Deb Haaland for NM Governor

Deb Haaland is running for Governor because she’s lived the struggles of New Mexicans. She understands that crime, homelessness, addiction, and high prices are putting success out of reach for many families in our state and Deb is determined to face those challenges head-on.

Nobody understands the struggles that New Mexicans are facing more than Deb. She is a proven leader first in Congress representing New Mexico and then breaking barriers leading the Department of the Interior. She brought jobs, clean energy, and countless other opportunities to the state. She is of and for New Mexico and has never forgotten her roots.

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Protect Yourself and Others at Protests using Non-Violent Tactics

Indivisible and other pro-democracy coalition members adhere to a long tradition of non-violent protest. Gandi’s ideals, honed by the Civil Rights Movement, have grown into an important framework for all opposition movements. The ethos of non-violence is crucial to protecting each other, our right to protest, and growing our movement. Strategies of de-escalation and a foundational understanding of our rights are fundamental to creating a non-violent protest.

Indivisible’s Resources on Protest Conduct, Police Encounters, and Non-violence.

So how do we implement this value?  One way is to rehearse how we will conduct ourselves at protests.  Remember that at all times, the goal is non-violence.  Knowing your rights and what you should do will give you confidence to de-escalate or otherwise prevent violence from occurring.  

Please reread these guidelines before each protest you attend, and share with others new to the movement.

Know your Rights at Protests 

Right to Assemble: Public spaces (streets, sidewalks, parks) are protected for public demonstrations. You can legally photograph or video anything in plain view, including police actions.

Permits: You do not need a permit to protest on sidewalks or streets, provided you do not obstruct traffic. 

Non-engagement with Hostile Individuals: If approached by someone aggressive, avoid engaging and keep a safe distance. Notify an event marshal if necessary.

Protect Fellow Protesters

Ask before you livestream or video the event attendees on your personal social media pages – this material is more often being used to vilify protestors by policing agencies. Only livestream to document the police present at the event.

Taking photos of the event? Make sure to blur identifying features of attendees before posting to social media. (Even better, avoid faces in photo altogether)

Protect and support high-risk protestors – ensure that you are keeping protestors of BIPOC and high-risk groups centered within the main body of the protest to protect them from the police or ICE.

Documenting Violations: If you believe anyone’s rights were violated, record the details (officer badge numbers, witnesses, any injuries) and report them later to a civilian oversight body.

Police Encounters 

You have specific constitutional rights under Amendments 4,5 and 6.  These guidelines will help you preserve your constitutional rights, and stay safe.

If you are stopped by the police, be polite, remain calm, and ask if you are free to go. If the answer is yes, consider walking away. If the answer is no, you are being detained.

The police can conduct a pat-down search of you outside your clothing if they have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or that you are armed and dangerous. They can conduct a more extensive search of you and your belongings if they have probable cause to believe a crime has been committed or they receive your consent to perform the search. If the police begin to conduct a search without your consent, say clearly “I do not consent to this search.” If they search anyway, do not resist in any way.

If you are detained and/or arrested by the police, anything you say can be used against you. The safest course of action is to invoke your right to remain silent and request a lawyer. It is critical to remain silent after you invoke this right; if you begin speaking, your 5th and 6th amendment rights may be waived, and the police can begin questioning you again.

Lock your cell phone with a passcode, not a thumbprint or facial ID.

Media: In the event of a law enforcement incident, all media questions should be directed through the group’s designated press contact. Passing comments may distract from the key message of constitutional rights.

Dealing with Counter-protestors at the event

Remain Calm and Be Observant: Stay aware of your surroundings and avoid direct engagement with hostile individuals.

Maintain a Supportive Stance: Use calm, open body language. Maintain personal space and use neutral facial expressions and gestures.

Active Listening: Sometimes, letting a person vent can defuse a situation. Keep the focus on shared concerns rather than disagreements.

Give Your Legislators Daily Feedback

🤨 As frustrating as the deafening silence is from Congressional Republicans, the apparent capitulation from Democrats in Congress is even more maddening. Chuck Schumer made himself the face of Democratic cowardice by his refusal to put his foot down and shut down the government. Grassroots groups and enraged Democrats everywhere called for his resignation as Democratic Senate leader. Schumer recently invited further ridicule by offering a “strongly worded” letter in response to Trump’s attack on the Constitution through Harvard University. Schumer refuses to step down, but he has already ceded moral leadership of Senate Democrats, who also need to generate some fire of their own.

🔥🔥 Fortunately, an increasing number of Congressional Democrats are breathing fire through their activities, e.g.:

  • AOC and Bernie have been crisscrossing the country, holding events and calling for a mass resistance movement of millions. They call theirs the Fight Oligarchy Tour. 
  • Elizabeth Warren led a rally against DOGE in Austin and one in front of the Treasury Department to protest DOGE’s access to Americans’ sensitive personal information.
  • NJ Senator Cory Booker broke records in delivering the longest (25h) speech/filibuster in Senate history to protest Trump’s administration and DOGE.
  • Sen. Booker and NY Senator/House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a sit-in and discussion session on the Capitol steps that was live-streamed over social media. The duo called it “An Urgent Conversation with the American People,” explaining why the current budget bill is so bad for Americans.
  • MD Senator Chris Van Hollen flew down to San Salvador and met with his constituent Abrego Garcia, who is being unlawfully detained there. Photos from that meeting disprove Trump’s assertion that the M13 tattoo is on Garcia’s hands. The image appears to have been Photoshopped by someone in Trump’s camp to support Garcia’s illegal abduction and deportation. 

☎️ So where are your members of Congress, what have they been doing? And what should you do in response? You must do your job too! Use your phone to call your legislators:

👍 If you are in MA, call Warren and tell her you think she is doing a good job, keep it up, you’re with her, etc. Rewarding legislators for a job well done with a positive phone call is a major way to help them work toward your shared goals. Call them regularly to express your thanks and approval. 

👎 If your legislator’s still giving speeches to the choir, writing “strong” letters, and seeking to normalize the current chaos, what then?  CALL DAILY.  Give them your opinion. Tell them you expect them to be moving mountains to defend our Constitution and Democracy. Tell them that come election  time, they will be held accountable for their actions (or lack of). And mean it.

Hands Off Beverly

Saturdays | 11am – 12pm EDT

This a local WEEKLY Indivisible event! A peaceful protest in opposition to all things Trump! The first protest was on February 17 and was followed by weekly standouts ever since. A lively crowd of typically between 100-250 people with great music in the background. We obtain weekly permits and have at least two of our own marshals present at all times. They are there to make sure we don’t block sidewalks, bicycle lanes and parking spots. Also to keep us from walking into the street while the light is red. They can be identified by their yellow vests.

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De-escalation Training Video

One of our core principles is a commitment to nonviolent action. Wherever you are and whatever your level of concern, this training video is a great opportunity to learn best practices to consider for your event to help ensure it’s as safe and welcoming as possible for all attendees. By the end of the session, you will understand how to recognize escalating behavior, respond calmly, and defuse potential conflicts — whether with opposition groups, bystanders, or law enforcement — while staying aligned with your event goals.

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Defend Democracy! Fitchburg

Second Saturdays | Fitchburg City Hall

Join our “Second Saturdays” standouts as we gather at Fitchburg City Hall on the second Saturday of each month to support democracy and the rule of law – and to protest the policies of trump and musk and the men themselves. Signs are welcome, and there are always extra signs to borrow. Hope you can make it! Ample parking is available at 166 Boulder Drive if you’re unable to find parking on Main Street. Join our Facebook page – Indivisible Fitchburg MA – for updates and info on pop-up protests!

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Make Polluters Pay

The Donald Trump – Elon Musk administration has been unconstitutionally withdrawing funding for climate initiatives at the state and local level, and Republicans in Congress want to cut such funding in the budget. While the fight to block these cuts proceeds, here’s something that MA can do now: make sure the major polluters who caused the climate crisis start paying up to fund the solutions.

Easy Email Template

The very companies who lied to the public for decades about climate change are benefiting while all of us, especially the most vulnerable, bear the cost.

The Make Polluters Pay bill (H.1014 / S.588) would require these major polluters to pay a one-time fee based on their historic emissions to fund climate-resilient infrastructure upgrades.  

That means more money for restoring coastal wetlands; upgrading roads, bridges, subways, and transit systems; preparing for extreme weather; energy efficiency upgrades and retrofits; supporting the creation of self-sufficient clean energy microgrids; and addressing urban heat island effects through green spaces and urban forestry.

New York and Vermont have already passed such a bill. Let’s make MA next.

Can you write to your state representative and state senator in support of the Make Polluters Pay bill?

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