As Americans, we have an inherent right and a moral duty to peacefully resist systems of oppression. Peaceful non-compliance is an effective tool for showing dissent against unjust laws and policies. Through peaceful protest, we can show our commitment to protecting the rights of all people regardless of race or creed. It is our duty as citizens to stand up for what is right, even if it means going against the status quo. If you or someone you know is planning to protest, here are six tips that will help make your group more effective.

             1) Know Your Rights and Responsibilities- There are many rights afforded to protesters under the First Amendment, but it is essential for protesters to understand their best practices as well. The first thing a protester should do is research their rights by reading and learning about the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Reading the Constitution in it’s entirety and following up with the Bill of Rights is a great idea.

             2) If a police officer tells you to disperse and you are not violating any laws, then your group has the right to remain together. The next step is understanding what your responsibilities as a protester are. You should know what you can and cannot do while protesting, so that you don’t get arrested or get into unnecessary quarrels with anyone else.

             3) If you are going to protest, make sure your group is prepared. This means that the group should determine what they need to do if they want to hold a rally, march, or boycott. What is the overall message being shared? What will the march’s route be? Who will take responsibility for food and medical needs? How much money does each person have on them for one day’s activities? Decide who is in charge and what the responsibilities are of each member of the protest. It’s helpful for a group to write down all these things before staging their protest.

             4) Make sure everyone in your protest has an idea about how long you plan on being there. Some people will be ready at 6 am, while others may not join until 2 pm. Your group can treat this as individuals coming in for relief and some who have been there may rest but there should always be an idea of spreading the overall message. Remember your intentions!

             5) Plan to engage in some nonviolent civil disobedience. This means using tactics like sit-ins, verbal discussion in open public forums, or occupying public buildings in order to protest peacefully without violating the law and getting arrested unnecessarily. The law is in place for a valid reason and is not something that should be abolished; However we must keep them accountable and ever-aware of our rights.

             6) Know the laws in the area of your protest before you go out into the world and commit your civil disobedience. For example, if you want to hold a rally that involves sitting down in front of an office building for an extended period of time, make sure it is on a public sidewalk and does not violate the business owner’s rights. Think ahead of that potential issue, and in my opinion if the business is not what you are specifically protesting, nicely ask if they would mind. Regardless of the business owner’s response you have the Bill of Rights weighing heavily in your favor, as well as Supreme Court cases.

The American Civil Liberties Union also has a great piece on protesters’ rights that can be found here: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters