Alternatively make friends with a criminal defense lawyer who does 1st amendment cases. I miss @gregdoucette.bsky.social so much.
But yes before you go to ANY protest, know 1) who will show up with cash to bail you out and 2) who your lawyer is
If you are going to be protesting anywhere near the Republican National Convention, write the NLG number on your stomach in Sharpie (not your arm: cops use that as "evidence of premeditation"). They are fucking superheroes. Give them money to keep being superheroes: www.nlg.org/donate/
Write the phone numbers for these people on your stomach in sharpie not to dodge cops enhancing charges because of premeditation (they'll find a way to do that anyway) but because it prevents other people from seeing the numbers & doxing those folks
If the cops grab you at a protest remember:
1) Ask "am I free to go?" if they say yes, GO.
2) if they say no, say "I am invoking my right to an attorney and my 5th amendment right to remain silent" then SHUT UP. wait for your lawyer.
Criminal defense attorney here! I’d only add - don’t mouth off, don’t escalate, don’t resist. Cops will be itching to add charges, don’t make it easy for the bastards.
Just ask if you're free to go. If they say no, you want a lawyer and you're not talking to them, regardless of whether you have been formally detained or arrested or not. You will help nothing speaking to them.
Well yes but if you only put those words on them and nothing else, they could have been printed by anyone - and the point is not to have them on you when you are on a demo, but to be given it at a friendly location to learn at your own speed
Are you going to remember a new phone number when you’re being violently detained by cops at a protest? I don’t think I want to take that chance, personally.
