VOL. 1
A BIMONTHLY PUBLICATION ABOUT MAINSTREAM MEDIA, PROTESTS AND CHAOS (WITH A SPRINKLE OF POSITIVITY)
THE NO-NO MEDIA TERMS
PRACTICE SAFE SIGNAGE
LOVED ONES ARE BRAINWASHED? HERE’S WHAT TO DO!
MEDIA VS. REALITY
PUTTING TOGETHER A MATCHING PROTESTS TOOLKIT
I GOT ARRESTED, NOW WHAT?
DON’T KETTLE YOURSELF!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU PROTEST
HOW TO KEEP THE SPARK ALIVE?
WHAT THE MEDIA
TELLS YOU 2020 has been an insane roller coaster of events, we learned a lot about our societies and managed to understand how most of the people around us think like. The problem we all faced the most during 2020 was the misleading headlines, how most of the channels were biased or just provided the wrong information to cause more confusion and horror (which is unfortunately, the food of this industry).
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The Black Lives Matter movement shook the whole world, not just where it happened. That shed a light on the injustice that has been embedded in all of the systems, made the people explode and get out on the street regardless of the pandemic. The world’s reaction was triggered by the incident of murdering George Floyd and the police brutality incidents all over the world.
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VS. WHAT ACTUALLY
GOES DOWN Unfortunately, not everyone had the sense of solidarity to support the Black Lives Matter movement, which results in counter-protesting that “All lives matter” came to life, that reflects a view of racial dismissal, ignoring and denial. “#BlackLivesMatter doesn’t mean your life isn’t important – it means that Black lives, which are seen without value within White supremacy, are important to your liberation.” Black Lives Matter movement co-founder Alicia Garza argues that “all lives matter” rhetoric has negative effects for racial justice: “When we deploy ‘All Lives Matter’ as to correct an
intervention specifically created to address anti-blackness, we lose the ways in which the state apparatus has built a program of genocide and repression mostly on the backs of Black people—beginning with the theft of millions of people for free labor— and then adapted it to control, murder, and profit off of other communities of color and immigrant communities. . . When you drop ‘Black’ from the equation of whose lives matter, and then fail to acknowledge it came from somewhere, you further a legacy of erasing Black lives and Black contributions from our movement legacy.”
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Now this is not just a 2020 thing, the media has always tried to portray the youth that try to speak against oppressive systems as devious rebels, promoting false ideas about how those protesters are there to ruin everything for everyone else. Some even dare to say that they are “pushed to do that” by external factors, which makes the people see them as a selfish party that is just trying to enforce external points of views. The youth nowadays have experienced more oppression than any other generation; this generation has the resources to film everything on the spot and they still can not get any justice, unlike things back in the day, it was really hard to document incidents on the spot which
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made it harder to believe. This illogical disparity of who gets their rights and who doesn’t (according to their level of wealth) made most of the younger generation angry about everything, made them refuse to listen to any ruling parties as most of them are fueled by injustice and inequality. When the media decided to portray protesters as the evil party that tries to disturb nations’ balance, it takes the right away from them to receive the support they deserve when it comes to the problem they address. The media plays on that factor most of the time, which is brainwashing the masses to turn them against young protesters, which backlashes on everyone as they widen the loop of oppression.
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It feels surreal that up till this day and age we still have to talk about abortion rights, let alone ban them. 2020 has carried the most shocking laws in that department, which was a cherry on top of the uncountable protests that have taken place that year. Abortion in Poland is, as of 27 November 2020, legal only in cases of rape and incest,
when the woman’s life or health is at risk, or if the fetus is irreparably damaged. On 22 October 2020, Poland’s constitutional court ruled that abortion due to fetal defects was unconstitutional.
“YOU JUST RAPED EVERY WOMAN WHO’S BEEN RAPED BY A MAN. YOU JUST RAPED HER ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS IS JUST A SHAME, THIS IS A DISGRACE, THIS IS A TRAVESTY.” - SENATE MINORITY LEADER BOBBY SINGLETON Due to continued criminalization of abortions, expensive procedures, the lack of accessibility and negative connotation or stigma in many countries, mainlydeveloping countries (according to the WHO), it is still extremely difficult to get access to safe abortions. Between 2010-2014 about 45% of all abortions globally were unsafe. Classified as one of the silent killers (Francome), four times as many woman died due unsafe abortions, than terrorist attacks globally. An estimated 47 thousand women died due to unsafe abortions in 2008 and about 99% of these unsafe abortions were carried out in developing countries, where access 5
to medical supplies necessary are often non-existent. The fact is that in the USA alone, 1 in 4 woman will have an abortion in their life. On the other hand 6 out of 10 women are already mothers. It is safe to conclude that people who get abortions are no monsters, but are individuals that want the option to control and plan their life as freely as men do. People who have the possibility of becoming pregnant should be allowed the same sexual freedom as those who can’t physically carry children. It’s not so much an ethical issue, but rather a power and control issue.
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WHEN BECOMES A LAW
BECOMES A DUTY
THE NO-NO MEDIA TERMS Using the negative connotation of rebels to describe people who are asking for their basic rights is one of the media’s ways to mislead the public and turn them against protesters; putting them in the destructive crowd frame which makes their demands looked down upon and rejected without even being heard in the first place.
Another negative connotation that the media uses on regular basis is the term “destroying” when it comes to any ravages during protests, even if it is not from the protesters end, which connects protesting (even the peaceful form of it) to looting and destroying. The media plays the dirty game of showing only one side of what’s going on and always puts the protesters in the “destroyers” frame. 9
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The media always tries to sell the idea to the public that protests and riots will “take away” their peace and safety, however, most of the peaceful protests take place away from everyone and nothing is really destroyed before the forces step in. The BLM protests took place in more than 2,400 locations while fewer than 220 reported “violent demonstrations.”
Another idea the media tries to enforce to make the public turn against protesters is that they are ruining the future generation’s perspective of freedom of speech and that they are trying to distill violence in the youth, which has a huge impact on the older generations specifically and as a result of that they try to alter the youth’s opinions about asking for their rights. That takes away the proper education the youth are supposed to receive about peaceful protests and freedom of speech. 10
LOVED ONES ARE BRAINWASHED?
HERE’S WHAT TO DO. 11
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1. IDENTIFY THE MANIPULATIVE MESSAGE THEY’VE RECEIVED. 2.FIND AN OPPOSING MESSAGE, WHETHER IT’S MANIPULATIVE OR NOT. ALSO ATTEMPT TO FIND THE MOST NEUTRAL AND UNBIASED ACCOUNT OF THAT SAME MESSAGE. 3.COMPARE DIFFERENT SOURCES ANDHELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW THEY FEEL.
If we are going to be realistic, everyone has a person (or several) in their lives who’s gotten brainwashed by the media. It makes even more dangerous if these figures are role models to younger ones, as it is going to shape the way those younger ones think. Most people don’t need a study to know this fact, that the media is biased; spending 15 minutes watching the news without doubting what you are listening to is enough to confirm the fact that one is heavily influenced, or completely brainwashed at worst. The question everyone should be wondering about is, why on earth would one of those once respected news organizations suddenly throwing away their credibility? There are multiple channels that spent years to become successful and reputable news outlet and now they are giving that up to be controlled by our governments, or perhaps the so-called
shadow governments. Also, the easy access to social media nowadays has caused a great disruption of what is accurate and what is not, a lot of people (specifically from the older generations) can easily fall victims to that trap. Brainwashing, whether mild or extreme, is possible in a large part due to isolation. If you only hear the brainwashed message on a regular basis, and rarely (or never) expose yourself to alternatives, you’re going to be far more likely to accept what you hear without thinking. If you want to avoid the brainwashing techniques best bet is to surround yourself with a spectrum of information rather than simply settling for the message that makes you feel comfortable. After all, that’s often what the message is aiming to do.
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Artwork By: Yasmin Ibrahim
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BE SAFE BE SMART
The sign you are holding is your message, make sure that you get your point across without getting in trouble (it is quite hard when you are angry, I know). Signs are one of the media’s methods to deliver one side of the story, if the sign has a hostile tone of voice, it could deliver the wrong idea for a peaceful protest, that’s why protesters need to avoid the miscommunication that can be caused by that. On another note, a violent/hostile sign can make a protester come off as a threat to the forces surrounding the protest, which is something that should be avoided at all costs for your safety and the protesters around you. You can always be passive aggressive though!
BE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE
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PROTESTS TOOLKIT GOGGLES
Protects against tear gas and obscures identity from surveillance cameras
SPORT SHOES
Allows for easy movement
HARD HAT
Protects against police batons and flying objects
WATER
Quenches thirst, extinguishes tear gas canisters, and rinses gas from stinging eyes
SHIN PADS
Protects shins during brawls or falls
UMBRELLA
Protects against tear gas and shields identity
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GAS MASK
Protects against tear gas and obscures identity from surveillance cameras
GLOVES
Protects hands when picking up tear gas canisters or creating barriers against police
BACKPACK
For carrying supplies during long demonstrations
CHANGE OF CLOTHES
PHONE
Disguise identity from the police
Receives information from online platforms
TOWEL
Wipes away sweat and tear gas
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU YOUR RIGHTS - Your rights are strongest in what are known as “traditional public forums,” such as streets, sidewalks, and parks. You also likely have the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in front of government buildings, as long as you are not blocking access to the government building or interfering with other purposes the property was designed for. - When you are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police. On private property, the owner may set rules related to photography or video. - You don’t need a permit to march in the streets or on sidewalks, as long as marchers don’t obstruct car or pedestrian traffic. If you don’t have a permit, police officers can ask you to move to the side of a street or sidewalk to let others pass or for safety reasons.
IF YOUR RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED
- When you can, write down everything you remember, including the officers’ badge and patrol car numbers and the agency they work for. - Get contact information for witnesses. - Take photographs of any injuries.
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- Once you have all of this information, you can file a written complaint with the agency’s internal affairs division or civilian complaint board.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE POLICE ORDERS TO
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- If officers issue a dispersal order, they must provide a reasonable opportunity to comply, including sufficient time and a clear, unobstructed exit path.
DISPERSE
THE PROTEST?
- Shutting down a protest through a dispersal order must be law enforcement’s last resort. Police may not break up a gathering unless there is a clear and present danger of riot, disorder, interference with traffic, or other immediate threat to public safety.
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- Individuals must receive clear and detailed notice of a dispersal order, including how much time they have to disperse, the consequences of failing to disperse, and what clear exit route they can follow, before they may be arrested or charged with any crime.
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DON’T
YOURSELF “Kettling” is a crowd-control tactic by police that keeps protesters in a confined space, so they can’t go anywhere. Once confined in one space, police starts arresting or slowly dispersing the protesters. The situations can become quite tense if cops decide to use force, leaving people without a way to escape. This method has increased tension between the police and protesters as they see “kettling” as another example of cops using unjustified force to turn a peaceful protest into tense confrontations. That
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can mean keeping people trapped until cops feel ready to release them, or sometimes, it can involve detaining people or making mass arrests. And, in cases where a crowd is rioting or engaging in violence, kettling helps cops control a space and detain those causing mayhem. Kettling, though, tends to pack crowds together, which can make a standoff with police more tense and volatile, as people who would otherwise walk or move away simply can’t. And when the tactic is used, especially on city blocks or in public spaces, it can also
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WHAT IS KETTLING?
Police use kettling as a form of crowd control. The goal is to confine a crowd to a specific space — think a city block or a bridge — and blocking the means of escape.
“THE POLICE TACTICS — THE KETTLING, THE MASS ARRESTS, THE USE OF CHEMICAL IRRITANTS — THOSE ARE COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY’RE CAUSING PROTESTERS TO VIOLATE THE SIX-FEET RECOMMENDATION. THE CHEMICALS MAY MAKE THEM HAVE TO REMOVE THEIR MASKS. THIS IS ALL VERY DANGEROUS.” - MALIKA FAIR, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES
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HOW TO KEEP ALIVE
PRINCIPLES
To understand the needs of your protest movement properly, it is important to understand the theory that underpins civil society in general. When identifying partners, it helps to understand the various forms of civil society. Theory also points to gaps between formalised civil society organisations and those that are more grassroots in nature. Understanding these gaps, and what causes them, makes it easier to avoid these shortfalls when forming partnerships with other organisations and movements.
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EMPATHY
As protesters it is important to show that while you are dedicated to your cause, you have not lost your humanity. It is important to understand that the campaigns of which you are a part may often cause inconvenience to people. Some inconvenience will simply be a by-product of a protest that people will have to be asked to deal with. However, it is important that campaigns do not cause unnecessary harm to bystanders. To avoid harm, you must be empathetic to the circumstances in which bystanders may find themselves and be adaptable to those circumstances.
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UNIFICATION
It is important to focus the work of a movement around core issues that affect many people. This is the best way to ensure mass support for a movement. In Brazil in 2013, protests broke out against price increases for public transport in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The protests managed to gain mass support because so many Brazilians use public transport every day. Once their support had been gained, the movement expanded its aims to include issues such as state corruption. Similar transportrelated protests took place in Armenia. Because of the large numbers of supporters, the protesters were able to set up a parallel transport system with volunteer drivers. This showed the government that even though many people rely on public transport, people could not be strong-armed into paying higher prices and would band together to create an alternative. The government decided not to charge the proposed higher prices as a result of these
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Photograph By: Elio Santos
I GOT ARRESTED... Hundreds of years of structural racism, militarized tactics, and insufficient training have created a well-armed force that often threatens the safety of civilians, particularly black people. And since the death of George Floyd, over an estimated 10,000 protesters have been arrested by police who have been shown to use pepper spray, rubber bullets, teargas, and batons on protesters, media, and peaceful bystanders.
1. WRITE IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS ON YOUR ARM
Before you head off, write the contact numbers of an attorney or legal service on your arm so that you can still make contact if the police confiscate your phone.
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2. INVOKE YOUR RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT AND ASK TO SPEAK TO YOUR LAWYER
Make sure you invoke your right to remain silent. You can provide your name and address, but don’t answer any other questions. Instead, ask to speak to your lawyer.
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3. DON’T LET THE POLICE SEARCH YOUR PHONE
4. DON’T GIVE A DNA SAMPLE
A police officer might try to convince you that it is a standard procedure to take a DNA sample, it’s not. Do not agree to a DNA sample, also, do not accept anything that can be used to extract a sample, including water bottles, cigarettes, or gum.
Although police are allowed to confiscate your phone, they can’t search your personal devices without your consent, a warrant needs to be granted to do that. They may try to scare you into unlocking your device, that’s why you should set a complicated password before protesting.
5. CONNECT WITH A BAIL ORGANIZATION
Before you attend a protest, get the details of your local bail fund and pass them on to a friend or family member so that if you are arrested, they can work to get your bail covered as soon as possible.
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PEACEFUL PROTESTS THAT LED TO SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CHANGES “Nonviolence is an intensely active force when properly understood and used.” – Mohandas Gandhi THE SALT MARCH
During the transition between the wet to dry season of 1930 Mahatma (Mohandas) Gandhi led a peaceful protest against Britain’s imposed law that enforced Indians not to collect or sell any salt in their country. Followed by the masses, Gandhi walked over 386 kilometers until they reached the Arabian Sea to pick up a handful of salt out of the muddy waters of the sea. Seventeen years later, after this peaceful march, India gained independence from Britain.
DELANO BOYCOTT
Cesar Chavez advocated for peaceful boycotts, protest, and a grueling yet nonviolent 25day hunger strike which led to legislative changes to end exploitative abuse of America’s farm workers in the late 1960s. He led a five-year strike in Delano, Calif., bringing together over 2,000 farmers to demand minimum wage primarily for underpaid overworked Filipino farmworkers. This caused more than 17 million Americans to boycott California grapes, which helped secure unions, better wages and security for farmworkers. 29
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SUFFRAGE PARADE
Peaceful protests like the 1913 Suffrage Parade was one of the main shapers of the political participation for women today. It shared the voices of over 5,000 courageous women speaking out for their rights with peaceful acts that gave them the power to change the system.
MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT
Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., is one such example. Her defiant act symbolized greater civil rights, spreading the message that all people deserve equal seats. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled a year later in 1956, segregation on public buses unconstitutional.for farmworkers.
SINGING REVOLUTION
Estonia literally sang its way out of the rule under the Soviet Union. In 1988, more than 100,000 Estonians gathered for five nights to protest Soviet rule. This was known as the Singing Revolution. For Estonians, music and singing acted as a way to preserve culture while the small but fierce country held it’s own during invasion from Germany, Sweden, Denmark and others. In 1991, after decades of Soviet rule, a country with just 1.5 million people regained it’s independence. 30
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A mural of some of Port Said martyrs who died while supporting their football team.
An image showing one of Naguib Mahfouz’s “Palace Walk” characters, Amina, who represents the submission to the patriarchy. The figure of Amina is surrounded by women who represent the complete opposite, like Latifa El Zayat, Umm Kulthum, and Nefertiti.
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A figure of one of the Egyptian Revolution‘s martyrs’, drawn on the walls of Mohamed Mahmoud street, holding a piece of paper with his name and his death date written on it with “Don’t forget why i died” written under the figure.
“There is wisdom and intelligence that lies beneath the beauty. You, the woman, are half of the society.”
With a ballerina on the right and a rebel on the left, revolution is art and art is revolution.
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