Community #1: safety & knowing our rights
Goal: Keep our communities safe, by preparing as best we can.
Below, we consider 3 aspects of community safety: caring for basic physical needs, allyship through state violence, and crowd safety.
The bigger your event is, the more necessary it is to plan for these things. As artists, we’re not always trained as medics, lawyers, or security planners. We do the best we can with what we’ve learned, and whenever possible, we rely on collaboration with others for the most current guidance.
We also need to name that this work is demanding, and rarely paid for. But if we want to change how art is presented, who it is for, and where it can exist, we often take on responsibilities that arts organizers sometimes absorb.
To learn more about safety from the perspective of activists, click here.
Physical Safety
(Acting if someone gets hurt)
Before the event
Do a basic risk assessment: terrain, weather, accessibility, likelihood of counter-protest or police presence.
Identify exit routes, quiet spaces, and meeting points.
Have water, shade, masks, and ear protection if relevant.
Share emergency plans with organizers and volunteers, and understand how ambulances will move through the site.
First Aid & Medics
Always have basic first aid supplies on site (eg, bandages, ice packs, water).
Have a trained street medic or medical lead on site when:
The event is large or long
Physical activity, performance, or construction is involved
Police or counter-protest presence is likely
The event involves vulnerable communities
Make medics visible and known, but not isolated.
During the event
Use a buddy system for organizers and volunteers.
Assign people to monitor crowd well-being (fatigue, dehydration, distress).
Legal Safety
(Protecting people from state harm and targeted enforcement)
Here, we look from the point of view of an ally who understands that they’re not the person most at risk in that moment and wants to support someone else. In these moments, there are two primary ways to be an ally:
Witnessing (documentation without engagement): Although everyone should know their rights for themselves, you do not need to know the law to be a good witness. You only need to know what to document and how to do so safely.
Active support (communication or intervention). You do need to know the basics of rights to be a responsible supporter. This isn't easy: the system is designed to make it difficult to know and exercise our rights, and enforcement is not applied evenly.
Be a Witness
During the encounter
Document from a safe distance using video. Avoid narration that interferes with evidence. Share this information quickly with trusted community defense groups.
What & How Much: What they are doing, what equipment they’re using (weapons, flex-cuffs, dogs, battering rams, sound cannons, vans), # of agents/officers
Where: Address/intersection/borough
When: As precise as possible
Who: Patches, lettering, vehicles (ICE, VICE, ERO, HSI, DHS, CBP, Police, Gang Unit)
After the Encounter
If a detention or arrest occurs:
Write down what you observed while it is fresh
Share verified information with trusted groups such as Immigrant Defense Project or local community defense networks
Do not share identifying footage publicly without consent
Active Support
To actively support, we want to enable conditions for the person targeted to:
Know they’re not alone. They recognize you as a trusted ally.
Be at less risk of harm. Your engagement does not make things worse, and even de-escalates/prevents harm.
Know rights. To offer responsible support, you need to understand basic rights and how state enforcement works. For reliable, accessible guidance, consult the ACLU.
Know legal resources available to them. Like phone numbers to get help.
Be able to communicate with friends and family after they’re abducted. It is not uncommon for people to have little way of contacting their families. An ally can find out where they're being taken and get contact information for loved ones.
Situational awareness is the foundation
We know what we want the outcome to be, but it's not always clear how to create the conditions that make them possible. Situational awareness is a practice of reading the scene, and adjusting your behavior to reach your goals.
Conditions change rapidly, and what was safe or helpful a moment ago may not be now. It is a continuous process of observing and adapting to body language, verbal cues, and environmental circumstances to enable the conditions you want:
Build trust in very stressful situations: Why should the person targeted notice or trust me? Would my presence reassure them, or could it make them uncomfortable or draw unwanted attention?
De-escalate: Is my behavior escalating or de-escalating tension? Am I being noticed in a way that could increase risk?
Communication clearly: If I try to communicate, will they understand me? Are instructions or resources reaching them, or would silence be safer?
No one can build situational awareness by reading an article. Build your judgment by routinely asking yourself these questions in low-pressure situations, and testing small interactions in safer environments. Over time, this practice trains you to make faster, safer, and more effective judgments in real encounters. Review these resources and let us know if you think we should host trainings in the future.
Crowd Safety
(Reducing harm when the crowd itself could become a source of danger.)
Sometimes, chaos forms in a crowd, even if people have the best of intentions. Our goal here is to help artists and event organizers anticipate and respond to crowd hazards at small to medium gatherings, reducing risk for participants without professional crowd-control techniques. If you need that, click here.
Prepare in Advance
Know the space
Identify entrances, exits, and potential pinch points.
Look for obstacles (tables, fences, planters) that could block movement.
Plan for movement
Think about how people might gather or shift if more attendees arrive than expected.
Identify spots where people could cluster and make sure there’s room to move safely.
Assign observers
Have one or two team members keep an eye on crowd flow and spacing.
Observers can alert you if things get too dense or tense.
Have a communication plan
Decide how you’ll communicate with each other if things start moving quickly (hand signals, phone, or designated runner).btle guidance to indicate safer paths without drawing attention.
Avoid shouting instructions, which can increase confusion or panic.
Responding If the Crowd Grows
Scan continuously
Notice areas getting crowded or where people look uncomfortable.
Pay attention to bottlenecks or people who may be blocked from moving.
Manage flow without forcing it
Encourage gentle spreading of the crowd or movement toward open space.
Guide people verbally or with subtle signals, not force.
Protect people at risk
Keep an eye on anyone who looks stuck, panicked, or isolated.
Step in only if you can do so safely and without escalating tension.
Know when to pause or stop
If density is increasing and you can’t keep people safe, pause the event or redirect flow.
