| Stay informed from reliable sources. Track local reporting (OPB, KGW, Oregon Capital Chronicle), national outlets (AP, Reuters, PBS, OPB) and official state updates.
Make a safety plan & buddy system. For every action or demonstration: identify clear meeting points, medics, legal observers, and an exit route. Assign buddies (pairs) and check-in times.
Stay away from escalation. Avoid actions that invite confrontation with military personnel, maintain nonviolent discipline, and follow (stewards/guides/safety personnel) to reduce risk for everyone.
Sign up for legal observer training. ACLU of Oregon and Portland National Lawyers Guild run legal-observer programs -they document interactions and can help support legal follow-up. If you expect protests, request observers early.
Document everything (safely). If you record police or military activity, note date/time/location, take multiple angles, gather witness info. Upload and back up copies to cloud storage immediately so footage isn’t lost. Send copies to legal observers, your group’s leaders, and trusted media contacts.
Know legal helplines and resources, and use them only if warranted. Remember, lines must be open for real cases. Oregon DOJ bias/rights reporting hotline: 1-844-924-BIAS (2427); see Oregon legal aid referral pages for more help.
Know your protest rights and share them widely. ACLU Oregon’s “Your Right to Protest” and legal resources pages are excellent ready references to hand out at actions.
Do not confront white supremacists. White supremacist militias are dangerous and often seek provocation. We should prioritize de-escalation, documentation, and reporting.
Use and share trusted information. Keep public social posts factual and verified. Avoid amplifying unverified rumors.
Support legal challenges. Back state lawsuits that contest the deployment’s legality; donate to legal funds and sign petitions that hold authorities to account. (Oregon has already filed suit to block deployments, we can amplify and support these efforts.)
Defend institutions. Chip in to legal funds and watchdogs (ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, SCOTUS watch groups) that are litigating to stop unlawful removals and preserve separation of powers.
Help build broad coalitions. Bring labor, faith, immigrant-rights, civil-liberties, and neighborhood groups to public and peaceful actions. These cross-cutting coalitions make it harder for the administration to frame resistance as fringe.
Protect voting & district fights. Volunteer, donate, or petition with Missouri organizers and voting-rights groups to beat back gerrymanders and support referendum campaigns; share toolkits from Democracy Docket and local partners. |
