The Complete Guide to No Kings Protest Readiness and Safety

A practical guide to staying safe, steady, and connected — before, during, and after.

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Dear friends

I’m sorry this is reaching you later than planned. I was admitted to hospital in the small hours with suspected appendicitis and have come home while I wait for a CT scan. Although it’s likely to be a severe mast cell flare, if it’s appendicitis there is a risk of rupture and I may need to go back in on short notice. For now, I wanted to get this to you while I can — but if tomorrow’s post doesn’t appear on schedule, that’s why. We’ll take the next few days as they come.

This post is a practical guide to protest preparation. It’s designed to help you plan and move safely, step by step — from what to wear and pack, to how to travel, act, and recover. The aim is to give you clear, usable guidance so that when things feel unpredictable, you have something steady to rely on. Think of it as groundwork for composure and care, for yourself and for others beside you.

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The Day Before

The day before a protest is the time to get organised. Laying things out early means you’ll have fewer choices to make when the world outside feels louder and less predictable.

• Print off a “Know Your Rights” card from a trusted U.S. organisation (e.g. ACLU). Familiarise yourself with it, and what police can and cannot do in your state: searches, demands for ID, whether you must consent to a search if detained, etc.

• Make sure you’re familiar with local & state protest laws —

  • Are there local “anti-mask” laws (some states or cities prohibit face coverings at demonstrations)?

  • Check if there are curfew rules in your city — a downtown curfew is in place in specific areas in Tulsa until October 22, 2025.

  • If a minor will be protesting with you, make sure to be aware of any relevant juvenile curfews.

  • Is there a history of particular police tactics (like kettling, mass arrests, use of force) in your jurisdiction?

  • Who is the local civil rights or legal aid group you can contact if things go wrong?

• Choose quiet, forgettable clothing. Stick to dark or neutral colours without logos or slogans. Long sleeves and higher necklines reduce what’s visible if cameras or drones are scanning the crowd. Avoid distinctive shoes or patterns. The aim isn’t to hide, but to be ordinary enough to blend into the background. Favour natural fibres like cotton over synthetics — they’re safer if exposed to heat or chemical irritants.

• Set out solid, closed-toe shoes made for walking and standing. You may need to move quickly or cover distance if streets close or transit shuts down, and comfort becomes part of your safety.

• Keep your headwear simple. A plain cap will protect you from the sun and from overhead cameras. Sunglasses are fine if they’re unremarkable. If you plan to carry a bike helmet, strap it securely to your bag rather than wearing it, and check local laws before using it. If you plan to carry a mask (for anonymity, or to protect from gas), also check whether they’re permitted under state law.

• Leave all Bluetooth and wireless devices at home, including fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wireless headphones.

• Pack only what matters:

  • Know Your Rights card

  • sufficient water for the day in a soft bottle or pouch

  • a healthy snack that won’t melt or crush

  • saline or sealed eyewash

  • essential medication

  • a few plasters or a small bandage

  • foam earplugs (for noise or crowd control devices)

  • a small notebook and pen

  • a paper map (if needed)

  • cash in small notes (no cards)

  • a plain face covering, mask, goggles* (optional, and if legally permitted)

  • bike helmet* (optional, and if legally permitted)

  • sunglasses, simple and unbranded (optional)

  • a cloth/ or pad to cover your mouth* (optional, if there is a risk of teargas)

  • a phone if you’ve decided not to go without (make sure it’s fully charged and has minutes)

  • a small camera if you intend to document events

  • a battery pack, if you’re taking a phone or camera

These items* are only appropriate in higher risk settings.

• Spend a few minutes studying the location. Map your route in and two ways out. Notice where crowds could bottleneck or where surveillance is likely to be heaviest. Don’t rely on phone navigation, and don’t assume trains or buses will be running.

When everything is ready— your gear, clothes, contacts, and plan — step away from it. Eat something nourishing, not just caffeine or sugar. Do something that brings your system back down: a walk, a film, time with friends. Avoid scrolling or talking about the protest for the rest of the evening. You’ve done the work — let your body know it’s safe to rest, so you can meet tomorrow with a clear head and steady hands.

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Before You Leave

Keep your morning simple. You’ve already prepared what you need; now you’re just confirming it’s all in place.

• You may not feel like eating, but a hale and hearty breakfast with protein and salt will keep your blood sugar steady and your mind clear. Avoid loading up on caffeine; it spikes adrenaline and will make it harder to stay calm later.

• Dress in what you laid out the day before, and check your bag once. Don’t add last-minute extras, and especially nothing traceable.

• Confirm your phone set-up.

  • You should already have checked your burner/secondary phone is working and charged during the week, somewhere away from home. Keep it switched off and sealed in your bag until you’re well away from where you live. Power it on only if you need it.

  • If you’re taking your regular phone, power it off before you leave. Don’t switch it on again until you’re far from both your home and the protest area, and only if it’s absolutely necessary.

• Take a clear, full-length photo of yourself in what you’re wearing. Send it to an outside contact, along with the time you expect to check in again. Make sure they know when you’re leaving, what you’ll be wearing, and when to expect you back. If you don’t check-in by that time, they initiate a pre-agreed process.

• Write on your arm with permanent marker:

  • your first name

  • emergency contact

  • legal aid number

  • any critical medical information, such as allergies or medication needs

This is neither melodramatic or over-cautious — it helps medics or legal observers identify you quickly if you’re separated or detained.

• When everything is in order, give yourself ten quiet minutes to ground and steady. Use the practice I’ll share on Saturday morning, or any method that helps you slow your breathing and come fully into your body. This pause is what separates preparation from action — a moment to settle before stepping into the day.

Then go — alert, calm, and ready.

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Getting There and Getting Home

• Travel with the same care you prepared with. How you move matters as much as what you bring.

• Avoid driving your own car if you can. Across the U.S., licence plate readers are built into road networks and parking systems, feeding data to local, state, and federal databases. They record time, date, and location automatically, so even a parked car can mark your presence. If you have to drive, leave the vehicle well outside the area and walk the rest of the way in.

• Many modern vehicles contain built-in tracking systems. GPS navigation, Bluetooth pairing, and connected services such as OnStar or CarPlay can all store or transmit location data, and some continue doing so even after the ignition is off. Vehicles with onboard Wi-Fi or voice assistants also record and upload usage logs to manufacturer servers, where they can be accessed later through data requests or subpoenas. In some cases, voice assistants briefly capture and retain snippets of conversation when triggered — or when they mishear a wake word — creating an additional digital record. If you must drive, disable connected features before leaving home and avoid syncing your phone or other devices. Treat your car as another form of technology that can quietly keep a record of where you’ve been and who was with you.

• Don’t use rideshare apps near the protest. Companies such as Uber and Lyft store full trip data — name, route, pick-up and drop-off points, payment details, and timestamps — and can share that information with law enforcement on request. If you must take one, book it from a neutral location and end the trip several blocks from the area. Power your phone off before you approach the protest zone.

• Use public transport with care, and with cash if possible. Tap-in and tap-out cards, contactless payments, and station CCTV all log movement, and many cities store that data for weeks or months. Board and exit at stations a few stops from the protest zone, then walk the rest. If available, use a single-use paper ticket or a prepaid cash fare.

• Walk the final distance. It gives you flexibility if streets close or crowds shift. Keep to familiar or well-lit streets and stay alert to how the area feels as you move.

• When the protest ends, leave before tensions rise or police lines move. Step away quietly and take your time. Once you’re clear, move with purpose but without rush. If you stop for food or water, pay with cash and avoid lingering near other participants.

• If you think you’re being followed, don’t head straight home. Cross a street, change direction, or step into a neutral, busy space. Keep circling until you’re confident you’re not being watched.

• If you’re stopped or questioned, stay composed. Give only what your state law requires. Don’t unlock your phone or explain your movements. You have the right to remain silent.

• When you’re certain you’re clear, follow your pre-planned route home. Once inside the protest zone, pause and breathe. Let your body register that you’re safe.

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On the Ground

• Arrive early, leave early, and always before dark. The first hour is when you can see the layout clearly and read the mood before numbers build. It’s also the easiest time to notice exits and escape routes if you need them later.

• Don’t rely on transit during or after. Stations near the event may be shut down or heavily monitored. If you must use public transport, travel on foot first and board from a distant location.

• Stay near the edges of crowds rather than the centre. This makes it easier to move if something shifts — whether that’s a surge of people, a change in police lines, or a sudden block in the street. Don’t get boxed in.

• Keep your eyes up and head moving. Watch body language. Scan the police lines, rooftops, and sky. Drones may be in use — you won’t always see what’s watching you. Pay attention to how the mood shifts minute by minute.

• Avoid staying still for long periods. Standing still makes you easier to record and isolate. Shift positions often. If you pause, position yourself near an exit route or a wall, not in the middle of a crowd.

• Stay off your phone. Even a powered-down device begins transmitting data when it’s switched on, and cameras in the area can match unlocked screens to faces. If you must use it — to call for help or check a map — step away from the crowd, keep your head down, and limit how long it’s on.

• Don’t livestream or film faces. Record only when it’s essential, and avoid anything that could identify another person — faces, tattoos, distinctive clothing. Documentation should protect people, not expose them.

• Don’t call out names. Use gestures or brief phrases if you need to communicate. Sound carries easily, and recordings can be replayed later.

• If tensions rise, stay calm and slow your breathing. Step back toward open space. Calm is contagious; panic is too.

Above all, remember you’re part of a collective presence. Your steadiness helps others hold theirs.

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If Things Escalate + Getting Out

Protests can change quickly. The best way to stay safe is to notice small shifts early and act before they become large ones.

• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong — a sudden stillness, a change in crowd energy, police formations tightening — leave. You don’t need to wait for confirmation. Quiet, early exits keep you safe and able to show up again another day.

• If police lines start to move, don’t wait to see what happens. Leave immediately along your nearest exit route. Move with purpose but without running; running attracts attention and can trigger herd movement.

• Avoid bottlenecks. Don’t let yourself be funnelled into narrow streets, alleyways, or enclosed spaces. Stay near open routes and move toward the perimeter if the crowd starts to compress.

• Be alert for kettling. This is a police tactic where officers form lines around a group to contain and immobilise it. Once a cordon begins to form, movement becomes limited and exits may narrow. Watch for patterns: police vehicles forming perimeters, officers moving to block side streets, or lines advancing in parallel. If you see those signs, move early and calmly toward open space. If you find yourself inside a kettle, stay calm, conserve water, and avoid confrontation. Record time and location if you can, and wait for legal observers, or instructions from medics.

• If chemical irritants are used, move quickly upwind and out of the area. Don’t rub your face. Use saline or eyewash when you reach clear air.

• If the crowd surges, don’t push against it or run with it. Move diagonally out of the flow until you reach clear space. Keep your balance, breathe, and focus on small, steady steps.

• Never shelter underground. Subway stations, tunnels, and basements can become traps if police block entrances or if panic spreads. Stay above ground until you’re well clear of the area.

• Avoid medical tents surrounded by police. Most medics are independent and safe to approach, but if you see officers nearby, wait until you can reach help without crossing a police line.

• Resist the urge to turn your phone on while leaving. Every signal pings your location. Wait until you’re several blocks away before switching it on, and only if you need to contact someone.

• If you think you’re being followed, change direction. Cross a street, pause at a corner, or step into a public place such as a café or shop. Don’t go straight home. Take a detour until you’re certain you’re no longer being watched.

• Discard anything that might link you to the protest — flyers, signs, stickers, or disposable masks. Remove or cover identifiable markings on skin or clothing once you’re safe.

• If someone is detained, don’t step in — even if it’s someone you came with. That will feel wrong, but getting detained yourself won’t help either of you. Instead, quietly observe what you can: where it happens, the time, what the person is wearing, and any visible badge numbers. Once you’re safe, pass those details to legal support.

• If you are detained, keep your response minimal, polite, and legally safe. While you have the right to remain silent (under U.S. law) and to a lawyer, be aware that this could be interpreted as non-cooperation, and extend the interaction. You don’t need to answer questions beyond name and address (or in some states, only your name) — don’t discuss where you were, who you were with, or what you were doing. Ask if you’re being arrested or if you’re free to go.

  • Do not unlock or hand over your phone or camera. In the U.S., police need a warrant to search digital devices. Politely say you do not consent to a search. Even if your device is taken, your refusal matters legally. You cannot be compelled to open your phone when it’s been locked with a passcode.

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After You’re Home

• Once you’re inside, lock the door, and stop moving. Take a few slow deep breaths and let yourself shift from alertness to safety.

• Change your clothes straight away. If you were near tear gas or pepper spray, seal what you wore in a bag and wash it separately later. Shower in cool water and use mild soap. Don’t rub or use oils — they can trap residue on the skin.

• Clean any exposed gear. Wipe down your phone, glasses, and bag. If you used a burner or secondary phone, remember not to switch it on while at home.

• Eat something grounding and drink plenty of water. Even peaceful protests can leave your body tense and dehydrated.

• Check in with your outside contact and anyone you came with. Confirm that everyone’s home safe and that no one is unaccounted for.

• If anything unusual happened — if you were followed, filmed, or approached — write down the details while they’re still clear. Note time, place, and what you remember. It may matter later.

• Once you’ve done that, rest. Turn off the news. Don’t scroll or post anything tonight — your nervous system needs calm before you move forward.

• Expect ripple effects to settle in — fatigue, tension, pride, sadness. They’re all normal responses. Talk to someone you trust if you need to.

• Tomorrow, you’ll debrief with others. But this time is yours. You’ve done what you came to do. Tonight isn’t for analysis or strategy — it’s for rest, warmth, and ordinary things. Stretch. Sit somewhere still. Let the noise drain out of your body. The work continues tomorrow, but for now, you need to come back to yourself.

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Preparation is what steadies you when things turn unpredictable. Every calm decision — what you wear, how you move, when you leave — builds a kind of quiet safety that can’t be taken from you. None of this is about expecting harm; it’s about being ready enough that you can stay present, notice what’s happening, and act with clarity. That’s how we keep each other safe, and how we keep showing up.

In solidarity, as ever

— Lori

© Lori Corbet Mann, 2025

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📌I’m sharing something each day this week to support you at Saturday’s No Kings protest. I may not be alongside you in person, but I plan to be here to help you stay steady and grounded as you step into that space.

What You’ll Find Here This Week

• Tomorrow:
  Overwhelm can strike without warning especially if the event is highly charged. This short, evidence-based grounding tool will help you steady your body and mind should you need to, while you’re at the protest itself.

• Saturday:
  During a protest, with so much happening around you, it can be easy to lose sight of why you’re there. This piece will help you connect with what matters to you and stay anchored as you move through the day.

• Sunday:
  Protests can stir both hope and grief. This post-protest landing plan will help your body process the adrenaline and metabolise the intensity of the day before.

If you’d like to stay connected as these pieces go out over the week, you’re very welcome to subscribe.

And if you think these posts might help others prepare, please share them — my up-to-date posts on staying safe during collective action are free for everyone to read and share.