Protest Checklist
Item
CHECKLIST FOR AN AWESOME PROTEST
DAY OF:
0 Inform a friend or loved one who won't be at the protest — let them
know you will be participating, and make a plan to check in with them
when the action is over. Be sure they have your date of birth if you think
you may be arrested.
Wear comfortable shoes and layers of clothing to adjust as needed
during the protest.
Don't bring illicit drugs or anything. that could be a weapon.
Be clear-headed as tensions and emotions can run high during the
protest. Check in with yourself, and help each other to stay calm and
‘ocused on why it is that we have all come together — to fight collectively
for public education!
Pack a light backpack or across-the-body bag. Good things to include:
e Valid government issued ID (passport and 1-20s for International
Students)
e Medication, ibuprofen, cough drops
e Water and snacks
e Cash
e Handkerchief (can be soaked with water to ease breathing
through teargas)
Know the plan for the day
JUST BEFORE:
Write National Lawyer's Guild’s no. (212-679-6018) and an
emergency contact on your arm with permanent marker.
Find the Support team: people with yellow armbands provide support
for social, emotional and legal needs that arise during the protest; people
with red crosses care for medical needs.
Sign up for Twitter updates via text message to 40404:
Follow @SupportOccuCUNY
Follow @OccupyCUNYGC
Create an Affinity Group with 2 or 3 friends or new acquaintances to
be with during the protest. Exchange contact information with them so
you can reconnect if you get separated and meet up afterward to confirm
all are okay. Share your emergency contact and date of birth if you think
you may get arrested. Consider that some of you may be more vulnerable
to arrest or police harassment and brutality, so discuss what you can do
to stand up for and support each other.
Meet Up Location:
Name:
Phone Number:
Name:
Phone Number:
CONTACT THE SUPPORT TEAM: occuypycuny.gc@gmail.com (Write SUPPORT in Subject Line)
TWITTER: @SupportoccuCUNY
DURING:
Sustain solidarity with the larger march/rally — try hard to stick
together, keep a collective pace, be festive, make friends, stay
calm, and support each other.
Stay with your group. If the situation begins to escalate or becomes
confrontational, check in with yourself before continuing, check in with your
group and those around you. If you find yourself alone in this situation, form
an affinity group on the spot by asking a couple of people around you if
you can stay with them.
Find a Support team person (yellow armband or red cross) if you or
anyone else needs help.
Be aware that sitting down and linking arms can be seen as resisting
arrest. Going all-over limp is not.
In a police confrontation note the officer's badge number.
Officers must always clearly display their identification numbers,
or, if questioned, they must tell you this information.
Report information about arrests to the National Lawyers
Guild: 212.679.6018 AND the OccupyCUNY Legal Working
Group: 646.494.4650. Make sure you tell them the name, date of
birth, and emergency contact person of the arrested person.
AFTER:
O Check in with your group and your friend or family who did not come to the
protest with you to let everyone know you are safe.
0 Take time to rest and decompress and care for yourself.
0 Debrief with other protestors about your experiences.
OReport information about arrests to the National Lawyers
Guild: 212.679.6018 AND the OccupyCUNY Legal Working
Group: 646.494.4650.
O Contact the Support Team if you need ANY help with processing the day, help
with legal issues, or referrals to other services.
CREATE A FUN AND PEACEFUL VIBE!
BE POETIC AND POLITICAL!
MAKE RAD SIGNS!
COME UP WITH CHANTS!
BRING SONGS AND MUSIC-MAKING
THINGS!
BE A COMMUNITY!
STRUGGLE AND CELEBRATE TOGETHER!
FIGHT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY!
CONTACT THE SUPPORT TEAM: occuypycuny.gc@gmail.com (Write SUPPORT in Subject Line)
TWITTER: @SupportoccuCUNY
DAY OF:
0 Inform a friend or loved one who won't be at the protest — let them
know you will be participating, and make a plan to check in with them
when the action is over. Be sure they have your date of birth if you think
you may be arrested.
Wear comfortable shoes and layers of clothing to adjust as needed
during the protest.
Don't bring illicit drugs or anything. that could be a weapon.
Be clear-headed as tensions and emotions can run high during the
protest. Check in with yourself, and help each other to stay calm and
‘ocused on why it is that we have all come together — to fight collectively
for public education!
Pack a light backpack or across-the-body bag. Good things to include:
e Valid government issued ID (passport and 1-20s for International
Students)
e Medication, ibuprofen, cough drops
e Water and snacks
e Cash
e Handkerchief (can be soaked with water to ease breathing
through teargas)
Know the plan for the day
JUST BEFORE:
Write National Lawyer's Guild’s no. (212-679-6018) and an
emergency contact on your arm with permanent marker.
Find the Support team: people with yellow armbands provide support
for social, emotional and legal needs that arise during the protest; people
with red crosses care for medical needs.
Sign up for Twitter updates via text message to 40404:
Follow @SupportOccuCUNY
Follow @OccupyCUNYGC
Create an Affinity Group with 2 or 3 friends or new acquaintances to
be with during the protest. Exchange contact information with them so
you can reconnect if you get separated and meet up afterward to confirm
all are okay. Share your emergency contact and date of birth if you think
you may get arrested. Consider that some of you may be more vulnerable
to arrest or police harassment and brutality, so discuss what you can do
to stand up for and support each other.
Meet Up Location:
Name:
Phone Number:
Name:
Phone Number:
CONTACT THE SUPPORT TEAM: occuypycuny.gc@gmail.com (Write SUPPORT in Subject Line)
TWITTER: @SupportoccuCUNY
DURING:
Sustain solidarity with the larger march/rally — try hard to stick
together, keep a collective pace, be festive, make friends, stay
calm, and support each other.
Stay with your group. If the situation begins to escalate or becomes
confrontational, check in with yourself before continuing, check in with your
group and those around you. If you find yourself alone in this situation, form
an affinity group on the spot by asking a couple of people around you if
you can stay with them.
Find a Support team person (yellow armband or red cross) if you or
anyone else needs help.
Be aware that sitting down and linking arms can be seen as resisting
arrest. Going all-over limp is not.
In a police confrontation note the officer's badge number.
Officers must always clearly display their identification numbers,
or, if questioned, they must tell you this information.
Report information about arrests to the National Lawyers
Guild: 212.679.6018 AND the OccupyCUNY Legal Working
Group: 646.494.4650. Make sure you tell them the name, date of
birth, and emergency contact person of the arrested person.
AFTER:
O Check in with your group and your friend or family who did not come to the
protest with you to let everyone know you are safe.
0 Take time to rest and decompress and care for yourself.
0 Debrief with other protestors about your experiences.
OReport information about arrests to the National Lawyers
Guild: 212.679.6018 AND the OccupyCUNY Legal Working
Group: 646.494.4650.
O Contact the Support Team if you need ANY help with processing the day, help
with legal issues, or referrals to other services.
CREATE A FUN AND PEACEFUL VIBE!
BE POETIC AND POLITICAL!
MAKE RAD SIGNS!
COME UP WITH CHANTS!
BRING SONGS AND MUSIC-MAKING
THINGS!
BE A COMMUNITY!
STRUGGLE AND CELEBRATE TOGETHER!
FIGHT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY!
CONTACT THE SUPPORT TEAM: occuypycuny.gc@gmail.com (Write SUPPORT in Subject Line)
TWITTER: @SupportoccuCUNY
Title
Protest Checklist
Description
Occupy CUNY created this checklist for an “awesome protest.” Tips included writing the National Lawyer’s Guild number on your arm, twitter update information and advice for affinity groups. Contact information for the Occupy CUNY support team was also provided.
An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY Students rallied against the Board of Trustees to oppose pay scale increases for top administrators, and tuition hikes. In addition, students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces. Among the other planned actions, students produced political theater exposing Chancellor Goldstein and the security company, Kroll. Occupy CUNY also stood in solidarity with Cooper Union students against the implementation of tuition and Quebec’s student movement.
An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY Students rallied against the Board of Trustees to oppose pay scale increases for top administrators, and tuition hikes. In addition, students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces. Among the other planned actions, students produced political theater exposing Chancellor Goldstein and the security company, Kroll. Occupy CUNY also stood in solidarity with Cooper Union students against the implementation of tuition and Quebec’s student movement.
Contributor
Reed, Conor Tomás
Creator
Occupy CUNY
Date
2011 (Circa)
Language
English
Publisher
Occupy CUNY
Rights
Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercialShareAlike
Source
Reed, Conor Tomas
Original Format
Flier / Leaflet (1 or 2 page handout)
Occupy CUNY. Letter. 2011. “Protest Checklist”, 2011, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/1006