Within Our Lifetime Rally Toolkit

This toolkit is the product of nearly a decade of hands-on practice, experience and lessons that we have learned from our time organizing in NYC. While conditions differ in the places where we organize, this toolkit is a roadmap for how your organization or coalition can put on a successful rally and build the movement for Palestine from wherever you are.

---

RALLY CHECKLIST

Chants, Logistics, Outreach, Materials, Assigned Roles, Security Recommendations, Follow Up, Playlist

This is a non-comprehensive list of how to organize a rally. You may not need all of these components to have a successful protest but if you have the capacity and resources for the following it will help your action be more successful.

Chants

Logistics

• Create a facebook event page 
• Flyer design
• Create a standard blurb for people to share on social media. Feel free to use from our introduction.
• Co-sponsor with allied orgs to bring in more resources and support
• Contact legal observers (legal organizations like National Lawyers Guild provide legal observing to rallies across the U.S.) 
• Write a press release to send to local media the night before or early the day of the rally. 
• Organize a press conference with community leaders and organizations to speak about the goals of the rally to the media.
• Have a point media person to coordinate with media for the press conference
• Create a security plan for those that attend the rally to ensure their safety particularly from Zionist disruptors.
• Be prepared to do jail support in case any protesters are arrested.

Outreach

• Campuses: contact student organizations and ask them to share on social media.
• Coalitions: invite any coalitions you may be a part of to not only endorse but attend, speak, and volunteer with security and other demanding tasks.
• Local neighborhood: Not everyone is online. Organize physical outreach if you live near a Palestinian community. Ask local stores to advertise your rally in their windows. Go around and tape flyers to bus stops and give them out to those that may be interested

We Keep Us Safe: Security Recommendations

Protect Everyone:

• Scope out your rally location ahead of time and make sure your route is free of obstructions being mindful of street directions, locations of police precincts, etc.
• Develop a security team and have a briefing shortly before the rally to go over the timeline of the day and any security threats
• Move as one, stay behind front banners to keep the rally cohesive and protected.
• Keep route direction closely guarded, do not tell random people who ask.
• Journalists and photographers should check in with organizers before publishing any material
• Do Not Talk to The Police! Have an assigned police negotiator who is the sole person talking to the police.
• Do not record, post, or talk freely about anything that could get anyone in legal trouble.

Protect Yourself:

• Cover your face if you do not want to be identified.
• Find your local National Lawyer’s Guild chapter and write their phone number down on your arm in case you’re arrested.
• Travel to and leave the action with friends and comrades.

Follow up

• Internal assessment + debrief 
• Posting Statement + pictures on Social Media/ website

Playlist

Here are some Palestinian resistance songs you may choose to play as folks gather for the rally

---