Demonstration manual

Here some tips for organizing and caring out demonstrations

Demonstration manual.

Here the essential to organize and carry out demonstrations in a safe way.

As we all know from history, demonstrations are an essential part for both the development of society and the corrections of the wrong doing by politicians and political parties

Demonstrations have through out our history, helped society to come together for to solve many issues.

When carried out in the right way, they become a joyful and exciting event which brings people from all walks of life, to join in solidarity for the good cause.

Unfortunately though, often, demonstrations have become infiltrated by the opposition, which often, using black block techniques, provokes violent reactions to disrupt the peace.

Often also, the infiltrators are composed by plain clothes right wings officers posing to be demonstrators, which by starting violence against the police guarding the demonstration, allows their colleagues to push back the demonstration.

This is a classic technique used to disperse the demonstrators, which finding themselves charged by the police, falls into panic and becomes like sheep pushed by the dogs.

Because of the danger and injuries into which this may result is a very serious matter, the organization of the demo must be just as serious.

Hence, here some very important tips which I can provide on the how to organize a safe demonstration.

First rule, the security for a peaceful demonstration, must be organized militarily, as those responsible for the security, must be ready to use force to take out “without hurting if possible” any violent infiltrators.

For this you will need a large number of volunteers, and you are going to need the toughest in the front and back of the demo, but also on the sides.

Note, don’t take in hot heads among the security group, best to keep those under watch or tell them not to join the demo should they insist in wanting to antagonize and being too aggressive.

Any how, before you choose those which will take care of the security, you must elect a leader for the demo.

The job of the leader is the one to solve disputes, to coordinate the security team, and to coordinate with the police force for a smooth and peaceful execution of the demonstration.

Second you will need to organize the security groups.

The job of the security is the one of watching over the crowd to make sure that trouble makers are not infiltrating them selfs, and provide assistance to anyone collapsing, as that is also something which does happen.

By organizing the security in groups and assigning a leader for each group, becomes possible to better coordinate the groups and to maintain a tight watch on the situation.

The leaders of each group must also connect

Possible accidents.

Accidents can always happen, so those in charge of security, must be trained to some basic skills.

Accidents can various from people fainting, to falling to cutting themselves with glass or metal objects, to the tear-gass inhalation, to bruises and cut from projectiles, those are some of the mos common ones.

Here some of the rules.

If  someone does collapse, make sure that people do not gather around too close to the person, call for an ambulance and allow only relatives, personal friends, or a doctor to touch or make physical contact with the person in distress.

When someone faints, collapse or is in shock,  the person on the ground needs, air to breathe so make sure people are not breathing on him or her, and make also sure he or she is in a position in which can easily breathe and you can stay with till the paramedics arrive.

In case of trouble makers or infiltrators.

In the case you have to deal with trouble makers or infiltrators, first keep in mind that they are most likely police officers, or anyhow people trained to fight and most likely armed.

Do not approach one to one the provocateur, call for back up and don’t move in till you have three or for of your guys for each one of the infiltrators, if he tries to run, let him, most surely he would not come back, if you can speak sense into him or her, good, if not ask the person to fallow you out of the demo contact your leader and figure out what to do.

Note, often trouble maker infiltrators are kids asked by some officer to start the trouble, though more often they turn out to be cops.

If has done damage or carried a weapon and you think he or she is a cop, disarm the person, hold him or her in place and bring a police officer to collect the weapon and have that person give out his credentials so that if he or she was a cop, the police will have to change attitude or themselves have to answer for it.

A tell of resistance to the police state.

In my youth I have like many, participated in actions of resistance to police state brutality, and helped in the organization of free festivals, occupations, and squats eviction prevention which have always resulted in success.

The largest one of the Occupations to which I served as key element to unite all factions in a coordinated execution of the plan in which no violence and not one arrest was made, was the occupation of Parco Sempione in Milan Italy “2003”

That time, the official number of people attending the gathering was estimated at 5 million people.

A sea of people which kept on coming during the day and night of the occupation of the Central Park, which saw dozens of groups occupying the park and erecting their sounds systems, which turned the event into the largest one ever of its kind in Italian History and perhaps worldwide.

How did we did it?

We coordinated the groups my keeping the demonstrators far from the police, and maintained the peace by making sure they did not challenged the police as they walked to our destination.

More on the organization of the security ring.

Here I take again the example of the Parco Sempione march and occupation.

First thing we did was to make contact with the officers in charge of the security of the demonstration, and made sure they understood to keep their helmets off and relax as we were there to protect not just the demonstrators, but also them, then, after coordinating with the officers, we set up a front protection ring for the several demonstrations organized by the different squats.

This was done by placing several dozens of the toughest people to guard the front and back of each the demonstration/march.

The security was so in charge with the job of looking out for the people, once again, making sure that people did not engage with insults towards the officers, and grabbing and dragging to the police almost anyone attempting to destroy properties or use violence on the officers brought to contain the crowds.

“Note not all angry people are plain close infiltrators, so make sure they are if you are dragging to them, otherwise tell them to stop endangering the crowd or to go away”

This is essential, as black block tactics, which comprise in inciting violence, destruction and throwing projectiles towards the police, are in effects tactics more often used by the fascists and infiltrators for to allow retaliatory violence or push back of the demonstrators by the police.

As I have my self blocked several of them attempting to do just that, I can tell you that so called black block, are a mixture of plain clothes police officers, foreigner agents, and kids offered money and rewords by those fascist people working within the police or foreigner agents system.

Second, we made sure to have someone representative of the different squats, coordinating with the officers to assure them that they will protected by the squat from attacks.

Third, making sure that those officers are not wearing their helmets by insuring them of peaceful demonstration and of their protection.

Note, not wearing helmets makes both the police and the demonstrators peaceful, as the cops are not sweating and getting more angry and frustrated by standing the all day with their heavy gear, and without their helmets, the people will see them as protectors and not as a threat.

Forth bring extra free drinking water bottle’s boxes for the police, as they are often left standing with their heavy gear without water or food.

This will guarantee the protection of peace, as they will surly appreciate the gesture.

Establishing a connection with the officers is essential for the peaceful execution of the demonstration.

In the case of the occupation of Parco Sempione, we were able to set up over 20 sound systems throughout the park, have the best time, and even danced with the police which eventually joined the party.

In other cases, like for the prevention of forced eviction from squats, the techniques are a bit different, as the forced eviction implies premeditated violent action by the police, hence special protective measures such as the use of gas masks and helmets are in this case needed.

Nevertheless, also in that case, resistance  can be made without the use of excessive force.

What is to be known is that when such actions take place, as the police gears up to forcefully evict people, and prop up and made ready to confront large crowds, more officers are usually brought in from different towns of the region.

To stop them from joining forces, the most efficient way is by generating a bit chaos around their stations and towns.

A non violent and not destructive way to do this, is by setting up rubber tires on fire around their towns “making sure the fire don’t spreads”.

This will cause the local police stations to go in panic mode and recall all its officers to their towns and stations, or prevent them from joining forces with the local ones.

The use of barricades and ropes.

As final resource, the use of barricades and ropes, are essential for preventing the invasion of the occupied spaces.

Ropes with hooks can be used for both, rip barricades, or making them.

In direct confrontation with the cops, they are essential to prevent the snitching of the protestors, as if they are tied with a rope, they can be pulled back.

Caution because it hurts and can also cause major injury, best advise, use harness for roof working and make sure pulling you will not brake your ribs.

if you are wearing the harness, you can grab and pull back people which have been detained.

At the same time, when push comes to shove, the burning tires techniques in the opposite side of town is also the best, as the police will have to recall its officers for to send them there where the fires are burning.

In any case, I strongly advise against the use of molotov cocktails, as they are extremely dangerous and even when used to intimidate or set fires, can accidentally cause injury and death of the worst kind.

The use of water and projectiles against the cops.

I strongly recommend not to throw projectiles and avoid as much as possible to upset the police specially when they are wearing their riot gear.

I have several time worked to guard the front and back of demonstrations, and to make sure that all proceeded without incidents, I have always made sure to make clear to the officers in charge  that I was there for assistance for the safety of the demonstration and not there to antagonize or threaten them.

At the same time I also made sure they understood not to attack me, as that would result in more injuries for them too.

In other words, we are all here to protect the peace, so don’t use violence against me if you want to maintain the peace.

In my youth I have also trained people in techniques to disarm the police, as well as the ones of capturing those elements gone rogue “on both sides”, but as we are now living in a more technological era, in which, specially in demonstrations, everything is recorded and even the riot  police are under the constant watch of the digital eye, more peaceful demonstrations are taking place without the need of specially trained guardian angels.

Once again, to prevent accidents, must be made clear to the demonstrators not to antagonize or pick on the officers as they are legally there to protect the demonstration.

Anyhow, as violent acts can occur during any type of massive gathering, remains essential for any one attempting to organize one, to make sure to have people able to deal with the situations caused by agitators and infiltrators attempting to disrupt the peace, and if that happens will be able to physically prevent or stop those attempting to carry them out .

Once again, if you can, coordinate with the Police, and make them aware of both your presence and your work there and have a good and safe demonstration.