Dear White Allies, Help Us Stay Safe Out There

6/6/2020

For our White allies who choose to go above and beyond and take the initiative to join in on protests in solidarity with Black Lives, as well as, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), we share these guidelines. These guidelines were not created by us but we share it as a resource when, as BIPOC people, we are asked by White folks, how can they participate while keeping BIPOC people safe (besides wearing a mask and trying to keep social distance even while protesting):

Remember that you will be treated differently by the police than our BIPOC siblings - act accordingly.
Keep your main objective to NOT get arrested but PLAN TO BE ARRESTED - white folks getting arrested uses police resources and that's one less of our BIPOC siblings that there's room for in the police wagon or jail cell. This means to let someone know you'll be at the protest and when you will check in, make arrangements for your pets and responsibilities, set aside (or make arrangements for) bail money for yourself and at least one BIPOC. Don't carry ID and remove fingerprint and facial passcodes from your phone - the time it takes for police to ID you uses resources and limits the number of people they can process.
Do not taunt or provoke police in any way. They are eagerly waiting for an excuse to go "full riot" and will go past you to take aim for our BIPOC siblings. Do not throw things, damage things, set things on fire, push at or scream at police. Do not provoke police in any way so that our BIPOC siblings don't have to pay for our actions.
If you see other white folks provoking police, surround them and stop them. The white folks provoking police are either police plants or provocateurs. Do not give them space to harm our BIPOC siblings.
Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. Do not "take the stage" from BIPOC. We are there in a support role, not a starring role. Be on the look-out for provocateurs and police plants and protect our BIPOC siblings.
If the police demand that the crowd disperse, pay attention to our BIPOC siblings. If they are not in a position to disperse, lock arms with the white folks around you and form a line between the police and our BIPOC siblings. Place your white body between the police and BIPOC siblings. Pay attention to your surroundings and to police movements as they attempt to cut off or surround our BIPOC siblings. As our BIPOC siblings are being arrested, get arrested with them, stay with them, and advocate for their safety.
If you can not get arrested but want to help, be a contact person for someone who is able to get arrested, help out at water or medic stations, hold vigil at the jail until the last person is released.
Trans and non-binary White people, try not to get arrested. You will be treated differently than cis white people who get arrested. If you are a cis white person, be aware of the trans and non-binary people around you. If they get arrested, be sure to get arrested with them, stay with them, and advocate on their behalf. (This is also true for DEAF or disabled people who may not be able to comply with police demands and may be misunderstood by police. Do not risk arrest.)
Do not carry any type of weapon to the protest. The white people with weapons are the police plants or provocateurs. Use your phone or camera to document police and provocateur actions. Do not share images of protesters on social media.
Do not let your anger overshadow your support role for our BIPOC siblings. This isn't about you.

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If you are queer and/or otherwise, non-binary, whether you're White or not, see this additional guidance from the National Center for Transgender Equality:

Participating in Direct Actions: A Guide for Transgender People

The ACLU has been doing this work since the 1920's. They've put together a guide of your rights, as a protester, here:

Rights of Protesters

They also publish an app for your mobile phone to assist with #9 above. It is called MobileJusticeCA. Along with providing basic info about your right to record, if you configure the app settings, you can also have it lock your phone after you capture a recording in the app automatically. It can even be configured to send your location to others when you trigger the app. Again, we are not advocating for the app, just providing the fact that apps exist out there to help you be a better protester, ally and most importantly, keep everyone as safe as possible while agitating.

iOS or Android

There are also apps out there to secure your communications, as well. If you would like additional one-on-one guidance, feel free to reach out to the chapter at:

via email: sgvapipflag@gmail.com
Sung Tse PFLAG SGV Co-president: kingmidas4@gmail.com
via our FB page – https://www.facebook.com/pg/sgvapipflag/community/?ref=page_internal
For urgent support, visit pflag.org/hotlines for an up-to-date list of emergency hotline numbers, available nationwide.