← back to comics journalism the lily · 5 june 2020 · 10 panels

How to protest safely

Written and illustrated by Elizabeth Beier · Art direction by Rachel Orr

A do’s and don’ts guide for the street: eyes, masks, water, heat, gas, phones, medics and your rights if detained.

before you read

This guide was drawn in 2020 and reflects the conditions and public health advice of that moment. It refers to tear gas, pepper spray and police detention. Treat it as a record of the piece as published, not as current safety advice.

A Black protester with an afro kneels on one knee against a plain pale-gray background, one gloved fist raised straight overhead. They wear a teal long-sleeved top, black pants, a surgical mask, and a pale backpack, and hold a blank white protest sign at their side.

Large teal safety goggles with a gray strap sit above a pair of gray-framed eyeglasses marked with a teal check, and an eye being touched by a fingertip inserting a contact lens, crossed out with a pink X. The heading reads "DO wear goggles if you have access to them. DO wear glasses (under goggles) if needed. DON'T wear contacts — they trap tear gas."

Four face coverings in a row — a knotted teal bandana, a light blue surgical mask, a patterned teal cloth mask, and a teal half-face respirator — above two gray silhouetted protesters holding signs overhead with a wide teal double-headed arrow between them. The heading reads "DO wear a mask covering your nose & mouth to protect against tear gas and coronavirus. DO bring extra masks for others. DO maintain physical distancing if possible."

A large plastic bottle is bracketed into two labeled sections, "WATER" on the top half and "POWERADE" on the bottom. To the right, a pink X crosses out a coffee cup, a wine glass, and a soda can, while a teal check mark sits beside a teal wrapper labeled "PROTEIN." The heading reads "DO hydrate with water & electrolyte drinks. DON'T consume caffeine, soda or alcohol — these can be dehydrating. DO bring snacks for yourself and others."

A masked person with an afro wipes their forehead under a beating sun drawn with radiating lines, next to a black long-sleeved shirt and pants laid out flat, and a tube of sunscreen labeled "UVA & UVB" with teal droplets beside it. The heading reads "DO avoid heat stroke by finding shade & water. DO wear sleeves & pants as protection from sunburn and tear gas. DON'T apply oil-based sunscreen as it can increase tear gas irritation."

A gray hand reaches toward a smoking canister labeled "RIOT CONTROL" and is crossed out with a large pink X. To the right, a teal speech bubble shouting "GAS!" and an ear with an earplug each get a teal check mark. The heading reads "DON'T touch tear gas cans — they burn. DO warn everyone to get out of range of gas. DO wear earplugs to muffle loud bangs."

A teal smartphone with a padlock at its corner displays a keypad screen reading "ENTER PASSCODE" with six empty dots. Beside it are a teal messaging-app icon with a dashed speech bubble and a gray cloud with a teal arrow pointing up into it. The heading reads "DO ensure your phone unlocks with a typed password only — no touch or face ID. DO communicate through a secure app such as Signal. DO back up your phone to the cloud."

A person in black with goggles and a mask stands with both arms raised and wrists crossed above their head, shouting "MEDIC!" in a speech bubble. To the right, a teal check mark sits beside an eye with teal droplets falling from it, and another check mark beside a bottle labeled "Maalox." The heading reads "DO cross hands over head to call for a medic if you or someone else is injured. DO use water on eyes for gas & pepper spray. DO use Maalox on skin for gas & pepper spray."

A worried woman in a pink shirt gestures while talking to a stern gray-uniformed police officer with folded arms, the pair marked with a pink X. Below, a teal check mark accompanies a forearm with "(415) 285-5067" written on the skin and an arrow captioned "find the # of your local National Lawyer's Guild in case of arrest," while a pink X crosses out a passport and a jeweled bracelet. The heading reads "DON'T talk to police without a lawyer if you are detained. DO write the National Lawyers Guild phone number on your body beforehand. DON'T bring valuable or irreplaceable items."

The same Black protester from the opening image kneels on one knee with a raised gloved fist, teal top, mask, backpack, and blank white sign, framed by a faint rounded outline. The lettering above reads "REMEMBER: STAY ALERT. FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP OF ACTIVISTS OF COLOR." with "FIGHT ON!" in teal below it.

Originally published by The Lily. Republished here by the author, who holds the rights. Every panel carries a description for screen readers.

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