How to Increase Event Safety Without Policing Participants

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Protest marshals are the individuals in bright neon color vests at rallies and protests. This role can be controversial for many reasons. In some cases, marshals end up policing event attendees (e.g., telling them where to stand, censoring language and interactions with opposition, jeopardizing individual autonomy and agency) and thus become an extension of law enforcement. 

If the goal of your event is to increase safety from an abolitionist framework, these are suggested uses of marshals:

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• Street safety: 

  • ​Use marshals to increase safety in roads/streets - vests bring visibility to drivers and can help alert motorists. 

• Communicating safety tips: 

  • ​Marshals can often share useful safety information, such as pointing out medic stations, restrooms, water, or other resources.

  • Marshals may relay important safety information to event participants and can share consequences of behavior rather than tell people not to engage in certain actions.

    • For example, if someone is standing on private property, a marshal might want to let that person know that their risk of arrest has increased, rather than say "You have to move". 

• Lost child:

  • ​Marshals can be useful in situations where a child is lost and looking for assistance.

• De-escalation:

  • ​Marshals can be useful de-escalators when done with consent - vests are not needed to for this role and in some cases may prove to not be useful.

• Allyship:

  • Marshals​ can locate medics or legal observers if needed.

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An honest discussion with your planning team about the role of visible marshals is a good fit for your event and how you can safely plan actions without replicating hierarchal and oppressive systems.