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to whom it may concern
tear gas
background
tear gas is not a gas, it’s a kind of powder that clings to ur skin and clothing. it affects ur eyes and ur respiratory system. tear gas cans have different levels of toxicity, and the ones used against civilians are the lowest, but u should never trust a cop with ur safety
countries might have different policies about it, but common (rarely followed) protocols include:
- tear gas canister must be shot at the air, not directly at civilians
- police must announce they will gas the place before shooting a can
lethality
- people with respiratory problems should be thoroughly careful as death may ocur in a matter of hours exposed to it
- others with no problems might experience fainting
- have in mind the long lasting effects of this chemical weapon have not been registered yet
protection
- thick face mask (the type made from a paper-like material) for a short period of exposure or low toxicity
- proper gas masks with mixed filter against organic vapours and acid gases + particles
- goggles (like ski masks or to go swimming)
- if the gas mask doesn’t cover your entire face/doesn’t have a proper grip, u need to wear a bandana or a piece of clothing under it
- do NOT use vinegar
- do NOT wear makeup, creams or sunscreen as it worsens the effect on ur eyes
treatment & prevention
- cheap: mixture of 90% water + 10% baking soda, apply on the nose, rinse ur mouth with it, pour it on the eyes (closed) and wait a little while before blinking repeatedly
- effective & cheap: boil a pot of water with laurel leaves (the kind u use to cook) until water turns brown. apply on nose, rinse mouth, pour on closed eyes and blink repeatedly. more effective as preventive measure (soak a piece of clothing and hold it against ur mouth/nose or tie it around ur head)
- other: maalox antiacid
- u can bite on a lemon for the effects to go away, but it would only last once ur away from the gas
- do NOT run or get agitated, walk fast and watch where ur going. be calm, be mindful of others suffering the effects of the gas around u. help each other. contain each other
- sneeze, cough, spit and blink as much as necessary until u’ve recovered
aftercare
- tear gas clings to ur skin and ur clothes, so try to get the least amount of skin exposed. do NOT touch ur face (eyes, mouth, nose) with ur hands or ur clothes after u’ve been exposed, as the particles of the chemical will once again hurt u
- u can wash ur clothes with baking soda, but the chemical might still remain (so dont take that forever 21 dress to a protest)
- do NOT shower with hot water, as it re-activates the chemical. u dont have to use ice cold water but regulate the temperature carefully
neutralization
baking soda + water mixture in a big (6lt) reusable water bottle (some people add shampoo). u must wear heavy face protection and wielding gloves to manipulate the tear gas canister, grabbing it quickly from the floor and then cover the bottle as fast as u can once u put the can inside. it takes a few minutes to put off.
important: keep the canister, dont throw it away. when u’ve gotten to safety take a picture of the labels and information on the can, as it details the toxicity and precautions. make sure to check the protocols in ur country and report any misconduct.
not recommended: if u do not have the proper equipment to handle a tear gas canister, throw or kick the can against the police who shot it. watch them suffer. absolutely not recommended i do not support this u should never :-)
pepper spray
background
pepper spray isnt a gas either, the particles get under ur skin and stay there for a very long period of time. it obstructs ur respiratory system and blinds u for hours. if u see a cop walking around with a long canister in their hand, do please please get away and warn others.
lethality
- death has been registered on asthmatic people
- no long lasting effects as far as i know
protection
there’s nothing that can really prevent the effects of a pepper spray attack. it will cling to whatever u have on though, so the more covered u are the less particles will reach ur skin.
milk: magnesium milk is more recommended (u can buy it in a drugstore) but regular milk might work as well. it can lower the effects of pepper spray but it wont stop it. it relieves the effects after u’ve been attacked, but depending on how exposed u were. it leaves white stains on the skin and clothes.
aftercare
- tear gas will worsen the effects, so if ur attacked with pepper spray u must get away immediately
- if u are hit directly, in close proximity, u need to be taken to a hospital asap
- it will burn ur skin and ur throat, u will feel hell on ur skin, but do not cry. remain calm. u need to know this will be over in a few hours and u will have no long lasting effects
- the hospital may release u once u’ve recovered sight, but ur skin (especially ur hands, as u use and move them the most) will still hurt from time to time. sink the affected areas in a mixture of water and dish soap repeatedly and fast for 10-15 seconds
- do NOT put any creams or lotions on
- throw away the clothes and belongings contaminated with it, but be careful and mindful of the animals and homeless people who search for food in the trash, they dont deserve to suffer the effects of this weapon just because u are lousy
pellet shots
lethality
- u will not die of a pellet shot wound, but if it lands on ur eyes u will be permanently blinded as the eye injury is irreversible
- at the hospital they might have to give u vaccines
- sometimes doctors are unable to remove the bullets and, depending on what it’s made of, u might suffer the effects of contamination
- have in mind they can land anywhere, even ur face, and the removal is painful and excruciating
- if ur shot in a non threatening part of ur body it will hurt like hELL, but u can still walk around just fine
protection
- wearing jeans or windbreaker fabric will lower the speed of the shot, though it will still injure ur skin
- anything from tin pieces to wood will stop the bullets. u can make a shield out of stop signs or cable satellites antennas
- if u have a shield with u, it is ur responsability to stand in the front and protects other
- for the eyes: safety glasses/goggles with ANSI z87.1 or z87+ standard are the easiest and cheapest to get, but military standard MIL-PRF-31013 is more effective. be sure to check the item actually qualifies legally for the standard
extra
- water tank: throwing rocks at it only works if the door is open and u can aim at the cops inside. be careful since they might mix water with other chemicals (like caustic soda, which produces burns in the skin and vomit) and are more likely to use disposed water. depending on the type of tank it might actually hit u so hard u fly out of ur shoes, so be careful
- laser pointer: u can use them to block cops’ vision, it will save lives
- arrest: if u are being arrested and u are alone, or all the people u are with are being taken with u, yell ur full name so the people watching (probably recording) can have proof that u have been detained and ur family and friends can find out
- recordings: dont post ur recordings on social media, as it can lead to the arrest of the people in it (or at least blur/cover their faces). it is important to have footage of the events to help the victims injured or abused by cops though
Recomendações CRUCIAIS para compreender o racismo no Brasil:
Pequeno Manual Antirracista, da Djamila Ribero (bem didático e ótima leitura introdutória)
Racismo, Sexismo e Desigualdade no Brasil, da Sueli Ribeiro
O Genocídio do Negro Brasileiro, do Abdias Nascimento
Racismo Estrutural, do Silvio Almeida
Olhos D'Água, da Conceição Evaristo
O Quarto do Despejo, da Carolina de Jesus
Here are book recs as promised:
Women, Race and Class and Are Prisons Obsolete and all other books by Angela Davis
Ain’t I a Woman? and all other books by bell hooks
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and all other books by Maya Angelou
Sister Outsider and all other books by Audre Lorde
The Fire Next Time and all other books by James Baldwin
Beloved and all other books by Toni Morisson
The Color Purple and all other books by Alice Walker
Between the World and Me and all other books by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Underground Railroad and all other books by Colson Whitehead
ways to help protestors if you are unable to protest
everybody has to do their part. as a reference, this was posted on 1 june 2020. if any links are broken or direct to a place they should not, please feel free to add on with corrections. if there is new information with better knowledge, please feel free to share. thank you.
1. donate
do not donate to shaun king. he has repeatedly collected money to “support” black people, but no one knows where the money is.
BAIL FUNDS (ALPHABETICAL ORDER; NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST)
note: washington dc and new jersey have cashless bail systems.
- bail fund google doc (also includes lawyers for protestors)
- national bail fund network (directory of community bail funds)
- community bail funds masterpost by @keplercryptids
- resistance funds (google sheets; lists bail funds around the country)
- nationwide bail funds (split a donation to the bail funds listed on the linked page with a single transaction)
- atlanta bail fund
- brooklyn bail fund
- colorado freedom fund
- columbus freedom fund
- houston chapter of black lives matter
- liberty fund (nyc based; focuses services on people from low-income communities)
- los angeles freedom fund
- louisville community fund
- massachusetts bail fund
- minnesota freedom fund (as of may 30, 2020, they are encouraging people to donate elsewhere since they have raised enough money; as of may 29, 2020, they do not have a venmo, as some fraudulent accounts have been claiming, source)
- philadelphia bail out fund
- richmond bail fund
MORE PLACES TO DONATE
note: more links are listed in the masterposts below.
- northstar health collective (healthcare and medical aid for people on the front lines)
- reclaim the block (aims to redistribute police funding to help the minneapolis community)
- twin cities dsa (provides fresh groceries and hot meals to people in minneapolis)
2. educate yourself
it isn’t enough to sign petitions and reblog/retweet/etc. nonblack people, including people of color, owe it to black people to educate themselves and correct themselves and the people around them on anti-blackness.
note: more links are in the masterposts linked below.
- resources and tools regarding racism and anti-blackness (google sheets compilation)
- readings on society, racism, the prison system, etc. (twitter thread)
- “where do we go after ferguson?” by michael eric dyson
- official black lives matter website
3. give out supplies to protestors
people need supplies to protest safely, and even if they bring supplies with them, they can often run out. if you’re able, stock up and hand them out to people protesting. for more supplies to donate, see the “george floyd action” google docs link in section 5.
- water bottles (dehydration and heatstroke are not things people should have to deal with alongside bastard cops. if the police in your area are particularly violent or known to use tear gas, get the ones with the sports cap/suction-thing/etc so people can use them as emergency eye-flushes.)
- snacks (make sure to take into account that people have allergies of all sorts. foods will have a little label that says “may contain” and then list any potential allergens. write the allergens on the ziploc (or any container you use) in permanent marker, or better yet, write the snacks included in the pack.)
- masks (don’t forget there’s still a pandemic going on. also it will aid in deterring facial recognition when the police try to track down protestors, also part two, if the cops use tear gas, wearing a mask (with the combination of a scarf or bandana) will lessen the adverse effects. lessen, not stop.)
- bandanas, scarves, etc. and goggles (ski goggles, swimming goggles, etc.) (see above for explanation on the scarves. same goes for the goggles. anti–tear gas and anti–facial recognition.)
- clean shirts (for people who are heavily gassed. also helps deter recognition through clothing.)
- wound care supplies (band-aids, packets of neosporin packets or a similar antibiotic, alcohol wipes, etc.; if you can, decant bactine into those little travel bottles.)
- a sharpie or another type of marker (for writing bail numbers or emergency contacts on arms, hands, etc. it’s not enough to have your city’s bail fund number stored on your phone; the police won’t give it to you to look it up. give people a marker so they can write it down, preferably not washable so it isn’t easily removed.)
IMPORTANT: KNOWING FIRST AID
tear gas: if you’re hit, get out as fast and as soon as you can. take anyone you can with you. the longer you’re in the gas, the harder it will be for you to see, and it can irritate your airways, making it hard to breathe. if you’re hit, don’t run; it’ll only make things worse on your lungs. when you leave the area, take a cold shower. don’t use hot water (it will only reactivate the agent); don’t bathe (it will only spread the CS around). (source 1) (source 2) (cdc fact sheet on tear gas)
- move them to a clean and ventilated area where it’s as safe as possible.
- ask them if they’re wearing contact lenses. have them remove it. if they’re wearing glasses, rinse it with water.
- solution of half liquid antacid, half water. spray from the inside going out, with the head tilted back and slightly towards the side being rinsed. if they say it’s okay, open the eye slightly while doing this. (source)
bullet wounds: the most important thing is to stop the bleeding. be sure to check for an exit wound and cover that as well. treat both wounds, but treat the worse one first.
- stop the bleed (youtube video by uc san diego health)
- first aid in active shooting scenarios
- making a tourniquet (a commercial tourniquet is best, but improvised ones can work as well if done properly; the most important things to remember is that tourniquets are for limb injuries and are not meant for the head or torso and that they have to be very tightly wound on the injury.)
- how to apply pressure dressings
miscellaneous
- adult cpr tutorial (youtube video by cincinnati children’s; think of “staying alive” by the beegees or “uptown funk”)
4. be a source of information
be responsible with this. people’s lives are at stake. that being said, the media is a fucking joke and the best way to get accurate information in a grassroots rebellion is amongst ourselves. record everything, but if you are going to share any information at all, be sure to blur people’s faces.
- signal (encrypted messenger app; messages delete after x amount of time): app store | google play
- tool for scrubbing metadata from images and selectively blurring identifiable features
- tech tips to protect yourself while protesting (by rey.nbows on tiktok, via vicent_efl on twitter)
- cop spotting 101 (google docs)
- know your rights (by personachuu on twitter)
NUMBERS TO CALL FOR ARRESTED PROTESTORS (ALPHABETICAL ORDER; SOURCES LINKED TO THE NUMBER)
remember to keep phones OFF unless absolutely necessary. cell phone towers, stingrays, location notifs can all be used to track you and other protestors. don’t fuck around. if your phone must be on, keep it on airplane mode as often as possible and only communicate using encrypted methods. no, snapchat doesn’t count. (a twitter thread on stingrays, for those interested)
- lawyers assisting protestors pro-bono (by riyakatariax on twitter)
- atlanta: 404-689-1519
- chicago: 773-309-1198
- minneapolis: 612-444-2654
5. miscellaneous links and links for protestors
- masterpost of petitions to sign, numbers to call, places to donate, and more (carrd by dehyedration on twitter)
- #blacklivesmatter (google docs by ambivaIcnt on twitter; includes information on relevant events, other masterposts, lists of petitions and donation links, how to protest safely and protests to go to, and more)
- george floyd action (google docs; includes information on apps to download, supplies to buy and donate, places to donate to, protest safety, resources on unlearning racial bias, and more)
- how to get out of ziptie “handcuffs” (by finnianj on tiktok, via katzerax on twitter)
- how can i help? by @abbiheartstaylor
- how to make a signal-blocking cell phone pouch
- tips for protestors by @aurora00boredealis
- twitter thread for protestors (by vantaemuseum on twitter)
- also, if you’re protesting, change your passcode. make it at least 11 characters long and don’t use facial/thumb recognition.
In the past 24 hours I have seen videos of police doing the following:
**Brutally beating anyone within reach, and then forming a circle around the beating so that no one could get close enough to pull people away or even continue to film or photograph the assault. (X)
** Driving down the road and pushing open the car door to slam it into someone standing on the side of the road. (X)
** An officer on horseback coming up behind a woman holding a sign on the sidewalk and with no warning or attempt to move around her, literally ran her over with the horse. (X)
** Smashing and stealing bottles of water and milk the protesters had stashed in the park in case they needed to treat tear gas burns. (X)
**Shooting rubber bullets directly at a news crew during a live broadcast of the protest. (X)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a comprehensive guide to different funds you can donate to that are helping the #BlackLivesMatter protesters in different cities
any white at a protest who tries to go against police and deliberately provoke a response from them is not to be trusted and does not have the safety of black and brown people in mind.
there is a good chance that they are police too. if anyone, especially a white dude, ever randomly gets your attention and conspiratorially tries to convince you to jump a police officer, then dude is a cop. They have been using this technique and script for at least 30 years.
Check their fucking shoes. They’re always too afraid that their little toesies will be hurt so they’ll usually still be rocking the exact same boots as the guys on the other side. This was what gave the cops away when they provoked riots in Toronto a while back.
@talesofalamia, remember when I pointed out the shoes of the two well-dressed informants near us?
Similar note: IME, unmarked cruisers have five distinguishing traits:
1. They’re one of the department-issue models.
2. They’re always white, black, or dark blue.
3. They always look like they just rolled out of a car wash.
4. Usually rocking restricted plates.
5. Most reliable if present but hardest to spot: Their mirrors are bulkier, to fit the light rigs in.
In Austin the under cover officer that tried to convince me to set a cop car on fire had a convincing fake beard.
Be careful out there and read up on common tactics used against protestors before going.
You can usually see the stealth lights if you look into the grill.
Besides the old obvious as fuck Crown Victoria, be suspicious of 2013+ Ford Taurus and Explorer, 2006+ Dodge Charger and Dakota, 06-13 Chevy Impala, 11+ Chevy Caprice and both the Tahoe and Suburban.
Look for oversize mirrors, plugs on the roof and/or A pillar, lights inside the grill, extraneous lights inside the headlight assembly, lights tucked up behind the rear view mirror, steel wheels with or without wheel covers, and plugs or short antennas on the trunk lid.
THIS PRIDE MONTH PLEASE SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE BLACK LGBT COMMUNITY. BLACK LGBT LIVES MATTER AND ARE AT MORE THAN A RISK THAN EVER.
