Impactful Activism: Tips for Attending a Climate Protest

Climate protest events occur worldwide, powered by concerned parties who feel compelled to act to protect the planet’s future. Whether people are attending their first protests or have gone to them for decades, everyone should strongly consider following some best practices to increase their safety and overall impact. 

Learn the Climate Protest Specifics

Those interested in climate activism should start by looking for events in their areas and learn about them. For example, where will the demonstration occur, and how long will it last? That information will help potential attendees decide if taking part is feasible. Someone doing so for the first time might determine that an all-day climate protest would take too much out of them or that the time frame does not fit their other obligations. 

Relatedly, people should confirm the type of protest and how it will run. Is it a march through a city, a gathering outside a government building, or something else? Research shows protests for and against the climate have increased over the last several years. Individuals feeling ready to stand with others in defending the planet will find plenty of company, especially since pro-climate demonstrations outweigh their counterparts. 

Attendees will feel more comfortable showing up if they know all the particulars and have taken the time to find the best options for them. Determining the group or primary individual organizing the event is also important, especially if interested individuals have a few unanswered questions to address before they commit to attending. 

Determine the Desired Approach

Being a climate protest participant spans beyond the often highly publicized marches or coordinated actions at shareholder meetings. People with only an hour of spare time per week can get involved in climate action by contacting their legislators, writing blog posts, or signing petitions. 

People should consider how much they can — and want to — commit and make sure to weigh particulars beyond time. Perhaps someone aspires to live and work in another country for a short time and will apply for a visa soon. They may not want to put themselves in situations where getting arrested is highly possible because that outcome could result in an unfavorable immigration decision. 

Individuals should also decide whether they will do something very close to home or are willing to travel. The second option may make it easier to connect with like-minded people because there is a better chance of the overall protest sizes being larger. However, traveling can be tiring and require significant planning, making some activists prefer to look for alternatives. 

Bring Items to Promote Comfort and Safety

A climate protest may involve long hours of standing, chanting, or singing. Such events can be intense. However, preparation makes them more manageable and reduces risks. People who take prescribed medications on a schedule should bring enough supplies to accommodate the possibility of being away from home longer than anticipated. Creating a card that contains emergency contact information and details about allergies or medical conditions is a smart addition to a wallet.

Since many climate protests are loud and involve spending hours outside, many people pack items such as earplugs, sunglasses, sunscreen, and rain gear. Protesting isn’t always easy, but it’s usually more enjoyable when attendees have brought things to keep them as comfortable as possible. Take bottles of water and snacks, too, especially because protests do not always occur in places with convenience stores or coffee shops for refueling. 

Packing everything into a bag such as a backpack or fanny pack is probably the easiest option. Those possibilities keep people’s hands free, making them more adaptable while at the protest. 

Understand Protestors’ Rights 

In the United States, the First Amendment protects people’s right to peaceful assembly and the expression of opinions. Although it does not allow them to say anything wherever they are, the protection extends to unpopular views. 

Protestors have the strongest rights when gathering in so-called traditional public forums, such as parks, streets and sidewalks. However, attendees assembling without permits must not block pedestrian or vehicular traffic, so protest organizers should investigate how to prevent that possibility. If those hosting the protest expect it to be large or plan to use sound-amplifying tools, they may need permits for the event. Permitted events also often involve police coordination, especially if it’s highly likely that counterprotestors will attend. 

Protestors and counterprotestors have equal rights, so the police must treat them equally. However, they can take measures to separate the two groups as long as that does not prevent them from hearing and seeing each other. People should also keep in mind that these climate protest specifics are for those in the United States, so they should get the specifics before attending protests elsewhere. 

Remember That Climate Protest Activities Take Many Forms

People interested in going to climate protests should understand there’s no single way to participate. Although some may wish to be at the front of marches and in full view of television cameras and photographers, others feel more comfortable doing behind-the-scenes or less visible activism. The most important thing is for individuals to find the best options that help them feel empowered.

FAQs

Where Can People Find Climate Protests to Attend?

Social media channels are great initial resources, and local newspapers sometimes cover upcoming protests. Those interested in going to protests can also ask eco-conscious people in their circle of friends to see if they’ve heard of events happening soon. 

How Can Attendees Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed at Their First Climate Protests?

They should set boundaries for themselves before arriving, such as telling themselves they’ll come for an hour and see how they feel after that before committing to stay longer or by deciding to remain near the edges of a climate march so they won’t be in the thick of crowds. Going with a group is also helpful for making people feel more comfortable and confident.

What Options Exist for Someone Who Cannot Attend an In-Person Climate Protest? 

Some groups plan online actions, especially knowing that doing so can make activism more accessible to people with disabilities, parents with young children or those who otherwise have personal factors that make it difficult or impossible to go to climate protests in person. Doing something on an individual level, such as changing a social media profile picture or adding a specific tagline or link to a bio, also allows people to take a stand in defending the climate. 

Should People Bring Signs to Climate Protests? 

Climate protest signs are optional unless the organizers state otherwise. However, many attendees like to create them to broadcast their views. In those cases, designs with large letters and small amounts of text are usually best because they are easy to read from a distance or in passing.