During this time of increased organizing and likely increased state repression, the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) stands in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives and your First Amendment right to dissent against state sanctioned violence.

If you are organizing an action such as a march, rally, or other protest event, you may request Legal Observers from the NLG who will observe and document police behavior and assist with tracking arrests; contact King Downing, Director of Mass Defense at massdef@nlg.org. Find an NLG Chapter near you at nlg.org/chapters, many of which have legal support hotlines.

The NLG has a number of resources on your right to protest, including You Have the Right to Remain Silent: A Know Your Rights Guide for Law Enforcement Encounters in five different languages—English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, and Urdu, all available for free download at www.nlg.org/kyr.

Original NLG reports on the state response to mass demonstrations include The Assault on Free Speech, Public Assembly, and Dissent (2004), Punishing Protest (2007), and The Policing of Political Speech (2010), Developments in the Policing of National Special Security Events: An Analysis of the 2012 RNC and DNC (2013), and Operation Backfire (2009).

“At this moment of national and global political unrest, the NLG is here to support organized resistance on the ground and across movements,” said NLG Executive Director Pooja Gehi.

Visit www.nlg.org for more information on how you can get support or become involved in your community.