Why are protests and rallies effective tactics?

Applies public pressure - elected officials or any other of your targets can see what the support looks like for your campaign.
Generates publicity - press can visually see what the support of your campaign looks like, which makes it compelling action to cover
Great first action for new activists to participate in - rallies can often be fun and and easy way for someone not totally plugged into your campaign to get involved with.

Note: What is the difference between a rally and a protest? A rally sometimes has a speaking program, and a protest is just a gathering. Both can be good!

Planning the Protest

Pick a time, date, and location. Lunchtime on weekdays tends to be better for attracting reporters, while weekends tend to be better for attracting more attendees. Pick a location that’s symbolically significant – city hall, for example. The best protests are short and high-energy, so don’t plan for your event to run for longer than an hour and keep the number of speakers between 2 and 4

Recruit attendees. Post your event at map.peoplepower.org, share it on social media like Facebook and Twitter, invite your friends and family with calls, texts, emails, and in-person, post flyers in public places, etc. More people will always make your protest better, so identify other stakeholders (communities, groups, orgs, etc) who share your cause, and strategize how the planning team will reach out to them.

Make signs. Remember that any sign you make could end up on the front page of the paper representing the purpose of your protest, so make sure the message is simple and clear. Making signs is a great activity for a group meeting before your protest. Print out chant and/or song sheets to keep the crowd energized.

Invite the press - including local, state, and national affiliates of media outlets and newspapers. Tell them the exact protest time and the reason for the protest. Appoint a press lead for your group to coordinate communication with the press and act as a spokesperson for the group. Remember, as a People Power activist, you represent your own cause as a concerned constituent and community stakeholder, not the ACLU as an organization.

Delegate responsibilities for the day of the event. Depending how big your expect your event to be, its best to have a volunteer or volunteer team on these responsibilities:

Lead chants and keep energy high
Prepared to talk to press
Take photos and video
Greet and collect contact information from attendees
Be the point person for dealing with any disruptive participants or questions from law enforcement
Speakers ready to share their personal stories (if this is part of your event)

During the Protest

Be visible and be loud! Well organized protests will take advantage of key high visibility areas to show off signs and let locals know what you are advocating for.

Take photos and videos. Designate several people in your group to take photos and video that you can post on social media during and after you event, as well as distribute to the press later.

Be safe, but also be aware of your First Amendment right to be there and do what you are doing. Police will typically be most concerned with keeping you out of the street and keeping sidewalks clear for pedestrians. Comply with lawful orders they give you, but insist on your right to protest.

Find reporters and tell them why you’re there. Getting local press coverage and making it clear that local community members are supporting your campaign. Be sure to identify yourself as a concerned community member and NOT as a representative of the ACLU. Only staff can speak for the ACLU. If you’re working on an ACLU People Power project and press has questions you are not able to answer, don’t guess -- have them email us at info@peoplepower.org.

After the Protest

Follow up with local reporters. Email them photos and videos from the protest and any other important information, including the number of people who attended and spoke out in support of your cause.

Share your photos on social media to show more people what your campaign is working on. Use #PeoplePower to further your reach.

Plan your next tactic and event. Continue your good work and plan your next steps/action. Be sure to post it to the People Power map!

Follow up with activists who attended with next steps. Thank them for coming and remind them of what you’re doing next to help achieve your goal.

Report back to People Power and the ACLU by filling out this form!

Please note: As a People Power activist, you don’t represent the ACLU as an organization. You represent your own causes as a concerned constituent and community stakeholder. This is critical to our strength as a movement: As you work on your Freedom Cities campaign, Let People Vote campaign, and other causes, your voices will be stronger as representatives of your community. If anyone is looking for a comment about a formal ACLU position, you can refer them to info@peoplepower.org and we can contact the appropriate ACLU representative.