At the moment, an atmosphere of divisive opinions and anger seems to have taken over political and emotional sentiments across India. They’re all either against or for the highly controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which seeks to provide citizenship to all persecuted minorities from neighbouring nations like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, but has been criticised for categorically excluding Muslims.
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And while the situation has been tense since the passing of this bill, it got worse when, last weekend, students, who claimed to be peacefully protesting, were attacked by the police even in libraries and hostels. As solidarity protests erupted (and continue to erupt) across the country, there are reports of police brutality, including the use of tear gas, batons and stones to provoke protesters. Additionally, on-ground clashes are accompanied with false claims, doctored photos and exaggerated anecdotes on the digital space. All of this, in the middle of government-imposed internet shutdowns and detention of people posting their activism online, have led to more chaos.It’s easy to get confused or carried away. But there’s help out there. If you feel you've figured the 'why' part to the protest but not the 'how' even as you prep to show up and take a stand at a protest site near you, there are several things you should keep in mind, especially in case things turn violent.VICE asked some student protestors—who are at the frontline of the movement and have spent the last few days dealing with death threats, hate speech and the impending fear of being locked away—to help us tailor a guide on how to prepare yourself for a protest.“We don’t want the protests to get violent. Violence is just a way to suppress the student community’s protests,” 22-year-old Ayesha Renna told VICE over the phone. Renna is a Jamia Millia Islamia University student who has emerged as the face of resistance over the last few days, after a video of her and her friend Ladeeda standing up to cops and protecting their friend from getting beaten up, went viral.
Even when provoked, resist reacting to it
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Renna maintained that even though the students from her university were protesting peacefully, the police tried to disrupt that. “It’s easy for [people] to propagate hatred against the protesters, but we have to stay strong and not give in to provocation,” she said. “We have to resist reacting to it, continue fighting for what we believe in, despite how emotionally and physically distressed we may get.” Renna has not only received death threats against her and her family, but has also seen her social media accounts get blocked. But despite it all, she is not backing down. To make sure there’s no violence, Renna abides by one rule: Move around in a circle of trusted people, and be very wary of those who may pose as students but will try to stir up some troubleIn the face of the storm, be calm. Or at least do so for the sake of the law. “We must all behave legally. No aggression and definitely no violence, through actions or even verbally,” said 26-year-old Fahad Ahmed, a protest organiser pursuing his PhD in minority issues at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai. Ahmed swears by maintaining decorum, especially on the streets, which seems impossible considering how things can get crazy. But any kind of “fun and frolic”, added Ahmed, can be used against the protester. “In case of confrontation with the police, keep your hands behind your back, don't touch anyone and let your senior leader deal with it directly.” He summarises it succinctly: “Do not be silent, but do not be violent.”
Maintain decorum, especially on the streets
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Carry protective gear, just in case
Use salt to save yourself from tear gas
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Download these apps in case of an internet shutdown
Be innovative to make more impact
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