#72 How to Survive a Protest When the Cops Are Spying from the Sky

Skill Level: 🐾 Intermediate

🧠 What This Is

In Trump’s America 2.0, peaceful protest doesn’t just risk tear gas—it now gets tracked by drones, facial recognition, and social media scraping software like Babel X and Voyager. That floating blinky thing above your march? It’s not a cool weather drone—it’s probably watching you. This guide teaches you how to protest safely and smartly when Big Brother’s upgraded his lens.

🧨 Why It Matters

Fusion centers are feeding live protest data to DHS, ICE, and local cops. That data includes:

• Your face (from drone or CCTV footage)
• Your location (from your phone if it’s not off or shielded)
• Your online posts (if your account isn’t locked down)

Activists have already reported being visited or harassed after protests where they were just observers. If we want to keep resisting and not get doxxed, detained, or surveilled into silence—we need to fight smarter.

🐾 Step-by-Step: How to Avoid Becoming a Government Case File

Step 1: Disappear Digitally Before You Arrive

• Leave your primary phone at home
• Bring a burner phone or turn your real one to airplane mode before you arrive
• Don’t post in real time—wait until you’re home and safe

Step 2: Shield Your Face and ID

• Use layered face coverings: mask, hat, and big sunglasses
• Don’t wear anything unique or traceable (like custom shirts or logos)
• Ditch RFID-enabled cards (Metro cards, ID badges) that track location

Step 3: Encrypt, Always

• Use Signal or Session for any protest organizing
• Turn off location sharing on all apps
• Never organize actions in public group chats on apps like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter/X

Step 4: Counter the Drones

• Carry an umbrella or signboard and use it when you hear or see drones overhead
• Avoid congregating in open plazas where overhead surveillance is easiest
• Know your local airspace rules—some cities have legal drone limits

Step 5: Aftercare is Security Too

• Don’t brag online—especially not with tagged photos or identifying details
• Rotate outfits, shoes, and bags so you don’t create a digital “pattern”
• Debrief with your group using encrypted voice or in-person convos only

✊ Real World Example

At a protest in LA last month, facial recognition drones ID’d three medics. Two were later questioned by ICE about “antifa affiliations.” Their mistake? Matching outfits, uncovered faces, and using real-time Instagram updates. Don’t let a livestream become your arrest warrant.

🧷 Bonus Tips

• Bandanas dipped in lemon juice help with tear gas and partially obscure features
• Burner phones are cheap—get one, label it “Grandma,” and only use it for actions
• Black bloc isn’t just a look—it’s a safety tactic

Final Claw from Resistance Kitty:

They’re watching. Not because you’re dangerous—but because you’re effective. So protest like a ghost with a mission. Be blurry in the footage, encrypted in the signal, and loud in your message. The sky may have eyes, but the streets belong to us.

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