you are doing, you can close all those backdoors. This can be said of any system. It would be great to have a manual to give people on how to close backdoors but it is constantly in flux. It is also easier to teach hands on. There is also a Linux OS (more soon).
Smart phones have really become small touch screen computers that just have a slightly different OS. Same with Pads. There is an iPhone, iPad, and then Macs (computer) which all have different operational code and components. Similar but different. Ultimately, for security the same process can be applied: End to End Encryption, VPN, Ad blocker that blocks trackers and cookies, and a secure/encrypted browser.
Services like Gmail log your IP address every time you log in. If you set your notifications to email you every time you log in from a new location and are using a VPN then you should get an email with that information every time you login. Unless your VPN is set to/using a static IP.
To help understand IPs some Wikipedia quotes: “An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as 192.0.2.1 that is assigned to a device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.[1][2] … “An IP address serves two principal functions: it identifies the host, or more specifically, its network interface, and it provides the location of the host in the network, and thus, the capability of establishing a path to that host. Its role has been characterized as follows: ‘A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how to get there.’[2]
If that was too much technical jargon, to put it another way, the internet is infinite and also nothing. You cannot touch it. Right. But what you can touch is your computer, your phone, your Wi-Fi router, and even the cord that plugs into your wall. When you send a search, email, etc., over the internet that data needs to know how to get back to you to return your search query, a send success notice, etc.
So companies like Google, Meta, X, most of the apps on your phone, all catalog information based on your device ID (its address) and IP addresses. Even if you opt out, they can still use and sell your traffic information which they use to make assumptions about everything from buying preferences to who to target to dismantle a movement. There are no laws or regulations on congregating data obtained legally, “necessary for basic function” especially if you give them permission. If Gmail does not know where your computer is then you might get a bleep. You can ask apps not to track but they do not even need to consider this.
CounterIntel also uses this info to manipulate the masses. If the connection between the X and the current “elected” President is not obvious, then what is? So use VPNs to hide your address. Use alt emails, browsers, and search engines. Stay off social media. Use an Ad Blocker that stops trackers and tracker cookies. Again, this is Harm Reduction, do what you can.
Two other tactics that can be employed. First, it is good to do a regular cleanse of the computer. Do regular scans. Make sure your OS, programs, and apps are all up to date. Delete un-useful information. Occasionally all devices should be completely powered off and then restarted. Practice good technology health.
The other tactic that can be utilized is overwhelming the internet (CounterIntel) with information. This can be a both-and. So both, keep all your information secure and then give them a lot of random information. This is going to make it harder for them to make a profile on you.
Biometrics
What we need to realize is that they have been compiling biometric data for years. They already have a file on you. It hasn’t been proven, but we have to assume there are servers out there that are just tabulating data on us. (Cough Microsoft cough) Then if we become a person of interest they have all our information. Thus, the ‘overwhelm the internet with garbage’ tactic. Basically the more nonsense they have to comb through the more time of theirs we are wasting and harder to create profile. Sometimes watching those detectives work with police shows are great to show to what level they allow on tv so just imagine what they actually do.
Also as said above, turn off biometrics on your phone so the police cannot open it. But also turn off facial recognition on social media and on any apps you use because that will also be used as part of your profile and they can use to recognize and even track you through the street cameras and hacking into other outdoor cameras.
Social Media Surveillance
People are recurrently in a rush to delete all their social media accounts, but then rush onto the next or back to one they used in the past… and it is like, chill bb, they already got all that they need. Nothing is truly deleted. Moving forward, consider that they are data mining and training AIs off all those pictures posted online. The more selfies you post, the better they are going to pick your face out of a crowd.
If you get arrested or detained
When encoutering police an you think they are going to harrass or try to arrest you. FIrst you ask: “Am I being detained?” (No) “May I go?” (Yes) Calmly walk away.
If they say yes you are being detained ask them “Why am I being detained?” Here they should say what law they believe you have broken and what proof. Here you can either shut-up or ask for a lawyer. Whatever they say, just shut-up. If anything if they start searching you, you can say “I do not consent to being searched.” More under KYR.
Phones
If you have biometrics on your phone, i.e. you can scan your fingerprint or eye to gain access, the cops can force you to open it. But they cannot force you to give up a traditional alpha-numeric password. US Law is setup in such a way that if you are arrested, you lose bodily autonomy but not intellectual autonomy. You have the right to remain silent but not keep your eyelids closed. Honestly, it is likely more about how much force is required. It is easier to force open an eye or hand than it is to make someone talk if they do not want to.
In other words, biometric data such as a fingerprint or face scan to unlock a device is NOT viewed as personal information in the eyes of the law. If you have a face scan unlock the cops are permitted access to your phone via scanning your face whereas a PIN or password is private information.
Know Your Rights (KYR)
ACLU has several KYR Guides. So does EFF. CLDC. Immigrant Defense Project. National Immigration Law Center. And even LA City’s website.
Cops need a Court Issued warrant which MUST contain: The correct name AND SPELLING of the person arrested; the correct address of the specific place to be searched; A list of the items that can be seized or taken by the police; the judge’s signature; and a deadline for when the arrest or search must take place. IF IT DOES NOT SAY COURT AT THE TOP AND IS SIGNED BY A JUDGE IT IS NOT A VALID SEARCH WARRANT. ICE will often use similar paperwork that is not legal to get people to consent to a search. If cops show up at your door, do NOT let them in, they can show you the Search Warrant through the window or slide it under your door, etc. Like vampires, once you let them in you have given consent. Cops will try to manipulate you, scare you, target your kids, roommates, familia.
Just remember:
“I am exercising my constitutional rights under the 4th and 5th amendment,” “I am exercising my right to be silent.” “I do not consent to being searched.” “I do not give you permission to enter my home,” “I refuse to sign any document without speaking to my lawyer first.” “I want to talk to my lawyer.” (BTW, never sign anything, no matter what they say, without talking to a lawyer. And say nothing else until you have legal representation first.
To go back to the Observer Rights: “When you are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police.”
Cops are liars. There is nothing making them be honest with you. You never have to say anything without a lawyer present unless you are Grand Juried, at which point you are being treated as though you are a terrorist which is brutal in this country (as many others). You would be arrested without notice, by cops in full riot gear while you might be lounging in your PJs.
They will take anything of interest which means everything including anything belonging to people you live with, whether involved or not. You will be put in solitary confinement and subject to at minimum psychological torture such as interruption of sleep by baring music and bright lights. You won’t be able to communicate with anyone, no outside contact. There are no lawyers, no jury, just one judge. They do not need to have proof especially if they have a profile which suggests that you might have done something.
This is why KYR info sheets are really helpful to share to everyone especially in your household, with your kids who are being brainwashed that cops are the good guy in school. If you know your rights then it is harder for cops to lie to you
Bad Actors vs Angry Marginalized Folks
People with privilege are quick to label an angry marginalized Person speaking up about a valid concern as Bad Actors but they are not. While this might be a temporary disruption, it is meant to strengthen efforts in the long term instead of creating movements that are inaccessible and ostracizing to marginalized individuals, and we need to create an accessible movement for all. If anything, the Bad Actor is the person denying the marginalized person air time and pointing fingers. As they say to small children, when you point at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you.
Bad Actors are anyone disrupting efforts. Plants are ‘planted’ there by covert operations, CoInt or CounterIntelligence. The term Bad Actor was created because a large part of the disruption that plants cause is paranoia. Fear Mongering – that grows. These are tactics to make humans easier to manipulate. It makes us separate, not united and we must be the ‘small but mighty many’. A lot of these tactics tends to be the ‘look over here’ tactic, meaning that like a magician, they draw the attention of the constituency towards one place so they can sleight of hand in another which can be manipulation to abuse (and etc).
Bad Actors happen and if they are plants or just ignorant/abusive people, they are here and we treat them respectfully but hold their ideas at length. At this moment, February 2025, there are many people waking up and it is going to be increasingly hard to know who is who, where peoples’ allegiances lie. Everyone jumped on the 50501 but soon it came out that they were working with the cops. Maybe they just need to be educated but we cannot consider anyone working with the cops, the fed, CounterInt, etc to be anything but a bad actor. It does not matter if they are a plant or not.
We do not need to be paranoid, just secure. Instead of focusing on fear, we need to focus on security and safety planning. By assuming that bad actors will be present, either plants or ignorant/abusive people, we can be thoughtful of when and who we are sharing information with. We have to educate and not assume someone knows not to talk to cops and other part of security culture. They might come from a culture that thinks cops are good people. We have to help them understand that is not true. Why we wrote this, so it can be spread far.
We Do Not Need To Do Anything Illicit/Illegal To Be A Threat.
Those writing this have retired from Direct Actions due to disabilities but can still help by writing informational pieces like this. We have also started dipping our toes, entered into the subverting money from the Non-Profit Industrial Complex to folks who need it. This is a way we can contribute without being frontlines, we need eveyone. Being arrest after being on the frontlines might seem cool but promise the real experience is not fun especially for marginalized people, who they will target at a protest and in jail/holding. This blog started this way with some (lost) interviews with Sex Workers after SESTA/FOSTA, a time when a main income stream was removed and we were abled to pay interviewees via a grant we received from the city. :wink:
Snitchjacketing
DuckDuckGo actually had some results for this and it is known elsewhere as Bad Jacketing, a slightly more general term for casting a doubt on someone, as in insinuating that their identity is false. Wherein snitch jacketing is literally naming that someone is an informant. In the NW (at least) the term snitch jacketing is more common but used interchangeably. Often it is the plant that is snitch jacketing so that particular behavior is shunned in more secure circles. This works in several ways: it causes paranoia in the group, it causes good activists to leave the movement, and it deflects attention away from the snitch, a tactic bullies have been using since colonization. This is ultimately a longer version of the ‘look over here’ tactic.
Elders
Elders are a wealth of information. They also might know of other organizing that is happening and are oral historians, oral storykeepers of past organizations and efforts. Those who do not know that past are doomed to repeat it. Newb energy, which is typically unfocused, can often lead to starting new projects that are the same as work already being done…and that is not helpful to further the work of collective liberation. It wastes time and energy which are very vinite. It steps on peoples’ toes which is not conducive to creating community and a united front
The only damned I statement in the whole thing but I, one of the authors, have to say - as I now have almost three decades of insurrection under my belt… none of that would have been possible without my elders who once guided me and taught me how to be safe. Most of what I have learned over the years has been feet-on-the-ground alongside someone who was doing it longer.
Many time i failed because assumed i knew it all to find that i really did not know nor understand anything. Creating this zine is part of my interest in Paying it Forward. My only goal is that people have the tools they need to be safer and more secure as they move through the world, especially those who are just now activating.
End Part One of Autonomous Organizing. To be Continued, See Below For Reference.
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Discussion Group
Additionally, we will be hosting a repeating virtual discussion group on this and additional material we are writing or have already published (elsewhere but will be reposting here soon) and a more intensive training in August (in-person, outdoors).
Application or email qtbb at riseup dot net.
To learn more about qtbb and follow us on Social Media @ qtbb.org
Coming Soon:
Mutual Aid vs Solidarity Aid vs Charity
Anti-Capitalism and Mutual Liberation
Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism
Decolonization and Settler-Colonialism
Settler-Colonialism and Capitalism
Appropriation (Cultural and other)
Desirability Politics
Trauma and Survivor Justice
Disability - Access
Discomfort doesn't equal danger, even if it feels like it
It’s not about you
Inclusive Organizing (zine already made, edit?)
Interpersonal Violence - in Organizing
Bullies, Bad Actors, and other forms of violence
What Abuse actually means (IPV Zines already made)
Trauma in Organizing
How to support your comrades
How to participate if your trauma prevents you from frontlines work
Why going to Frontlines work and going to Jail should not be privileged
Consensus and Decision Making (zines already made)