“The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off.”
For some people, life is about being part of something bigger than yourself. You really see it and feel it when you and your tribe are making noise about a truth that has pissed you all off. When using protest or any type of nonviolent resistance, it’s important to know your rights on the way in.
My experience in demonstrations is limited and I’m certainly not the expert on this navigating and exercising your rights in these spaces. But I did find some valuable resources for knowing your rights during demonstration:
- When protesting
Know Your Rights: Demonstrations and Protests [PDF]- ACLU offers advice for upcoming events, like the 3/14 school walk-out
- When police intervene
5 Rules for recording Police [Video]- And interacting with Police, generally – did you know officers are legally permitted to lie to you during interrogations?
- This video featuring ten rules of interacting with law enforcement features good information and a pretty objective point of view, if not the greatest acting performances.
We know rights are often violated in these situations. But these resources advocate that by staying on the right side of the law, even if your rights are denied in the moment, you’ll be better positioned for justice at a later point in time. Ultimately, safety must be your priority number one: Amnesty International Safety During Protest tip sheet
If you know of any resources I can add to this list, or thoughts about those shared here, please comment.
lucy - ramos 