Tactics

It is ok to disagree about tactics during a protest. However, you should avoid discrediting others’ actions and avoid attempting to define “a right way and wrong way” to protest. There is no right or wrong way to protest.

Riot Control Agents

See these Riot ID Guides to learn more about the weapons police use against us.

• How To Identify Riot Control Agents
• Tear Gas and Pepper Spray
• Impact Munitions

De-escalation

Whenever possible, de-escalation should be our first tool. We cannot prevent crises from happening. We can only take steps to mitigate them.

The process of de-escalation can be broken down into three steps:

1. Disengage from the power struggle
2. Establish communication after energy levels are reduced
3. Offer support and calm directives

Radio Protocol

This guide outlines a protocol for communicating using short range radios (MURS or FRS band).

Police Scanners

• iOS app: 5-0 Radio Police Scanner
• Android app: Police Scanner X

Opening Zip Ties

If, for whatever reason, you need to open zip ties, you can do so with a broken bobby pin. See also: 3 Ways to Escape Zip Ties.

Laser pointers

You can find useful laser safety info here. Also be sure to review the Federal rules for owning or using lasers in the US. Extremely high-powered lasers are regulated by the US FDA, and many are considered illegal. Beware if purchasing a laser online, as your package could be blocked by US Customs and Border Protection.

Barricades and Blockades

Tear Gas Counter Measures

When organized, we can employ highly effective tactics to combat tear gas.

How To Make Paint Bombs

From this thread by @IronProle:

Ingredients:

• Light bulbs
• Sand (its sand.)
• Glass Etching Solution (Walmart or Homedepot. 20 bux)
• Indoor AND outdoor house paint
• Kitchen oil
• Paraffin wax
• Cotton balls or tissue paper

Steps:

1. Put on gloves and wipe down your bulbs with alcohol.
2. You have to start by sawing the glass around the end of your light bulb with a sharp knife until its visibly cut into. Then you tap it off with a screwdriver.
3. Put the mixed ingredients in the bulb. Pack with tissue paper.
4. Seal with paraffin wax.
5. Leave to dry for a few hours.
6. Pack carefully. Enjoy.

Why do we want paint on our enemies?

It demoralized them. It impairs their senses. It gums up their gear and makes it hard to use effectively. It also forces them to remove helmets shields and face masks to continue fighting. But the most insidious thing is this: When they go to wipe it the glass etching solution will cause the sand to scratch and etch huge gouges in the surface of Plexiglas. It renders it inoperable. This causes them to go out of pocket for expensive repairs but also forces them to use sub standard mothball equipment that is dangerous to the user, inconvenient or obsolete.

How To Hack Road Message Signs

From this post by @blackpowderpress:

How many times have you driven by an electronic road sign like one of these? This is the ADDCO portable sign.

The access panel on the sign is generally protected by a small lock, but often they are left unprotected. Upon opening the access panel you can see the display electronics. The black control pad is attached by a curly cord, with a keyboard on the face.

Programming is as simple as scrolling down the menu to select “Instant Text”. Type whatever you want to display, hit “Enter” to submit. You can now either display it by selecting “Run w/out save” or you can add more pages to it by selecting “Add page”.

Should it will ask you for a password. Try “DOTS”, the default password. Likely, the crew will not have changed it. However if they did, never fear. While holding “Control” and “Shift”, enter “DIPY”. This will reset the sign and reset the password to “DOTS”.

You’re in!

— @blackpowderpress

Beware of Stingrays / IMSI Catchers

The secretive stingray technology allows law enforcement agents to spoof a legitimate cell tower in order to trick nearby mobile phones and other wireless communication devices like air cards into connecting to the stingray instead of a phone carrier’s legitimate tower. When a device connects, stingrays can see and record its unique ID number as well as information that points to the device’s location.

Stingrays are often deployed by law enforcement from cars and vans. By driving the stingray around in a vehicle and gathering a wireless device’s signal strength from various locations in a neighborhood, authorities can pinpoint where the device is being used with much more precision than they can get through data obtained from a mobile network provider’s fixed tower location. The tools can pinpoint a phone’s location down to an apartment building or complex. At that point agents can switch to a handheld device that operates in the same way but lets them move inside to determine the exact apartment or office location of the targeted phone.

(Source)

Further Reading:

• Cell-Site Simulators/IMSI Catchers
• Long-secret Stingray Manuals Detail How Police Can Spy On Phones
• With $20 of Gear from Amazon, Nearly Anyone Can Make This IMSI-Catcher in 30 Minutes

Five Principles of Counterviolence

1. Buddy System. Roll with a crew.
2. Target police and corporations. Never attack homes or small, local businesses (especially if they are Black-owned).
3. Whatever they throw at us, we throw back at them.
4. No divisions. No denunciations or doxing. Everyone has a role. Disagree with property damage? If no one is getting hurt, move on.
5. Stay calm. Do not run away. Take care of each other.

Reporting a threat

When reporting a potential threat, remember to SALUTE.

1. Size: How many people?
2. Activity: What are they doing?
3. Location: Where are they? Are they moving?
4. Unit: Are they part of an identifiable group?
5. Time: Provide date and time.
6. Equipment: Do they have weapons? Are they in vehicles?

Protest Tactics: Fighting Back

Protest Roles

This is an image of protest roles from Hong Kong, translated anonymously and circulated during recent struggles. From @covid19mutualaid.

Police Robots

Building Resilient Movements