In an era of large-scale protests, unprecedented immigration crackdowns, and federal operations in U.S. cities, Americans are hungry for information. Independent creators are increasingly sharing content covering communities in crisis or centered on protests and unrest.
To effectively serve your audience in these moments, even if you are not doing on-the-ground coverage, creators need to think through their own safety: physically, digitally, and legally. In this tipsheet, we’ll aim to fill in some of that information, sharing the basics on preparing for coverage of protests or unrest, your rights while on the ground, and how to protect your digital security.
Table of Contents
- Planning to attend on-the-ground coverage: Risk assessments and best practices to be prepared
- Personal protective gear (PPE): Considerations to add to your toolkit
- Know your rights: Understand your legal rights as a newsgatherer and community member
- On the scene: How to use situational awareness to stay safe
- Interactions with law enforcement: How to deescalate an encounter while continuing to document
- Coverage guidelines: How to report accurately from demonstrations and practice trauma-informed reporting when covering communities in crisis
- Digital security: Protecting yourself online is crucial, even if you’re not doing on-the-ground reporting
- Mental health: Avoiding burnout while covering emotionally charged situations
On-the-ground coverage of protests, unrest and law enforcement encounters
Before you go
Start by identifying risks you might face on the ground. Do some research on which groups are involved in the demonstration, where it is happening and what the dynamics may be. Try to get a sense of how law enforcement in your area handles protests and unrest.
“I just would say get organized,” said Adriana Goblirsch, a 2025 News Creator Corps Trusted Creators fellow who posts about motherhood and has documented protests in her home of Minnesota. “Have a plan.”
One program she found especially helpful was a Constitutional Observer training that covered how to document law enforcement actions, along with the key constitutional rights that protect the activity. She said she would “absolutely recommend” it to others doing this kind of coverage.
An independent journalist who has covered protests around the country, Los Angeles-based Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, said that when he goes somewhere new, he checks out livestreams from previous protests in the area. Recently, he’s been on the ground in Minneapolis and Chicago.
Beckner-Carmitchel, who works both as a freelancer for news organizations and independently on his Instagram account @acatwithnews, also tries to get a handle on the reasons protesters are upset. Often, it’s not just one thing, he noted. In Los Angeles, for example, a deep distrust of law enforcement permeates protests and can impact the way protesters react to their involvement. Understanding the history and context can be important.
If you are traveling outside of your home area, get in touch with groups on the ground who can provide support for you and who your work can aid.
While trying to understand the risks you face, you can also make use of a risk assessment template and a webinar created by the Committee to Protect Journalists, or this risk assessment worksheet from International Media Women’s Foundation. As part of your safety assessment, consider your own psychological safety, advised Kate Parkinson, a former journalist who is now a risk and safety manager at the Journalism Protection Initiative at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. That means checking in with yourself on how you are feeling mentally – whether you have gotten enough sleep, feel relaxed and well rested. Be aware, also, of how stress impacts your body: you may experience tunnel vision and be less attuned to the world around you.
Consider how your identity fits into your safety planning, Parkinson said: “I always say that the threats and the hazards are universal, but the risk is personal.” A white woman may face different risks than a Hispanic man, for instance.
Next, make a plan. Take a look at a map to scope out the area of the demonstration. Find multiple exit routes for yourself – ways you could get out quickly if needed. Figure out the best place to park so that you can get out successfully. Get a sense of what is private versus public property (more on this later). Parkinson said you should also decide which signs would make you back away from a scene – police putting on riot gear or a shift in the crowd mood, for instance – and what would make you want to exit entirely – tear gas or less-lethal rounds being deployed, for example.
If at all possible, buddy up for safety and strength in numbers. Or, if you know others on the ground, agree on a meeting spot for regular check-ins. If you don’t have that kind of network, get to know other creators in your area so you can have each others’ backs and share tips in the future.
Pick someone you will regularly check in with while you are on the scene. This person cannot be attending the protest and should know to start looking for you if they don’t hear from you by the agreed-upon time. “There is always a risk of arrest or injury or something like that, so it’s always good to have a solid emergency contact,” Beckner-Carmitchel said. In her case, Goblirsch chose to use her phone’s location-sharing feature to allow her husband to keep an eye out for her.
Think through the arrangements you’d need to make if you were detained, said Adam Rose, the deputy director of advocacy for Freedom of the Press Foundation, and fill your emergency contact in on them.
- What will happen to your car, if you drove there?
- Do you have pets who need to be fed?
- Anyone else you’re responsible for?
- Are there medications you would need if you were jailed?
Lisa Tozzi, a journalist who previously managed reporters covering protests at Buzzfeed News and other outlets, said she always stressed the need to talk through plans with at least one other person – “just making sure you’re bouncing what you’re doing off of somebody else, and somebody knows where you are.”
Be sure to dress accordingly. Some basic guidelines:
- Dress for the weather, making use of layers so you can adjust as needed if the temperature fluctuates.
- Go for natural fibers, like cotton. Synthetic fibers can melt if exposed to high heat.
- Avoid wearing black.
- You may want to avoid wearing something you’d hate to lose; certain chemical irritants may necessitate throwing away clothing items.
- If you wear a lanyard, hook it to a belt loop and tuck it into a back pocket rather than around your neck due to the risk of someone grabbing it. For the same reason, pony tails, necklaces and scarves should be avoided.
- Wear close-toed shoes, like sneakers or boots that you can quickly and easily get around in.
- Avoid contacts and makeup (especially eye makeup) due to the possibility of tear gas, according to the International Women’s Media Foundation.
- Limit valuables.
Consider having personal protective equipment, or PPE, tucked into your backpack at the ready. Ford Fischer, an independent journalist who cofounded News2Share, said he decides based on the situation whether to pack PPE. He noted that orderly, permitted events can become chaotic, pointing out that Jan. 6 was the last of three “Million MAGA” marches, and the first two had only minor issues.
For PPE, you can start with protection for your eyes and head. For your eyes, a pair of goggles (rated Z87+, according to a recommendation from the National Press Photographers Association). For your head, a helmet. Beckner-Carmitchel recommended a climbing helmet as a potential starting point, if a more expensive ballistics helmet is out of reach. Fischer suggested at least a bump cap – a liner for a baseball cap that can be worn discreetly. You may want to also bring ear protection, a first aid kit and Sudecon chemical decontamination wipes (for use if hit by chemical agents). You should try on any gear in advance to make sure it fits and works properly.
For more tips on PPE, check out the comprehensive guide put together by the Committee to Protect Journalists. To look into street medic training sessions, here is a list of collectives across the U.S.
Other items to take with you:
- A backpack or fanny pack
- Your ID: if you are arrested, a government-issued ID will speed up your release, according to a tipsheet from the First Amendment Clinic at the University of Georgia School of Law
- A power bank in case your phone dies
- A document that identifies you as media, which could be as simple as a business card listing your social media accounts. It should be a physical item rather than something you would pull up on your phone, just in case you lose access to your phone.
- Red Cards that list rights
- A small street medic kit in case you are injured, even minorly
- Important phone numbers: the number for the person you’ll be checking in with, along with numbers for potential legal help. Write these down on your arm in case you lose or are separated from your phone.
- Look for attorneys who can help you with your civil and/or press rights. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has a legal hotline for emergencies, such as arrests: 1-800-336-4243. It’s available to content creators who are at protests to inform the public, not participating in the protest.
- Water and snacks
- A printed-out map of the area and other backup items you can use if you lose access to your phone (cash, etc.)
If you have biometrics as a way to unlock your phone or other devices you’ll be bringing (FaceID or TouchID, for example), turn off the feature prior to going out in the field.
Know your rights
There’s some debate over who qualifies as a member of the media – do you have to carry a press pass or work for a news outlet? Or is a journalist anyone with a cellphone capable of recording and sharing information?
Rose said most advocates believe that it’s not a specific class of person that the First Amendment seeks to protect, but rather a specific act: gathering information to share with the public. With that in mind, note that a line would be crossed if you were to, say, chant and wave a sign – in that case, you’re acting more as a protester than press, and you have free speech rights, but not press protections. So, before you go, you may want to consider what role you’ll be playing: Are you there to participate in the protest? Or are you there to document it without participating?
It’s important to note that the First Amendment does not protect those who are taking part in unlawful activity while at a protest. Think: throwing things, destroying property, trespassing on private property.
Your rights: a rundown
The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech and the press. It offers some safeguards for the right to collect and disseminate news, “but this right is not absolute,” according to a legal guide by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Generally, these protections are strongest in places considered public forums, such as sidewalks, streets or public parks.
Both journalists and members of the public have the right to record government officials in a public place, but that right may be subject to limitations on the “time, place and manner” of the recording. The Committee to Protect Journalists advises that when you record, you do so in a way that does not obstruct or threaten the safety of others – or physically interfere with law enforcement. It’s worth noting that some states have recently passed controversial legislation barring recording or approaching an officer within a short distance. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the laws in your area.
If police give orders – such as to clear an area – it’s best to follow them in the moment, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists and the National Press Photographer’s Association. In law enforcement encounters, if you are there to document the demonstration rather than participate in it, tell officers that you are covering the protest and show them your credentials. Rose suggested noting, “I’m just trying to do my job, just like you.” Some courts have ruled that blanket orders to disperse violate the First Amendment if they do not provide an alternative option for chronicling the law enforcement response to a protest, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press notes. In some states, like California, laws exempt people who are newsgathering from dispersal orders.
It’s worth noting that many states have legislation making it illegal to record a private conversation without consent from at least one party. Typically, these laws require consent only if the people being recorded have a reasonable expectation of privacy, which doesn’t apply in a public place. But they can vary. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has a recording guide and a state-by-state breakdown.
The Fourth Amendment protects people against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Generally, this means police cannot search a person or their possessions without a warrant. There are exceptions: with consent from the person being searched, searches can be done to prevent or avoid serious injury or to stop the imminent destruction of evidence. Police can also stop and frisk a person for investigative purposes based on reasonable suspicion, though officers usually can’t search phone contents without a warrant, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press guide.
Before making an arrest, police need probable cause to believe the person is committing a crime, and before stopping and frisking a protester, an officer must have an objective, reasonable belief that they are armed and dangerous. Law enforcement may temporarily seize equipment while a person is being stopped and frisked. If you are stopped and you are there covering the protest rather than participating in it, tell the officer you are at the protest for newsgathering purposes and offer credentials if you have them. Do not resist.
In addition to the First and Fourth Amendments, a federal law called the Privacy Protection Act of 1980 makes it unlawful for police to search or seize materials meant for publication. If law enforcement attempts to search or seize your device, remind them that federal law protects the material because it is intended for publication.
On the scene
When you first arrive at a protest or demonstration, spend a few minutes taking in the situation and gaining an understanding of the dynamics.
- What’s the layout?
- Where’s law enforcement staged?
- What’s the current tension level?
- If you needed to leave quickly, what route would you take?
While taking in the scene, the National Press Photographers Association says: “Use all your senses!”
“It’s really important to trust your gut,” Tozzi said. “If you are in a crowd and the authorities are pushing back on the crowd or a whole bunch of police show up in military gear and there’s people throwing tear gas or whatever, the best thing you can do is get the hell out of there.”
Utilize situational awareness:
- Position yourself on the periphery rather than at the center of the action – “If you are in the middle,” the International Women’s Media Foundation points out, “it’s easy to get trapped.”
- If you are toward the center of the group, exit on a diagonal, rather than straight across the crowd.
- Keep your eyes moving, scanning the scene. If you need to look down at your phone for a long period – to respond to messages or upload content, for instance – either have a buddy watch your back or get out of the crowd.
- Scan the crowd, paying extra attention to whether things look to be escalating, such as through the throwing of projectiles.
- Remember that in a crowd, people will act in accordance with the group.
- Monitor what law enforcement is doing; watch for cues that they may be about to take action like arriving in or putting on riot gear.
“If you see law enforcement putting on gas masks,” Beckner-Carmitchel said, “put on your gas mask.”
What if you do get hit by tear gas? For starters, skip the milk. It is, said Rose, “a terrible idea. You don’t want to pour milk that’s been curdling into your eyes. You’re going to get an infection.” Instead, rinse with water or Sudecon wipes. Walk away, get some fresh air, take a moment to collect yourself. Don’t rub your eyes or touch your face – that’ll make it worse. When using wipes, dab rather than wipe. “When you are able to, shower in cold water to wash the gas from your skin, but do not bathe,” the Committee to Protect Journalists advises. “Clothing may need to be washed several times to remove the crystals completely, or discarded.”
If you are stopped by law enforcement while covering a demonstration (and not participating in it), identify yourself as media. Be polite, stay calm and do not resist. Record the encounter – or have a witness record the encounter – when possible. Use deescalation tactics, following these tips on verbal deescalation from the Radio Television Digital News Association:
- Try to learn the name of the person you are addressing and use it early and often throughout your conversation. People like to hear their own names.
- Practice active listening, repeating back what the person says to ensure you understand and let the person know you understand.
- Demonstrate empathy; avoid judgment. Show that you understand why the person feels they way they do, even if you don’t agree with them.
- Find something they can say yes to. Give a summary of what they’re saying to confirm you understand the point they’re making: “What I’m hearing is you are upset about <issue>, am I understanding correctly?”
- Avoid the words “Calm down.”
The Radio Television and Digital News Association notes that you should watch for body language that suggests potential violence, including clenched fists, pacing, taking on the “Rooster Stance” of a protruding chest and arms away from the body, or changes to tone or type of eye contact. If you see those signs, have a plan to get away. Don’t turn your back.
Fischer said he does not argue with police, instead trying to defer to what they are asking for – backing up a little bit when asked, for example – while continuing to film.
“You can simultaneously assert your right to document and be present while also making it visually clear you’re not obstructing,” he said.
If detained while you are at a demonstration covering it rather than participating in it:
- Tell the officer that you are a member of the media, there for news gathering purposes, or there to share information with the public (or another phrase that feels authentic to you) and note that federal law protects the devices you use and that you do not consent to a search.
- See if you can hand your recording devices to a colleague or someone else who can secure them.
- Say you aren’t going to answer any questions; ask for a lawyer.
- At your first opportunity, call for legal help.
Parkinson said the Journalism Protection Institute advises people to follow orders if arrested rather than fighting.
“That’s what a lawyer will come along and do eventually,” she said. “But in that moment, you want to be trying to defuse the situation.”
Coverage guidelines
In reporting on protests and unrest, Poynter advises journalists to use care – avoiding repeating rumors and verifying and attributing all information. The journalism training institute suggests also asking sources how they know what they know and being skeptical of crowd estimates. Tozzi added that a reporting protocol called S.A.L.U.T.E., shared by the advocacy group Hands Off New York, serves as a useful guide for anyone sharing information about law enforcement activity and trying to avoid creating panic.
S.A.L.U.T.E:
Size: How many officers?
Activity: What are they doing?
Location: What are the cross streets?
Uniform: What kind of uniform are the officers wearing?
Time: When did this happen?
Equipment: What equipment did law enforcement have?
In interactions with police or community members, be direct and polite. Or, as Beckner-Carmitchel put it, “lead with empathy for everybody.” Avoid arguments. Don’t shove a camera into someone’s face; if you’d like to talk to them, explain what you’re doing and ask if they’re willing to speak on camera. Avoid interviewing minors unless you have permission from a parent or guardian. Especially when dealing with communities in crisis, be sensitive. Draw from the lessons of trauma-informed reporting.
Some basics:
- Be transparent. Explain as much as possible about what you’re doing, and get consent to share the person’s story. Or, as a guide in the Journalist’s Resource put it, “err on the side of overexplaining.”
- Empower the person in the process, letting them decide when to take breaks or change the subject.
- Be understanding if someone does not want to tell their story. People who have experienced trauma, the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice notes in its toolkit, “are under no obligation to share their experiences.”
Digital security
Whether you’re covering protests and law enforcement activity in person or sharing content about sensitive topics online, protecting yourself digitally is crucial. Be aware of the risk of hacking, online harassment, and, if you are covering events in person, device confiscation. There is also the risk of doxxing, in which someone tracks down and publicly shares your personal information online.
Celeste, a spring 2026 News Creator Corps Trusted Creators fellow who goes by @CelestieDaBestie on TikTok and Instagram, began sharing information last year in English and Spanish to counter misinformation about immigration and undocumented people. When she got started, she didn’t expect the notoriety – or the harassment – that would follow.
“Initially, I was not prepared for becoming some sort of publicly known figure,” said Celeste, who uses only her first name publicly. “And I’m still adjusting to that, I think. But my Instagram was public, and I was following all my friends and family members, and I had very personal pictures posted on my account and same thing with all my other social media profiles. And I quickly had to take all that stuff down.”
Bad actors can weaponize personal information they find online. Because of this, you should secure your online data. Rose, of Freedom of the Press Foundation, suggests that you “turn your own investigative skills back on yourself.” Do some digging to see what information is out there and decide what you want to limit. Do this as soon as you can.
A digital safety kit from the Committee to Protect Journalists offers a good checklist, which includes these tips:
- Search your name and other information, like your address and phone number, including in a private window.
- Do a reverse image search with a picture of yourself to find out where else it appears.
- Check what information is findable on your family.
Once you’ve gone through that exercise, you can start removing information you don’t want out there. You may also consider a subscription that will handle removal requests for you; the one many experts recommend is DeleteMe.
Adriana Goblirsch takes care to never show her address or give any indication of where she lives. She’s also careful about posting photos of her children, not wanting them to be targeted. Celeste removed her last name, any indication of where she lives and works and who her connections are. She also purposely avoids sharing details about her daily routine and keeps her career and content creation worlds separate.
“It turned out to be the right decision to make, and that’s because as time went on, people sent me threats. I’ve been doxxed, people have contacted my workplace,” she said. “I’m really glad that I took those steps.”
Best practices:
- For social media accounts, use two-factor authentication to protect against hacking.
- Don’t reuse passwords. Make sure your passwords are long and include a mix of symbols, numbers and letters. You may want to use a password manager to keep them straight.
- Make a practice of regularly deleting sensitive information, such as messages.
- Frequently back up your devices.
- Use encrypted messaging services. Most experts recommend Signal, which Rose said “takes the cake” as the most secure option. You may want to use disappearing messages.
- Avoid biometrics as an unlocking mechanism on your devices (FaceID, TouchID or similar).
- Let your family and friends know if you would like them to share less about you or take down past posts.
- PEN America offers a comprehensive guide identifying different types of online abuse and explaining what to do about each type.
- For even more information, you can check out this series of videos on digital safety created by PEN America or this guide from Activist Checklist, which covers digital security tips for anyone observing ICE activity.
Mental health
When immersing yourself in covering high-stress topics, it’s important to set aside time for self-care. Parkinson, of the Journalism Protection Institute, said her mantra is that self care “shouldn’t be seen as a burden or something else that you’ve got to do on your long to do list.” Instead, she said, “it should be seen as a very deliberate competitive advantage.”
If you’ve spent a long day documenting a protest or stressful situation, don’t go home and doomscroll. For content creators, Parkinson noted, social media can be your workplace, but you should try to have deliberate time away from your phone. For her part, she sometimes turns off notifications and enjoys picking up her phone only when she’s chosen to, rather than when it is demanding her attention. She also uses an app called Blank Spaces that’s designed to make a smartphone less distracting.
Prioritize getting enough sleep, eating healthy and staying hydrated. Lean on your peers, other people who do this kind of work, checking in on each other. And talk to your friends who don’t do this kind of work: “It’s important to have that escapism and not be surrounded by everybody who’s living and breathing and witnessing all the same traumas you are,” Parkinson said.
She said you should also know when to reach out for professional help. It’s better to do so early and leave it than to wait too long. If you’re on the fence, try one or two sessions.
Write down a self-care plan, Parkinson said. It should include what your “stress signature” is – how stress shows up uniquely for you; examples include not sleeping enough, eating too little or eating too much, withdrawing or making mistakes. Once you’ve identified that, write down things that work for you as a stress reliever. Is that taking a walk? Going to an exercise class? Spending time away from your phone? Have an A plan (for when you have all the time and resources) and a B plan (for when you do not).
Once you notice your stress signature, turn to your plan to determine what you can do to get some relief. Remember: chronic stress can lead to burnout.
While preparing to safely cover protests and other hot-button topics can feel daunting, it will help you succeed at covering your community. And that work is important – so don’t let it scare you. If you need additional support, please reach out to safety@newscreatorcorps.org.