THE UMBRELLAS:
Umbrellas don’t just shield us from the rain. They protect us from pepper-spray.
PROTEST SIGNS:
Fun idea — make your protest sign out of quarter-inch thick plywood (quick purchase at Lowe’s), so your sign can also be used as a shield in the event that police shoot rubber bullets at you. More to come on this idea later.
USEFUL ITEMS TO BRING:
* Masks (remember, COVID-19 is still out there!)
* Protective eye-wear (goggles, etc).
* Scarf (remember, tear-gas burns the skin! protect all parts of your body)
* Hat or helmet (protect your body from gas, pepper-spray, and potential falling debris)
* Wear layers, protect your skin!!
* Follow the traveler’s rule – keep your wallet in your FRONT pocket.
– Have ID!
– Have your lawyer’s information or a friend’s phone number written down in case you get arrested.
* Notepad and pen, in case you need to document something.
* Knee pads. Crowds will be dispersed. People will fall. Protect yourself.
Additional Backpack Items:
* An extra pair of clothes in case you get gassed.
* Any important medications you may need.
* WATER!
* Milk of Magnesia (anti-acid, helps neutralize the acidity of pepper spray). [source]
* Portable phone charger.
* Snacks
Additionally, we found a useful article here.
Protect Your Eyes:
* avoid wearing make-up/ oil-based products, as it can bond to chemical-irritants (tear-gas, pepper-spray, etc)
* avoid wearing contact lenses. [source]
* use protective eye-wear (safety goggles, etc)
WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET PEPPER-SPRAYED:
Source: Howstuffworks article (read full article here)
“* First of all, and most importantly, don’t touch the affected area. Pepper spray is oil-based and can easily be spread to other parts of your body just by touching it.
* Blink rapidly to cause your eyes to tear up. This may help to flush some of the pepper spray out of your eyes.
* Wash your skin with a cleansing solution, such as hand soap, shampoo or even dish soap, and rinse with water. Soaps help break up and remove the oil when water can’t.
* Use a “no tears” baby shampoo to help rinse the pepper spray from the eye area. Just like soap, this will help remove the oil, but you can use it on sensitive areas without causing more irritation.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET TEAR-GASSED:
Source: Aftermath.com article (read full article here)
“* As quickly and calmly as you can, remove yourself from the gas-filled area.
* Face the wind. Fresh air will help blow excess tear gas powder off of you and will prevent it from blowing back into your mouth or eyes.
* Rinse your eyes with cold water. While rinsing your eyes from the inner to the outer corner, avoid allowing the contaminated water to run onto your skin or clothes.
* Rinse your clothing and body with cold water. DO NOT use hot water. Using hot water will open your pores and allow the chemicals to seep further in, resulting in even more skin irritation. DO NOT take a bath – as you will only soak yourself in the chemicals.“
Photo by @kellymlacy via pexels royalty free art. Be sure to follow their Instagram!