BOOTS ON THE GROUND

I. Essentials

At an absolute minimum, preparation should include hydration and food. At many events, as a demonstrator, you may not need to worry about this as the event organizer will have already made efforts to procure these and have them available.

However, some events have recently made national news due to law enforcement officials deliberately destroying and dismantling these stations, so err on the side of caution and bring a personal supply of your own as a backup when available.

Additionally, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a facial covering should also be considered a baseline requirement of your kit.

​

II. CS Gas, Masks, and You

WARNING: CS gas has been frequently used in response to protests. There is almost always a guarantee of it being used. It is not an inert substance and can cause severe harm to people who suffer from asthma or other breathing conditions, as well as animals and pets in the area.

The term “gas” itself here is something of a misnomer, as most dispersion mediums use a particulate form more in line with a fine aerosolized powder.

Once gas starts flying: if you are not equipped to handle the gas, get out of the powder. Please make sure any unprotected onlookers also get to safety. People standing by with pets around should be warned and encouraged to flee.

Those who suffer from asthma are at high risk of suffering an attack, especially if unequipped with a proper gas mask. Please, if you have asthma, we encourage you to stay home and participate in other ways (ie: by watching from multiple streams and keeping a detailed event log from multiple perspectives with timestamps) -- you are at risk and your life is valuable.

​

Alternatively, if you are attending an event where you anticipate use of non-lethal dispersion methods, speak with a medic beforehand. They can mark your hand with an “A” prior to the event and prioritize your care in a situation where you absolutely could not avoid being in the area.

Read more about CS gas here: https://www.healthline.com/health/tear-gas-effects#about

Utilizing a Proper Mask:

We are protecting against a chemical, so gas masks will be recommended, if not required, for at least 1/5th of those present for the ability to maintain ground when these techniques are introduced.

Read more about mask types and uses here:

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/factsheets/respfact.html

The cheapest and most readily available gas mask to the general public is the Israeli 4A1/Israeli M15. These are available in surplus stores, online, flea markets, etc. and are typically available under $40. More expensive masks with better visibility are also available, but for affordability, this is the optimal choice.

If you cannot obtain a gas mask, you should utilize N95+ masks and eye protection that creates a seal around your entire eye, such as construction/safety goggles. Keep in mind that these can fog up depending on design, impairing visibility. Test them extensively for use to make sure they’re right for you before your first attempt to use them. Being impact-resistant is also important here, as there are several reported cases where police and other units have intentionally aimed these canisters at protestor’s faces. As such, swimming goggles and other non-impact-resistant eyewear should be considered a last resort.

Cloth masks and bandanas are the least effective method of protection against CS gas, but if it's all you have available, it’s better than having no protection whatsoever. You should not intend to be on the front lines of repelling dispersion tactics if you do not have more than this available to you.

People lacking proper protective measures should keep to the back of the gathering, along with the "Medics."

​

III. Treating CS Gas Exposure

​

If CS gets on your clothes or skin, flap your arms. This helps disperse the chemical away from your clothes.

If you inhale CS gas, remember: SPIT, don't swallow. You want to get to clean air immediately and clear out your lungs. DO NOT COUGH WHILE STILL IN THE GAS CLOUD. The more you cough while submerged, the more irritant will enter your lungs. Run upwind, if possible, to find clean air. Keep spitting, hock lugies. Just don't swallow.

If CS gas gets in your eyes, avoid rubbing it with your hands or clothing. All of you is now doused in the chemical and rubbing it further spreads and compounds the effect.

If you find yourself afflicted and lacking materials to treat yourself, put your arms above your head in and cross your arms and call out, "I need a medic!" or simply, "Medic!" and assistance should come to you shortly. The raised arms helps medics find you in the fray.

When flushing out CS from your eyes, use water, not milk. Milk gallons are cumbersome and can spoil. There is no significant difference in efficacy between water and milk, and milk can also cause bacterial issues. There is absolutely no reason to put milk in your eyes except for a loosely held theory that casein bonds with capsaicin, but this is pepper spray, not CS gas.

​

For water, you can choose to sprinkle a small bit of baking soda in it to make it slightly more alkaline, but it's not necessary. The idea is to think of your water bottles more like a makeshift eye flush station than a magic neutralizer. Do not add so much baking soda to any solution that the solution remains abrasive — a small amount is all that’s necessary to adjust the pH.

​

Treatment of CS Gas For MEDICS:

It is a good idea to carry cheap, disposable, clean washcloths with you to give to people after their eyes flush to help dab the water from them. These should be dry cloths. Remember, we are dealing with a powder. Advise them not to use them too much, since the material might become infested with the chemical after one or two uses. The proper technique here is to start at the face, wipe it and your neck, THEN flush eyes with water.

Make sure all your bottles are labeled clearly for your own references. In the spur of the moment, it gets hard to remember what's what. The less brainpower you have to use on identifying your tools, the more you spare to perform your duties quickly and effectively.

When you hear a call, think of it like working in a kitchen. When someone calls "Medic," first scan around for the raised arms. If unable to make visual, call out "WHO NEEDS A MEDIC?" and wait for the call to come again and try to pinpoint their locations by sound. Think Marco Polo. Keep shouting until you find each other.

Communication is key. Once you reach someone needing assistance, let them know what's going on and offer instruction. "I've got you, bud" and reassurance are essential to sooth panic. If someone is blind, coughing, and stuck in a cloud, help guide them to clean air and call for treatment.

​

To flush the eyes: Guide people to tilting their heads back and open one eye at a time (if they need help keeping them open, ask and deliver) and immediately flush the eyes out with water (again, one at a time). If available, provide rag or washcloth to get them dry and back on their feet.

Always inform and narrate to your patient what you're doing and why. This is another soothing action and it preps them for what to do and what happens next time. Knowledge spreads.

​

IV. Neutralizing CS Grenades

There are a few different methods that can be utilized to neutralize the CS cans. Knowing how to do a few of these is essential to he able to adapt and improvise in a rapidly changing circumstance and situation.

(WARNING: CS canisters are EXTREMELY HOT and will burn your bare hands. We recommend using heat-resistant gloves if available, or oven mitts or other thick gloves if not, and handle with care).

1. THE THERMOS METHOD: A protestor in Hong Kong was shown using mud and a thermos to neutralize a CS can. He had filled it with a little mud, though we suspect a bit of water works well, too. The idea is to use a gloved/mitted hand to carefully grab the canister and scoop it into the thermos, seal it quickly, then shake it. This will also douse and muck up the fuse. Then open the thermos up, dispose, and move on to the next one.

This is the most efficient method, and thus we recommend it.

2. CONE AND WATER: This method works best when conducted in a pair. Person 1 is the Coner and Person 2 is the Douser. When a can is located, P1 moves in and places a traffic cone over the can, covering the "mouth" of the cone to prevent gasses to escape.

P2 moves in with water and pours it into the mouth to douse the fuse and disarm the grenade. Once complete, move together to the next target. P1 should keep a lookout while P2 douses to pre-scout for any other cans.

This method can be cumbersome and uses water resources that could otherwise by used for hydration and eye-flushing, so we do not recommend it unless necessary.

​

V. Effective Handling of 40MM Rubber Rounds and Batons:

Phase 1 of "less-than-lethal" suppressive measures utilizes the use of CS gas and bull rushing (where cops line up in a wall and then run in together). When that fails, Phase 2 is to engage in a remote attack using 40mm rubber rounds and pepper balls. This is to attack and disperse the crowd from a distance with more force. This may or may not be joined with flash bangs, concussion grenades or other concussive less-than-lethal explosives.

For more information on other less-than-lethal ammunitions used: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-lethal_weapon

This phase introduces the need for physical barriers for your body. This, ideally, would include protective padding or hard shell coverings for your torso, forearms, legs, shins, groin, etc. As many demonstrators cannot be expected to afford or already previously own a full riot suit, some compromises may need to be made.

To effectively protect the areas most vulnerable to trauma, a helmet, some level of torso protection, and forearm guards are ideal. These three pieces alone will allow you to resist a significant level of force, as you can more effectively deflect baton strikes, increase your ability to withstand the impact of 40mm rubber rounds to protected areas, and avoid severe trauma to vital areas.

This does not necessarily need to be professional-level gear, though having access to it helps immensely. If you do not, molded ABS plastics, polycarbonate forearm guards intended for skateboarding or industrial applications, and even airsoft/paintball gear provides a significant improvement in protection over going out completely unequipped. Bicycle helmets, construction helmets, hard hats, and half-cap motorcycle helmets are all more effective than taking a bump than your bare skull.

​

EXAMPLE FOREARM GUARDS ON AMAZON: HTTPS://WWW.AMAZON.COM/ROTHCO-SHELL-FOREARM-GUARDS-BLACK/DP/B005MJ8SD0/

If you do have professional level gear, make yourself available to the event organizer ahead of time and inform them of this. They can assess the likelihood that it will be needed and direct you as-needed on whether or not to employ it.

Makeshift shields:

Crafting protest signs out of particle board, plywood, or ABS plastics gives you the option to use them as a shielding device in the case of escalation of tactics. You can place straps on the back for a ready-made shield, and allows you to use said shield to protect yourself and the vulnerable around you.

Firearms:

Do NOT bring firearms to any event or demonstration! This is not because firearms are not a useful tool, but because at this time, there are no demonstrations that are being met with lethal force. Bringing a firearm can cause panic among your fellow protestors, can cause misidentification as an agitator, and is a sure way to accelerate and escalate tensions and severity of response from law enforcement.

Additionally, armed protest in response to non-lethal dispersion gives a poor impression of the demonstrator to the general public, and makes it significantly easier to vilify those involved. Until such a time as protests and events are met with lethal force, this is absolutely unnecessary and causes more harm than it helps.

IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED:

WARNING: There is no guarantee that cops will allow ambulances to get through. Unfortunately, this is one of those situations where we can't necessarily rely on standard measures to help us. Our best bet is to transport the wounded to the hospitals ourselves.

Prior to protest, we must delegate some core roles out to those present and establish their responsibilities. To avoid infiltration and disruption, however, this briefing will occur before the protest via committee meetings and not on this public space.

Just know that we will have a system in place to assist those injured if and when the time comes.

VI. (OPTIONAL) Medic-Specific Kit

If you have volunteered to act as a medic, whether based on education or experience or familiarity with care, your kit is necessarily different from demonstrators filling other roles.

Packs:

There is no need to spend a lot of money on a bag if you’re strapped for cash. Purpose built packs are convenient, but a Jansport backpack holds things too, albeit in a less organized fashion. Ziploc bags can help with organization enough to eliminate the need for anything special, here.

Secondly, consider your role and location. Are you actively participating in the protest? You should travel light and focus on smaller packs. Are you staying at a designated medic tent or a medic staging area? You can afford more weight, and more gear.

Also consider how you’ll mark yourself. As shown in recent events, often times LE (Law Enforcement) may not care if you’re a medic and will target you regardless, but your fellow demonstrators still need to be able to find you when they’re in need. Again, this can be cheap. Use some tape, make a cross on your pack. Write “MEDIC” on it in Sharpie. This does not need to be fancy, just functional.

Trauma Supplies:

The basics: gauze, abd/combine pads, and roller gauze. Add some coban, silk tape, and ACE wraps and you’ve got a solid kit already.

​

Apply direct pressure to bleeding wounds with gauze or abd pads until the bleeding stops and wrap it, taking care that you don’t wrap so tight that you cut off blood flow to the rest of the limb. Popsicle sticks and cardboard combined with tape or ace wraps make decent splints.

​

Wound Care:

Basics: Vaseline, rubbing alcohol, saline. Clean that wound before you dress it. If it’s a burn from grabbing a CS canister, a dollop of vaseline on gauze will be much appreciated when they change the dressing and it doesn’t rip the wound back open.

Chemical Agent Neutralizers:

WARNING: DO NOT FLUSH EYES WITH SOLUTIONS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF SODIUM BICARBONATE/BAKING SODA.

​

This can actually increase irritation and undissolved bicarb can cause severe scratching of the cornea. Only use these compounds in small amounts that are guaranteed to be fully dissolved into a solution, if at all. All it takes is a small amount in a water bottle to make the solution slightly more alkaline.

Miscellaneous Medic Gear:

Scissors for cutting gauze and bandages, a Sharpie for marking “casualties,” pulse odometer, BP cuff, stethoscope.

You can also put mini-kits together for other members of your group: a few pieces of gauze, a small bottle of water, a small shop rag, and a strip of coban.

Now they can bandage a laceration, or flush wounds or chemical agents without occupying a medic who may need to treat something more severe. Equip the people, delegation of these more minor tasks can spare your most valuable resource: time.

VII. Other Notes:

As you will learn more about in Unit 5, the key to maintaining both ground and order within the group during the deployment of dispersion tactics will be to operate as a cohesive unit. Everyone in the main demonstration staging area needs to be on board with keeping any one single person from being grabbed or isolated by law enforcement, or taken into custody.

There are always going to be more demonstrators than there are law enforcement officers, and there are no lethal methods in play, so the only reason to lose individuals instead of overwhelming aggressors and agitators in numbers to prevent this happening comes down to a lack of coordination, equipment, and cohesion.

Additionally, the aim should be to never allow the aggressors to take ground if it reaches the point of direct physical altercation. With cooperation and acting as a cohesive unit, you have the numbers to push back their line based on sheer numbers alone.

Understand that downtown Wilmington, and many other cities, are essentially designed by city planners as a giant grid. Always be aware of LE movement coming from anything less than three blocks away from you ahead of time, with fixed contacts on posts to observe and communicate their movement, and other fixed contacts with the main group to call it to everyone else based on their comms so that you can adapt as-needed. These roles should be assigned preemptively at any event where escalation is reasonably expected.

If this escalates to lethal force, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. You are very unlikely geared for conflict of this level today, and even if you personally are, many in the group are not. We will have measures in place to allot for this event in the case it arises, too, but deem it unlikely.

Park several streets away from the demonstration staging area . Know your alleys. Know the town. Know how to escape to safety in your area if the situation calls for it. In a properly planned event, there will be measures in place to assist with this, if needed.

​

In case you are detained, SAY NOTHING. No matter what they threaten or say to attempt to intimidate you. The only thing you need to say is the name of your lawyer. Absolutely nothing else. Refer to the attorney information written on your person. Never speak with police while you are detained or under arrest.

​