Protest Safety & Disinformation Defense Guide

 ✊ Protest Safety & Disinformation Defense Guide

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

A streetwise survival zine for activists, allies, and truth defenders

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🧭 INTRO: Why This Guide Exists

Peaceful protest has always been under threat — not just from police violence, but from lies, manipulation, infiltration, and provocation.
This guide is built on love, resistance, and the hard-won lessons of movements past and present — from Selma to Standing Rock, from Gaza flotillas to Greta’s stand.

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🧠 SECTION 1: Know the Tactics of Disruption

🚨 1.1 Agent Provocateurs

• Hired or undercover individuals who incite violence, start fires, or sabotage movements from within.
• Objective: Make peaceful protesters look dangerous, so authorities can crack down, discredit, or divide.

🕵️ 1.2 Infiltrators

• May pretend to be allies, join meetings, record information, and manipulate group decisions.
• Can include law enforcement, military, or private contractors.

🎭 1.3 False Flag Attacks

• When an attack or violent act is staged by someone trying to frame the other side.
• In modern times, this could be done using:
  • Unmarked drones
  • “Anonymous” social media posts
  • Sabotaged livestreams

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🛡️ SECTION 2: How to Defend Against Deception

📸 2.1 Record & Livestream

• Create visibility: film what’s happening from multiple angles.
• Backup everything to encrypted folders (e.g., Signal, Proton Drive).
• Appoint a media point person to track drone footage, livestreams, and timestamps.

👀 2.2 Watch for Red Flags

• Newcomers who push violence, isolate themselves, or refuse to be recorded.
• People who don’t know group values or can’t explain who invited them.
• People who suddenly appear with unusual tech (drones, radio gear, etc.)

📝 2.3 Publish a Public Statement Before Action

• Clearly say:

  “Our protest is nonviolent. We do not use drones or weapons. Any such action is NOT from us.”

• This provides legal protection and a truth marker if disinformation spreads.

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📡 SECTION 3: Drone Awareness & Tech Surveillance

🚁 3.1 Defensive Use of Drones

• Use clearly marked, legal drones only for:
  • Aerial observation
  • Police accountability
  • Protecting participants
• Never equip drones with chemicals, irritants, or projectiles.

⚠️ 3.2 When to Suspect Drone Provocation

• A drone drops mystery powder, gas, or sound weapons — immediately document
• If it’s unmarked, aggressive, or harasses the crowd — assume bad intent
• DO NOT try to shoot it down — that could escalate the situation

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🧩 SECTION 4: Protect the Narrative

🧾 4.1 Archive Evidence

• Save livestreams, posts, and videos in folders labeled with date/time/location.
• Have neutral legal observers review footage.

🌐 4.2 Counter Disinfo Online

• Expect fake accounts to post misleading content (e.g., “activists used a weapon”).
• Coordinate with trusted voices to post accurate info fast.
• Use hashtags like #WeWerePeaceful #AgentProvocateurAlert

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🧬 SECTION 5: Collective Power

• Create protest pods with 4–6 people who watch each other’s backs.
• Have de-escalation roles in every group.
• Keep a communication tree in case of arrest or chaos.

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🧪 SECTION 6: What to Do if You’re Exposed to a Mystery Substance (Gas, Powder, Spray)

🚨 Stay Calm — But Act Fast

1. Get to Fresh Air Immediately

• Move upwind if possible.
• Avoid crowds and enclosed areas where gas or powder could concentrate.

2. Do NOT Rub Eyes or Skin

• Rubbing spreads the substance and increases absorption.

3. Remove Contaminated Clothing

• Cut off shirts/jackets if necessary to avoid spreading it over your face.
• Place in a plastic bag, tie it off, and move it away from others.

4. Rinse with Clean Water — Lots of It

• Use a bottle or running water to flush skin, eyes, and hair.
• Avoid harsh soaps or oils — just plain, cool water is safest unless otherwise known.

5. Cover Nose and Mouth with a Wet Cloth

• Helps reduce further inhalation of unknown substances.
• Do NOT use vinegar or milk — that's a myth and can make things worse.

6. Seek Medical Help

• Especially if you experience:
  • Burning eyes or lungs
  • Vomiting or dizziness
  • Trouble breathing
  • Numbness, shaking, or unconsciousness

7. Document It

• Take photos/video of the drone, the substance, and your symptoms if safe.
• Share with legal teams, human rights orgs, or international investigators.

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⚠️ 

🧪 EXPOSED TO A CHEMICAL?
✅ Get to fresh air
✅ Remove clothing
✅ Rinse skin & eyes with water
❌ Don’t rub
❌ Don’t panic
📞 Seek medical attention
📷 Document what happened

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❤️ FINAL MESSAGE:

You are not paranoid. You are prepared.
They fear your unity, your love, your truth — not your violence.
Protect each other. Speak louder. And build the world they said was impossible.

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