There are hundreds of thousands of people across the US and allies around the world standing up to protect democracy. It is our time to work toward the vision of the Seventh Generation. It is our time not just to find against, but to work toward the world that we want for the children coming seven generations from now. Peaceful protest is one piece of that.
In 2011 in Wisconsin, the TAA (Teaching Assistants Association) led a group into the state capitol to protest Act 10, a bill that would significantly limit workers rights including the right to collectively bargain. At the time, organizers thought they were just leading another action like many others. It became much more than that. Within hours it became clear that the protest was growing and it was time to occupy the state capitol. The occupation continued for several weeks and included hundreds of thousands of people from the seasoned activists to the babies in strollers. It inspired other actions around the country and lit a fire to be engaged in democracy for many.
One thing that helped the capitol occupation in Wisconsin happen was a small team of people who created “Prepared and Peaceful”, a simple two page flyer that gave people the tools needed to participate in a non-violent action, and took that flyer around to people getting into conversations about nonviolence and providing mini trainings to thousands encouraging everyone to share what they learned.
I had the good fortune to be a part of that team and to still have the pdf for that flyer. As we prepare for actions around the country again, I’ve pulled out that flyer and updated it to help organizers and protest attendees everywhere. If you’d like to see the original content, it’s also available in my blog post Prepared and Peaceful– Bringing Back the Nonviolence Training from the Wisconsin Capitol . Electronic copies of the pdf of the flyer are available on request.
Prepared + Peaceful
Each of us is here because we’re committed to something important. How we express that commitment matters. Remember, the whole world is watching. For your safety, the safety of others, and the safety of the protest, we ask that you plan ahead, consider your options carefully, and get whatever support you need to remain calm and peaceful in the event that we are asked to leave. Nothing written here is intended as legal advice. We just want every person here to make informed choices about if, how, and when to leave.
NONVIOLENCE
Nonviolence is a philosophy, a lifestyle, and a strategy. Here we address it as a strategy to:
• Keep the public on our side
• Inform our interactions with counter-protestors
• Inform our interactions with police (many of whom support the goals of this protest)
Strategies that support our ability to practice nonviolence include:
• Connecting with others
• Planning ahead, visualizing nonviolent responses, role-playing
• Staying sober and free of alcohol/illegal drugs
• Song, prayer, meditation, compassion—remaining centered, calm, and focused on purpose
CONNECTING WITH OTHERS
Affinity groups are a long-standing way of organizing nonviolent protest. Consider forming a small group of people you already know or meet here to:
• Watch out for each other
• Know each other’s contact information
• Help each other stay healthy and safe (food, sleep, medications, mood, etc.)
• Have a designated meeting place if you get separated
• Decide together what actions you’ll take
• Support each other to leave if anyone can’t stay nonviolent
• Have a plan for what to do if you are at risk of arrest
BEING WELL
One of the biggest health concerns in a situation like this is burnout. Take time to take care of yourself. Use your affinity group to support you.
• Breathe consciously. Even a few deep breaths can make a real difference in your ability to think clearly. Make a habit of breathing consciously 10-15 minutes every day.
• Rub your feet! After a long day of being involved in protests, get the blood circulating, then elevate your feet so they’re less swollen in the morning.
• Be sure to take all medications as prescribed. See “Being Arrested” for how to prepare if your meds are critical to your moment-to-moment well-being and you plan to risk arrest.
PLANNING AHEAD
To avoid unintended consequences, consider in advance: “If the police ask us to leave, will I leave when asked, or will I refuse respectfully?” This is your individual choice. Opinions differ on whether or not it would be useful for the movement for people to be arrested. If you are told to leave, you have three choices: Leave peacefully, cooperative civil disobedience, or passive civil disobedience.
LEAVING PEACEFULLY
• Follow police instructions
• Do not interfere with arrests of others, even verbally
• Leave—walk, don’t run
• Meet up with your affinity group to confirm that everyone is away who intended to be away
• Provide planned support for anyone in your group who stayed
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government. It is a nonviolent resistance tactic that involves finding ways to achieve our goals without harming people.
• If you choose to stay, breathe, sing, center, pray, meditate, remain calm
• Recall the police are largely in support of the protest goals and want to keep the charges minimal
COOPERATIVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
• Respectfully let the officer know you do not want to leave but will cooperate physically
• Stand & hold your hands together in front of you
• Do not react/resist/pull away in any way to avoid escalated charges
• You may be given a citation on the spot and released, or transported to a processing center &
given a citation (this would typically include a fine and court date)
PASSIVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
• Respectfully refuse to leave
• Sit down or go limp
• This will likely result in arrest, and if done completely nonviolently should be a misdemeanor
• Do not react/resist/pull away in any way to avoid escalated charges
• See “being arrested” below
BEING ARRESTED
• Recognize that remaining limp while being physically removed can be extremely challenging, can be dangerous to you, and could possibly be considered resisting arrest, a greater charge.
• Don’t make sudden moves around the police or touch them—this could be construed as assaulting an officer, a greater charge.
• Consequences could be different for non-US citizens, students, minors, people with outstanding warrants or past criminal records. Get legal advice before deciding to risk arrest.
• The police may use zip ties to cuff your hands. Keep your hands, arms and shoulders as relaxed as possible. Use very gentle shoulder rotations to keep the blood moving. If your hands are behind your back and swelling, get them above your heart by going down on your knees and bending your head forward, so your hands rest on your back.
• You can ask where you are being taken, but if you aren’t told, don’t worry.
• Once in police custody, cooperate fully as you are transported, fingerprinted and photographed.
If you resist, you will be jailed.
• Don’t lie to the police. Give them your real name and contact information. Not to do so is a crime.
• Provide information about medical conditions or medications. If it is important that you continue medications while in custody, be sure to bring several days’ supply with you in the original prescription bottle. Also have with you a doctor’s note specifying the importance of those meds to your health. Without this, your treatment will likely be delayed—perhaps significantly.
• Don’t answer other questions. Say, “I want a lawyer. I will be silent until I get a lawyer.”
•The ACLU and lawyers hired by the unions will be tracking who is arrested and will do their best to make sure everyone gets legal support, as long as they are simply in trouble for nonviolent civil disobedience. Our understanding is that they will NOT give legal assistance to people who get charged with assault on an officer, drug charges, etc. (*note* the information in this point is from 2011. I encourage local organizers to work with unions, the ACLU, and other resources to be prepared to provide legal support)
• Legal support is being coordinated through the number below. During the day, a person will answer. At night, a recorded message will provide the numbers for people on call that night. (insert phone number here)
• Write this number(insert legal support number here) on your body. If arrested, you will not have your cell phone or notebook.
prepared + peaceful
training for being in and around the Capitol
updated March 27,2025
