Everytime I’m at a demonstration with a lot of police violence like lots of Palestine demonstration I get very nervous, my heart starts racing, my knees get weak and my breath becomes short. I even get it when watching videos of police violence or when I see SWAT team busses outside of demonstrations. I’m not the only one that feels that way but others that I see at every demonstration deal with it better, I feel like. They can get in the zone better. So do you have tips?
Are you going alone or with a group?
If you’re going alone, then maybe going with a group will help.
If you’re going with a group, then talk to your group and tell them you’re getting a little nervous. Hopefully they can comfort and pump you up!
Also talk to them beforehand about what you will do in specific situations, like if the police attack or threaten arrest or if it just feels like to much for you. Decide where to meet if you’re split up. You could have three meeting places for the start, middle and end of the route of the protest.
And within your group, you could have pairs or triplets of people who agree to stay together no matter what. Within these, the member least willing to engage further in an action or protest should determine when to leave with no shame or questions asked.
And talk to people afterwards too to debrief. This whole concept is called an affinity group.
Exactly.