I wish people wouldn’t make posts about how to deal with tear gas/protests unless they actually know what they’re talking about.
I am a trained street medic and I’ve personally been tear gassed more times than I can count.
- Do not use soda or water to wash tear gas out of your eyes. Use a combination of liquid maalox and water, 50:50. That’s what works.
- They can literally tear gas you anywhere you stand in relation to the police because riot cops have gas masks. I’ve been tear gassed within five feet of the front line of police. They do not care.
- Before my very first protest I asked my friend who’d been doing this for over 5 years if I should soak my bandana in vinegar. She laughed and said, “I have no idea who started that rumor but it’s never done shit for me or anyone I’ve ever known.”
- If you are bulimic or have chronic vomiting, please keep in mind that the mucus membrane in your throat is a precious tender baby and you will be much more effected by tear gas than everyone around you and you will feel it in your throat for weeks afterwards and NO ONE EVER WARNS YOU ABOUT THIS.
- The police probably won’t zip tie you with your hands in front, they pretty much know how easy it is to break out of those.
- People with asthma should always carry their inhalers because that shit is real bad when you get sprayed with tear gas.
- Never go to a protest alone. Always have a buddy there and always let someone who isn’t going know where you are, your legal name, and your birthday so if you get snatched they can check the jails and the online database for you. (note: this does not work when they grab hundreds of people at once or sometimes they just never put your name in the database yay!)
Seriously y'all, this is not the time for posturing. If you don’t know something, ask a street medic or google it.
A bright spot today: I work a truly awful job at a juice bar (I hate people who come up and try to convince me to, say, drink things with raw eggs in them, and vegetable juice has vitamins and shit but I POINT BLANK REFUSE to tell people blatant lies about magnetized water et al), but today. Oh god. Today I had my FAVORITE CUSTOMER EVER, oh my god I want him to be a regular, he was amazing, I want to be him when I grow up.
So it’s me and @twistedangelsays killing time and pretending like we aren’t slowly building up the Leaning Tower of Dishware next to the wash sink when an older gentleman in a very fine hat (elderly but spry, you know the type) walks in with his wife and granddaughter. He strides up to the counter, and we give our usual creepily-peppy greeting and brace ourselves for another crazy in a long line (someone earlier informed us that she does wheatgrass enemas, and…I just really didn’t want to know that, okay?).
“So,” he says, leaning on the counter and observing us with the kind of wry nothing-is-funny-but-if-I-show-fear-the-bad-guys-win smile I’ve been seeing a lot lately. I decide I maybe like this guy enough to drop the creepy pep. He looks us dead in the eye and says, “What juice do you have to get me through the next four years.”
And of course I’m me, so I laugh a little and go, “Trust me, if we had something I’d be hooked up to an IV of it right now.” I am not a professional soul.
He nods very solemnly and sighs and goes, “Well, all right, then what do you have that will give me the strength to fight?”
Adler and I just stand there in this state of delighted awe for a moment before she manages to recommend a juice. We start making his juice and he asks if we’re “a pair” and we tell him that no, we’re not a couple, everyone asks, don’t feel bad, we’re just best friends. And he kind of humphs and nods and goes “Well, that’s still a pair,” and tells us about his best friend of sixty years who he texts every day after meeting in college (meaning that ABSOLUTE MINIMUM this guy is 78).
So we hand him his juice, he takes it, and without further ado tells us the time, date, and location of a protest in our town. And he and his lovely wife swan right on out with their adorable granddaughter with her froyo, and he tells us he’ll see us at the protest.
I feel like I’ve been visited by the Angel of Revolution, I want to be that guy when I’m 78.
ill respect any woman who chooses to take off her hijab after yesterday but i just want to say like. if you choose to keep wearing it, and someone harasses you, i will stand up for you. you will always be welcome to wear it in my car, in my home, and i will fight for you wherever we go
im just one person, but there are millions of people like me who are gonna support you
To any of of you who are thinking of going to protests:
- Bring water and snacks.
- If you get pepper sprayed or tear gassed, milk on your face will help. Do not put soap directly in your eye. A damp cloth with soap and water can also help irritated skin. I’ve also heard that toothpaste beneath the eyes can help.
- Bring anxiety medication if you need it
- if you have a form of medical ID, do not wear it around your neck. Someone could yank on it and hurt you.
- Boots. Trust me on this one.
- Also goggles.
- Have a plan B/emergency contact in case you need a way to leave quickly.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants to reduce chance of injury.
Your safety is important. If you have any corrections to this post or things to add, please do. I want people to be informed.
Stay safe. Stay strong.
tooth paste helps for tear gas as well.
another good thing to bring is a rag soaked in lemon juice or vinegar in a plastic bag, this can be used to breathe through for some protection against gas.
pack wet bandanas to wrap around your face when tear gas is release.
Extra pairs of clothes too.
Don’t wear contacts. Wear glasses or goggles, tear gas with contacts causes unimaginable pain.
Avoid wearing oil based moisturizer or sunscreen as chemicals cling to these on your skin. Remove with detergent-free soap before going near the riot.
BE CAREFUL GUYS
Reblogging for my American followers. I support this fight but I also need you to stay safe. You’re all too important to get hurt.
in traffic just now i watched a middle aged white man put his car in park, get out of the car at a stop light, and punt a trump/pence sign on the side of the road
me too buddy
there was a whole row of signs, it was on the bumper grass between a church parking lot and the road, and he just went down the row of trump/pence and local election signs and punted like five of them before the light started to change and he got back into his car and (presumably) drove to work
i hope that dude feels better now
i feel a little better at having seen it happen tbh
