Advanced Guide to Protest Communications

Effective and secure communication is the nervous system of any successful protest or direct action. This guide provides a detailed overview of the methods, equipment, and best practices required to maintain coordination and safety in a contested environment.

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Section 1: Core Principles & Threat Model

Goals of Protest Comms:

1. Coordination: Directing movement, sharing updates, and coordinating actions between different groups.
2. Safety & Support: Reporting injuries, requesting medical aid, warning of police movements, and coordinating jail support.
3. Documentation: Securely transmitting photos, videos, and notes to off-site media or legal teams.

Primary Threats:

1. Interception: Law enforcement or adversaries listening to your communications.
2. Disruption: The jamming or shutdown of cellular and internet services.
3. Identification: Using your communication methods to identify you and your network of associates.

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Section 2: Essential Equipment

• Burner Phone: A simple, inexpensive phone purchased with cash and used only for protest-related activities. It should not be linked to your real identity.
• Portable Battery Packs (Power Banks): Your devices are useless if they are dead. Carry at least one fully charged power bank.
• Mesh Networking Devices (e.g., goTenna Mesh): These devices create a private, peer-to-peer network that does not rely on cell towers or Wi-Fi. They are excellent for off-grid team communication.
• Handheld Radios (e.g., Baofeng UV-5R): While communications are not encrypted and can be easily monitored, radios are a reliable, one-to-many broadcast tool that is very difficult to jam. They are best for public announcements (e.g., “Police are moving north on Clark Street”), not sensitive coordination.

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Section 3: Communication Methods

Digital & Encrypted (When Internet is Available)

• Signal (Primary Tool):
  • Setup: Use a burner phone number if possible. Enable Registration Lock to prevent account hijacking. Set a strong screen lock PIN.
  • Best Practices: Set all messages to disappear (1 hour is a good default for an active event). Verify safety numbers with your key contacts before the event. Disable link previews to prevent leaking your IP address.
• Briar (Resilient & Offline):
  • How it Works: Briar is a peer-to-peer encrypted messaging app that can sync directly between phones using Bluetooth or local Wi-Fi, bypassing the internet entirely. It can also use the Tor network if internet is available.
  • Use Case: This is the gold standard for communication during an internet shutdown. It allows you to maintain a secure, local communication network with trusted contacts.

Analog & Low-Tech (When All Else Fails)

• Runners: Designated individuals who physically carry messages between different groups. They should be fit, know the area well, and be inconspicuous.
• Hand Signals: Pre-arranged, simple hand signals for common commands (e.g., advance, retreat, medic needed). This is silent, unjammable, and fast.
• Written Notes: Use paper and pencil. Messages should be short, clear, and destroyed after being read.

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Section 4: Best Practices & OPSEC

• Communication Discipline:
  • Keep it Brief: Transmit only essential information. The less you say, the less can be intercepted.
  • Be Clear: Use simple, unambiguous language.
  • Authenticate: Before acting on a message, have a simple way to authenticate that it came from a trusted source (e.g., asking a pre-arranged challenge question).
• Use of Code Words:
  • Develop a simple, pre-arranged set of code words for common locations, actions, and roles. Avoid overly complex codes that can be forgotten under stress.
  • Example: “The library is open” could mean “The safe house is ready.” “Rain” could mean “Police presence increasing.”
• Radio Discipline (if using radios):
  • Assume everyone can hear you. Never transmit sensitive information.
  • Keep transmissions short to avoid being located via radio direction finding (RDF).
  • Use a designated channel and have backup channels planned.
• Establish a Comms Team:
  • For larger actions, designate a small, trusted team to handle communications. This team is responsible for monitoring all channels, relaying information, and maintaining the security of the network.
  • This centralizes information flow and reduces the chance of conflicting or confusing messages.