Safety Guidelines and Tips for Protest /Action Participants
Prepared by Indivisible Chicago (9/2/25)
Indivisible Chicago is committed to non-violent protest and the de-escalation of any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values. The intent of this document is to share information for those who participate in protests and actions.
These materials are developed from ICA marshal training and include information from partner organizations and other activists.
General Preparation for Protests
Enforcement Actions–Know your rights and documenting
What to do if you are exposed to tear gas or other chemical irritants
General Preparation for Protests
Stay hydrated and dress for the expected weather.
Bring any needed supplies including water, meds, and cash.
Fully charge your cell phone and bring a battery extender if possible. Put your cell phone on airplane mode.
Have with you protective goggles or shatter-resistant glasses in case they are needed(for tear gas or irritants).
Do not bring anything illegal or that can be construed as a weapon.
Take supplies to protect from and safely remove chemical irritants (face covering, milk of magnesia, towelettes, bottled water).
Know IL emergency contact numbers and write them on your body or on paper (don’t rely on your phone). The IL ONLY resources can be found here.
Do not wear contact lenses or makeup. This is important should tear gas be used on the protesters.
Let at least one emergency contact know your plan and make arrangements to keep them posted on your status during and after the event:
Where will you be?
How will you get there?
Where do you intend to go in an emergency?
What time do you intend to get back?
Safety in Protest
Make a commitment to non-violence and de-escalation and join protests committed to these same principles.
Look to see if you know the organizers and any organizations supporting the protest. That doesn’t mean never attend a protest organized by those you don’t know, but it may mean engaging differently in those protests.
Try to understand what provisions are there for safety and whether the organizers have experience in organizing an action of this nature?
Know your Risk and Take Your Own Actions
Protests are not risk-free – nothing is.
Assess risk and take responsibility for your own safety
Risk factors to consider are your health and immigration status among others.
Go with a buddy or let someone know your plans.
Have the number of someone you would call.
Turn off your face ID or fingerprint ID on your devices – use a password. Consider additional digital safety measures. Digital security protects not only you, but also protects the activists around you. You can find out more about digital safety here.
Know Your Privilege
Be sensitive to whose voice should be heard and centered.
Ask people what help they need / want.
Do not expect everyone there who supports the protest to have the same priorities that you do.
If you or someone else needs help, go to a marshal. We recommend going to the police only if a) there is a medical emergency and the person consents to going to the police for help or is unable to consent, or b) there is clearly a weapon.
Know Your Rights
Right to remain silent.
Right to an attorney.
Right to document. But do not post on social media and never live stream.
What happens if the police issue an order to disperse the protest
If it is the Chicago police who are acting as law enforcement, their conduct is governed by judicial consent decrees and CPD Directives. However, we also know that not all officers comply with these requirements at all protests.
Shutting down a protest through a dispersal order is supposed to be law enforcement’s last resort. Chicago Police are not supposed to break up a gathering unless there is a clear and present danger of riot, disorder, interference with traffic, or other immediate threat to public safety. Although this is the directive by the Chicago Police Department, we know that police have offered dispersal orders and threatened arrest even though these conditions are not present.
If CPD officers issue a dispersal order, they are required to provide a reasonable opportunity to comply, including sufficient time and a clear, unobstructed exit path.
Under consent decrees and CPD Directives, individuals must receive clear and detailed notice of a dispersal order, including how much time they have to disperse, the consequences of failing to disperse, and what clear exit route they can follow, before they may be arrested or charged with any crime.
Should you choose to disobey a dispersal order, you may be subject to arrest whether or not that order was consistent with directives or judicial consent decrees.
We have had no experience with federal law enforcement and national guard or military troops in a protest setting. We should not expect them to follow the directives issued to CPD police officers.
De-Escalation
Everyone at a protest can and should practice de-escalation if there is a confrontation or conflict. All of us use de-escalation practices all of the time. We do this with our kids, our friends, our families, on the job and maybe on public transit. Here are some of the ways to think of de-escalation using the A, B, C, D’s.
Assess the situation and be Aware. The sooner you see something that raises a concern, the more time you have to assess the situation and to decide on how to respond.
Breathe. Be sure that you are grounded before acting.
Choose. Make a choice about the best way to address the situation which includes calling for help from others, asking someone nearby to help you, and deciding on a tactic for de-escalation.
De-escalate: There are many tactics that we can use to de-escalate a situation and we can always learn from each other. Here are some tactics, and you may have others that work for you.
Distract: If someone is being disruptive, take the conversation away from the action. When possible, identify potential concerns early and approach them in a non-threatening manner.
Avoid direct eye contact that might be perceived as aggressive and use eye direction to distract.
Lower the level of the conversation. When you lower your voice, often others will naturally lower theirs.
Use humor or other tactics that could be a distraction or disarm the person causing the conflict.
Create space between yourself and whoever is being disruptive and create space between them and other participants. If you can, isolate the person causing an issue from everyone else.
Consider using the “people’s mic” to relay information to others.
In some settings we might use chants or music to district or focus energy or to silence someone who is trying to disrupt.
5. Things to Avoid:
Don’t Panic: Stay grounded, use calming tactics, focus on your breathing
Don’t Touch Others: Unless someone asks you for assistance, do not touch anyone and definitely do not touch someone who is being combative or anyone who is part of law enforcement.
Don’t Block or interfere with arrests or detentions by the police or ICE: Observe, document, and record instead.(see more information below).
Don’t Escalate a situation: Stay calm even when provoked; focus on de-escalation.
Enforcement Actions
1. Know your rights and inform others of their rights
All individuals in the U.S., regardless of immigration status, have rights under the Constitution.
We all have the right to remain silent. That includes the right to refuse to answer any questions and especially any questions about immigration status or where you were born.
We all have the right to an attorney (although not at the expense of the government in immigration matters).
No one can be required to sign any documents and are not required to answer questions without their attorney present.
If you are at a location not open to the public (like your home), you are not required to open your door or allow law enforcement access unless they have a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
2. Documenting Enforcement Actions
You have a right to document in a public space. This is particularly important if there is ICE activity or activity by law enforcement.
The best way to document is to use your phone to take video of what is occurring
The best practices for taking video safely are:
Stay and record at a safe distance
Hold your phone horizontally so you get as much of what is occurring as possible in the video.
Try to get the whole scene showing location
Narrate what you are seeing. You can describe where you are and what you are seeing or maybe what occurred prior to your beginning the recording.
Do not post or share the video on social media - talk to your lead or an organizer who can help you figure out the best way to get the video to those who can help.
What to do if you’re exposed to tear gas or other chemical irritants
What to do immediately:
Get out of the cloud of tear gas and away from the general area as soon as you can. Seek high ground, as most forms of tear gas are heavy; the closer you are to the ground, the higher the concentration of gas.
Walk, don’t run. Running may cause you to breathe more heavily, filling your lungs with more tear gas. Try to keep your breathing even.
If your eyes have been exposed and are burning or blurry, flush them with water immediately. Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Use water from your water bottle to flush. If you can find an open drinking fountain or sink in a public restroom, flush your eyes with water for 10 to 15 minutes.
There is no evidence that baking soda or milk is better than cool water alone. There is one small randomized controlled trial that found that baby shampoo is no better than water. Using baby wipes or makeup wipes if water is not immediately available may cause increased irritation.
If possible, and you are not affected yourself, help others by moving them to a clean and ventilated area.
Do not try to remove the tear gas canisters, as doing so may put you at an increased risk for further harm and injury.
How to further get rid of the chemical irritant:
Change your clothes as soon as possible. Rinse your body as soon as you get to a location with a shower. Take off your shoes outside your home to keep them from bringing any powder indoors.
Shed all the clothes you were wearing and hang them in an open, ventilated area for at least 48 hours before washing them. If you are not able to keep them in an open place, store them in a sealed bag until they are ready to be washed. Do not mix them with uncontaminated garments, as CS powder can be active for as long as five days after being released.
Take a cold shower for at least 20 minutes to prevent the chemicals from irritating your skin any further. Do your best not to breathe in more tear gas during the shower, and keep your eyes closed. Wash your hair especially well.
If you’re still having symptoms 30 minutes or so after getting all the agents off, are having eye or lung issues, or are at all concerned about your exposure, seek medical care.