Stay Safe At Protests: "Separate Yourself From Violence" and "Don't Get Baited by Provocateurs"
Editor's Note: Living near a university campus does allow us to view various demonstrations — from afar; sometimes we send on to relatives living nearby the warnings issued by our local authorities. Participating also requires informed caution; the following is a previous caution from our city's about joining those events:
Don't get baited by provocateurs
Berkeley, California (Wednesday, September 13, 2017) - The presence of a speaker on the ... campus on Thursday may generate protests and counter protests. As the city and the university work together to manage any events on September 14, there are a number of things you can do to stay safe.
Mass gatherings of any kind attract a broad variety of people and, inevitably, that means an array of different motives and intentions. The overwhelming majority come with a peaceful purpose.
However, in recent protests, we have seen a small portion who come seeking to hurt others or to destroy property. We have seen individuals who come armed and armored use peaceful protesters as a cover for their violent actions.
If you are at a demonstration and you see violence, separate yourself. Keep a distance from violence. If you can do so safely, report it to police.
VietNam protests in October 1967 photographed in Washington DC by Frank Wolfe, Lyndon B. Johnson Library; Wikimedia Commons
This is the best way to keep yourself and others safe. It allows police to focus on and apprehend criminals while keeping bystanders safe. People with cameras who surround violent incidents can complicate the safety of other peaceful bystanders and impede police. When individuals commit violence surrounded by a peaceful crowd, police are always concerned about how the violence might spill over onto those who are not committing any crime whatsoever.
Don't get baited by provocateurs. The best way to deny them the attention they seek is to not engage and avoid such events entirely.
Language used to announce a protest may be effective at enticing supporters, luring counter-demonstrators or provoking conflict. Others lure people by promoting spectacle. But, if you don't know the person, groups or source personally, use caution.
It is a challenge for police to ensure the safety of those who are reckless with their safety and that of others. The City ..., our police department and our partners will continue to develop strategies focusing on safety for all at demonstrations, each of which has its own unique dynamics. We will work to identify, investigate and arrest anyone who commits crimes in our community. That will not end when the event does.
The event has attracted the interest of other groups on various social media outlets as well as the attention of local media outlets. Our mission is to safeguard our community while facilitating the expression of the first amendment.
Consider whether the approach others advertise is the style and venue for you. Reaching out to organizations or individuals in need is an alternative to conflict. When people at an event act in a way that compromises your values and goals, separate yourself. In an age of social media, there are many ways to assert your values and speak to the causes you support. Stay away from conflict as there are many alternative ways to respond.
More Articles
- Jo Freeman Writes: Kennedy vs. Trump at the Libertarian National Convention
- Selective Exposure and Partisan Echo Chambers in Television News Consumption: Innovative Use of Data Yields Unprecedented Insights
- Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Facility in Fort Worth, Texas
- Jo Freeman Reviews Thank You For Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission
- Excerpts from the Office of Director of National Intelligence, Preliminary - Assessment Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UFOs), 25 June 2021
- Stanford Medicine Study: Around age 13, Kids’ Brains Shift From Focusing on Their Mothers’ Voices to Favor New Voices
- Journalist's Resource: Religious Exemptions and Required Vaccines; Examining the Research
- Jo Freeman Reviews: Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight
- Jo Freeman Writes: Sex and the Democratic Party – In Brooklyn
- Jo Freeman Reviews MADAM SPEAKER, Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons Of Power: “An iron fist in a Gucci glove”