Planning a Public Demonstration
Vigils, protests, rallies, teach-ins

Remember to ask, "What are the objectives of the public demonstration?" Is it to make a demand and, if so, what is that demand? The Journey for Justice, for example, is highlighting public demand for a new parole system for federal prisoners who, currently, live with no hope for an early, earned release.

What do you want people to learn?

Logistical questions will include:

• Will you need a permit from the police or city hall?
• What type of visual aids (posters, banners, or costumes) do you plan to use?
• What sort of flyers will you hand out?
• How will you publicize your event?

Messengers and Message

To call for a public demonstration, organizers have two basic responsibilities: crafting a message for the public, and assembling as many messengers as you can contact and persuade to share and voice this message. In a public meeting, you are inviting the public to attend - a demonstration is different; a lot of people will listen who had not planned on it. Or in other words, your message will not fall upon 'supportive' ears and be, for some, the first time they have heard such a message.

Your printed material, flyers, and demonstration posters must express concise demands and/or educational objectives. Always remember to let interested people know what they can do to help. Remember to have local contact information on printed material.

Know local regulations and get permission

Permits can take weeks to get, and Journey organizers need to know details far enough in advance to plan a detailed schedule.

Permits are not usually required if you are going to use, but not block, a public sidewalk. Blocking a public sidewalk is never allowed. Overflowing into the street isn't either. Street marches need permits that require city planning, and so please give your city clerk weeks of notice and file this type of permit early.

If you choose a park or public area to assemble your group, someone at your city hall or county courthouse can advise you about local regulations and any permits required. They are given after an easy application process, but as mentioned earlier, it can take a few weeks. Plan early.

Some groups may choose to demonstrate on a regular basis. If so, try to get a renewable permit that will cover a span of time rather than go through the permitting process each time you vigil, rally or demonstrate. Pick up several copies of the application to have on file. A city clerk should be able to answer questions that might not be answered with the information you get with the permit application. Just ask.

Selecting a date

If you are beginning to plan a large public demonstration, check your community calendar carefully. Do not select a day and time that conflicts with other large events, unless your area is urban and heavily populated with potential supporters. The Journey schedule can overshadow these priorities, however, but if you have a date range to choose from, check the local calendar.

Media coverage is easier to get if you can stage the event during normal work hours on weekdays. Sometimes this is a trade-off because you will be more challenged to find demonstration-participants during the workweek.

Holidays are usually a time of 'no or slow' news when reporters may be hungry for stories, and workers have the day off. In a few groups, many people are dedicated enough to make a 'holiday family day' that is spent publicly opposing drug laws and incarceration. Holidays are also effective days to show support and solidarity for loved ones separated from their families by unjust imprisonment, a holiday media 'hook' in itself.

Public means visible

Lines of people who are holding signs brings automatic attention for sure, but remember that there are many creative ways to get more attention to your gathering of demonstrators.

A demonstration must be visual - and can be much more than just a picket line of people holding signs. Consider eye-catching costumes, cages, street theater, or other creative means of your own design to get people interested in who you are and why you're there.

The November Coalition has a supply of prisoner and police suits available. We also have posters and other visual aids. Visit the supplies section of this website for more information on ordering supplies. It is likely that you, or your group, will make or devise your own visual aids.

Planning with your group

Get your group together in planning stages to set the date; plan your messages; create posters and design flyers. Appoint someone who will check the community calendar for conflicts and secure the necessary permits. When date is firm, you will follow instructions that will enable your event to be put on the Journey for Justice Event Schedule.

Write and edit your messages and begin to work on posters, flyer design, etc. Themes can be used in flyers that publicize the event, the same themes used in flyers you will use the day of the demonstration.

With posters, large lettering and white-on-dark background is most visible.

Slogans must express the message simply and dramatically: 'Schools Not Prisons,' for example. 'There is no justice in the war on drugs' is short and to the point.

Do not use offensive language - we are looking for supporters, not the reverse. Stencils are an easy way to create lettering on a poster. Neat hand lettered posters are personal and effective, too.

If the group decides together on messages, your messages will be focused. Make your posters together! People enjoy and need activities like this. Have everyone bring some supplies and a snack. Suggest poster board, paint and brushes. Most people have some of these items around the house.

At these purposeful meetings, prepare short and easy-to-understand chants ahead of time, and when appropriate (not during silent vigils) keep the chants going throughout the demo. Chants (or lively songs) do cause more people to take notice and want to know what is going on, in addition to making good background noise for the media, but you will have to prepare for this and possibly select a chant leader.

Notify the media - radio, TV, and newspapers -- with a telephone call and news release at least one day before you hold the demonstration, and be on the site at least one-half hour before starting time. Be sure to have visited the demonstration site beforehand so you have an idea of how to set things up.

Keep your group together, and remind them (quietly) to hold their signs so they can be clearly seen and photographed. Write down the names and telephone numbers of the people who attended the demonstration so you can contact them for future actions. Download a sign up sheet, bring it attached to a clipboard.

Demonstrations are a good place to have the Petition for Relief - November Coalition's current campaign to gather support for a return to parole, or earned early release program in federal prisons. On a clipboard, the public will become interested in signing the petition.

You can offer factsheets to people that pass by, too. Your group might want to write their own set of Factsheets for this occasion.

If TV news covers your demonstration, assign one person to tape each television station that was present at your event so you may begin a library of media coverage.

Don't forget to pick up the newspaper the next day to see how the event was described, and save this paper in your own archives. You'll want to send news footage tape and news articles to the main offices of the November Coalition - we will include this on the Journey for Justice archive of reports and press coverage.

Again, media coverage is easier to get if you can stage the event during work hours on weekdays. You will be more challenged finding demonstration participants during the workweek, and the Journey for Justice schedule usually is limited in days and times you can choose. Don't forget to study the technical assistance we provide for getting media coverage and other topics to get publicity.