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BARRICADING STREETS: A Thread
Properly securing a street for a protest is critical. Traffic corkers are almost always the singular line of defense between dangerous inbound vehicles, and people unprotected in the street.
Here’s how to do this and keep people safe:
Properly securing a street for a protest is critical. Traffic corkers are almost always the singular line of defense between dangerous inbound vehicles, and people unprotected in the street.
Here’s how to do this and keep people safe:
DISTANCE:
Traffic corkers should be at least one block away, at an intersection that allows redirection. Inbound traffic needs to be able to detour! You don’t want cars stacking up at an impasse. I’ve had lots of guns pulled on me because of this. Always have an exit for cars.
Traffic corkers should be at least one block away, at an intersection that allows redirection. Inbound traffic needs to be able to detour! You don’t want cars stacking up at an impasse. I’ve had lots of guns pulled on me because of this. Always have an exit for cars.
*If it’s a moving demonstration, stay two blocks ahead as you go down the street. You need to be able to leapfrog and cut off inbound traffic two blocks ahead while allowing traffic already in the immediate block ahead of the crowd to still turn and clear the road.
VULNERABILITIES:
Parking lots, alleys, driveways, etc. Cars can circumvent a street barricade by cutting through these. Always check for weak spots and make sure they’re covered.
Parking lots, alleys, driveways, etc. Cars can circumvent a street barricade by cutting through these. Always check for weak spots and make sure they’re covered.
RUNNING CROWDS:
- Watch the front, they’ll turn without warning. They’re water, you’ve gotta be water too. Be ready to quickly change directions and get ahead of them.
- Fuck traffic laws. We don’t stop for red lights, because the crowd doesn’t. Wrong way on a one-way? Do it.
- Watch the front, they’ll turn without warning. They’re water, you’ve gotta be water too. Be ready to quickly change directions and get ahead of them.
- Fuck traffic laws. We don’t stop for red lights, because the crowd doesn’t. Wrong way on a one-way? Do it.
BARRICADE CAR RULES:
- Never let a car hang out between a barricade and the crowd.
- Always face outward, pointed in directions that allow all vehicles to leave quickly without colliding.
- Flashers on, windows down, stereo off, EYES UP.
- Stay with the car, leave it running.
- Never let a car hang out between a barricade and the crowd.
- Always face outward, pointed in directions that allow all vehicles to leave quickly without colliding.
- Flashers on, windows down, stereo off, EYES UP.
- Stay with the car, leave it running.
PRECAUTIONS:
- Keep a spare key hidden outside your car and make sure other people know where it is.
- Carry a whistle. You are likely to be the first person to spot an inbound riot van, and you need to leave as soon as you see it. Blow the fuck out of that whistle to warn people
- Keep a spare key hidden outside your car and make sure other people know where it is.
- Carry a whistle. You are likely to be the first person to spot an inbound riot van, and you need to leave as soon as you see it. Blow the fuck out of that whistle to warn people
WATCH FOR DANGEROUS BARRICADES. Inexperienced protestors will sometimes just throw up street obstacles with no tactical advantage, and which are often a huge liability. Never block an egress road. If you see one blocked, clear it.
(Story time) One night at the JC someone kept putting a fence across Madison. I cleared it twice. The crowd came running through that intersection 90 seconds after I cleared it for the third time.
Before you block a street, ask: do we need to run this way? Don’t kettle yourselves
Before you block a street, ask: do we need to run this way? Don’t kettle yourselves
Don't block a full intersection! Cork the street on the same side of the intersection as the crowd. Traffic at the nearest intersection should be live in all directions *except* inbound towards the crowd. Remember: we want to keep traffic moving, safely.
At all barricades: replace people (bikes/motos/cars) with objects (dumpsters/road cones/etc) whenever possible. These are dangerous locations and barricade materials can't be assaulted, arrested, damaged, or impounded like people and their cars can be.
USE SCOUTS. Having scouts positioned around the corner from barricades is important. Folks holding barricades need to stay with their cars and can't keep eyes around corners. Use whistles and radios. Here is a map of an ideal setup.
MAKE A PLAN BEFORE YOU GET THERE:
Know where you need to place people ahead of time. You can completely secure a protest location in all directions in under a minute if folks know where they're going upon arrival. Make sure they understand their location and responsibilities.
Know where you need to place people ahead of time. You can completely secure a protest location in all directions in under a minute if folks know where they're going upon arrival. Make sure they understand their location and responsibilities.
GENERAL SAFETY:
- Cover your license plates. Primarily this is to prevent getting doxxed by hostiles. Cops can pull you over and look at your plates anyway, so this tactic really isn't for them, but it does give the advantage of making it a little more difficult.
- Cover your license plates. Primarily this is to prevent getting doxxed by hostiles. Cops can pull you over and look at your plates anyway, so this tactic really isn't for them, but it does give the advantage of making it a little more difficult.
- Have a powerful flashlight to signal oncoming traffic.
- Use magnetic "road flare" hazard lights on your vehicle.
- Wear high vis. You're not going to blend into the crowd and disappear anyway, so prioritize not getting hit by cars. Bloc up with removable wear high vis on top.
- Use magnetic "road flare" hazard lights on your vehicle.
- Wear high vis. You're not going to blend into the crowd and disappear anyway, so prioritize not getting hit by cars. Bloc up with removable wear high vis on top.
DEALING WITH DRIVERS:
- Keep it simple. "There are people in the street ahead, if you take a left or a right you can get around them and be on your way!"
- Be kind whenever you can. Most cars are just regular commuters being inconvenienced. They respond well to politeness.
- Keep it simple. "There are people in the street ahead, if you take a left or a right you can get around them and be on your way!"
- Be kind whenever you can. Most cars are just regular commuters being inconvenienced. They respond well to politeness.
- Don't argue about why people are in the street. Traffic jams aren't the forum to change hearts and minds about social justice protests. "Whether you think these people should be in the street or not, they are, and I want to help you get around them."
"dO yOu HaVe a pErMiT??"
- Don't engage with these people. They already know the answer to this question and they're trying to bait you into an argument. Keep it simple: "I'm a community safety volunteer, can I help you find another route?"
- Don't engage with these people. They already know the answer to this question and they're trying to bait you into an argument. Keep it simple: "I'm a community safety volunteer, can I help you find another route?"
You're going to deal with hostiles. De-escalate whenever possible. Some will just make threats and speed away, others will actually try and drive through a barricade. Use good judgement and call for backup if you need it. Always try and work in pairs so nobody is alone.
Protestors may try & "help" with hostile vehicles. Use good judgment on asking them to stand down. We generally don't want hostile cars with smashed windows and slashed tires, because then they stick around & further escalate. We want hostiles to be on their fucking way asap.
Stay alert, and keep your whistle ready.
If a car gets past you, you NEED to be able to immediately signal a warning the people in the street, who are in danger of being run down. Whistles have saved lives.
Don't chase these cars: other people will. Hold the street.
If a car gets past you, you NEED to be able to immediately signal a warning the people in the street, who are in danger of being run down. Whistles have saved lives.
Don't chase these cars: other people will. Hold the street.
If a car blows a barricade, it may get stopped by the crowd. In this case, the hostile vehicle will need to escape, and will often try and leave the way it came in: through you. STAY ALERT. Assuming there's no reason to detain them, you should be ready to provide egress asap.
