Informed by Recent ICE-Related Protests and Violent Encounters

Context and Rationale

In early January 2026, the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis sparked widespread protests both in Minnesota and across multiple U.S. cities. Demonstrations include rallies in Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Kansas City, and other major population centers demanding accountability and changes to enforcement practices. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, intensified criticism of federal immigration enforcement and led to heightened tensions between protesters and federal agents. (CBS News)

Additional reported incidents include other federal immigration agents shooting and wounding individuals during enforcement operations, such as in Portland, Oregon, further fueling protest activity and public calls for restraint and transparency. (AP News)

Protesters are responding not only to singular events but to a pattern of aggressive engagements by federal immigration agents that have raised both local and national concerns about excessive force and the safety of peaceful demonstrators. (Just Security)

In this environment, physical security planning is essential, not only to minimize the risk of injury during demonstrations but also to enable lawful expression while avoiding escalation and preventing opportunistic harm.

Core Principles

1. Lawful, Non-Confrontational Conduct
   Actions should remain peaceful, lawful, and constitutional. Security planning enhances safety, not escalation.
2. Risk Awareness and Adaptability
   Recognize that enforcement dynamics, crowd behavior, and public safety conditions can shift rapidly.
3. Preparation for Environmental Stress
   In high-tension protests, especially those with recent police or federal agent violence, crowd size, police posture, and local policies (curfews, declared assembly zones, dispersal orders) determine the physical conduct of action.
4. Prioritize De-escalation
   Avoid actions that could be construed as threatening, aggressive, or provocative; these increase risk to participants.

Section A: Pre-Protest Physical Security Planning

Site Assessment and Selection

• Reconnoiter the location in advance to identify entry and exit routes, chokepoints, safe havens (e.g., adjacent parks, medical tents), and potential high-risk zones such as federal buildings where heavy enforcement presence may exist.
• Understand terrain limitations: tight corridors, dead ends, narrow sidewalks, and heavy traffic intersections create entrapment risk.

Intelligence on Enforcement Posture

• Monitor local law enforcement and federal agency announcements regarding planned enforcement activity.
• Review recent news coverage (e.g., Minneapolis, Portland incidents) for patterns of federal agent use of force or crowd-control tactics at similar protests.

Team Roles and Responsibilities

• Safety Marshals: trained volunteers responsible for observing crowd dynamics and helping prevent harm.
• Medical Support: volunteers identified in advance with basic first-aid supplies; accessible at designated points.
• Communications Anchor: a person responsible for staying in contact with coordination leads and relaying real-time developments.

Personal Physical Preparedness

• Wear sturdy, comfortable footwear suitable for prolonged standing or movement.
• Dress in layers appropriate to climate, with non-restrictive clothing that facilitates mobility.
• Carry minimal personal items; avoid backpacks or gear that could be grabbed or could impede movement.
• Bring sufficient water and necessary medications; ensure medications are easily accessible.

Section B: On-Site Physical Security Procedures

Situational Awareness and Movement

• Continuously scan the environment quietly and unobtrusively, identify exits, shifts in crowd energy, and approaching enforcement actions.
• Maintain spacing within the crowd that allows for rapid movement; avoid congregating in tight clusters near enforcement lines.
• Establish and communicate multiple escape routes beforehand.

Crowd Flow and Bottleneck Avoidance

• Avoid areas where the crowd is compressed between physical barriers such as fences, walls, or building corners.
• If movement stalls unexpectedly, reposition laterally rather than deeper into the crowd to prevent being trapped.
• Encourage participants to stay near peripheral areas initially and flood toward safer ground if an aggressive tactical response begins.

De-escalation Posture

• Maintain calm body language; avoid gestures that could be misinterpreted as antagonistic.
• Do not engage with counter-protesters or provoke enforcement officers.
• If chanting, do so in ways that highlight peaceful intent (e.g., “Peaceful assembly,” “We stand for justice”).

Section C: Responding to Enforcement Actions

Federal and Local Response Awareness

• Recognize that federal agents (including ICE) sometimes deploy crowd-control tools—pepper balls, tear gas, flash bangs, or physical formations, especially near federal buildings. 
• Avoid confrontation lines; withdraw calmly to secure zones if dispersal orders are issued.

Handling Aggressive Tactics

• When tear gas or irritants are deployed:
  • Move upwind if possible.
  • Cover nose and mouth with cloth if no protective gear is available.
  • Blink rapidly; avoid rubbing eyes with hands if contaminated.
• Do not attempt to disarm, seize, or interfere with law enforcement devices; such actions dramatically increase risk.

Legal Orders and Compliance

• Comply precisely with lawful orders to disperse, particularly from clearly identified law enforcement officers.
• If you believe an order is unlawful, comply first and contest later; refusal in the moment increases risk of injury or arrest.

Section D: Group Conduct and Safety Nets

The Buddy System

• Participants should attend in pairs or small groups with pre-defined check-ins.
• Establish a meeting point outside the main protest area if separation occurs.

Communication Signals (COMMS)

• Agree in advance on simple, calm verbal or visual cues to indicate:
  • Need to withdraw
  • Enforcement action nearby
  • Medical emergency

Medical and Legal Support

• Ensure teams know the location of volunteer medics if available.
• Keep a record of local legal observers and emergency contacts.

Section E: After-Action Safety

• After the immediate action, reunite with your group before dispersal.
• Avoid lingering near enforcement apparatus or aggressive crowds.
• Encourage debriefing and reporting on any observed injuries or threats; community reporting can assist in accountability efforts.

Section F: Special Considerations for ICE-Related Protests

Given recent incidents involving federal immigration enforcement, including the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good and subsequent multi-city protests, organizers and participants should be cognizant of:

• Heightened tensions at federal enforcement sites and near courthouses.
• Rapid mobilization of protests following news of violence by federal agents, sometimes in multiple states on the same day. 
• The potential for federal agents to be present beyond routine local police, including in riot gear or crowd-control formations. This may change the dynamic of street safety even for peaceful demonstrations.

Summary Checklist: Physical Security

Before

• Assess site, exits, and terrain.
• Assign roles and safety teams.
• Prepare personal gear and hydration.
• Learn enforcement patterns in the area.

During

• Maintain situational awareness.
• Avoid confined spaces or crowd compression.
• Withdraw calmly at the first sign of aggressive tactics.

After

• Reunite with a group and disperse methodically.
• Document any injuries or unusual enforcement conduct.
• Debrief for future planning.

This document is intended to be integrated with broader protest planning materials and updated as conditions on the ground evolve. It reflects the current environment of heightened protest activity around ICE actions and aims to give lawful protesters practical guidance to reduce physical risk in volatile contexts.