The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) does not cooperate, collaborate, or coordinate with law enforcement at protests. Our members and communities are starkly aware of the enormous risks of engaging with the government in any way. Reflective of these values, we passed a Resolution Supporting the Abolition of Policing in 2020; our Mass Defense Committee has policies disassociating from law enforcement; and our Legal Observer Program is designed to always stand against state actors. A lot of the time, it is these very same police forces that our communities are protesting against.
In the context of rallies and other actions, the government uses the police to disperse and contain speech, under the guise of “public safety” and “order.” But there is nothing safe or orderly in arresting and criminalizing people for standing up against injustice. We keep us safe – knowing your risks and legal rights will always be better than interacting with those trained to attack and disable your liberties.
Unfortunately, during times of political unrest, new activists and organizations mobilize to take action without having developed strong solidarity practices, including a clear understanding of the dangers posed by engaging with law enforcement. When activists or organizations insist on practices that actively endanger others—such as identifying protesters to police, cooperating with law enforcement investigations, or otherwise facilitating arrests—such practices are fundamentally at odds with NLG’s values.
We believe that there is no inherent need for organizers to work with police for effective activism. Police coordination generally neutralizes our movements instead of strengthening them. We strongly encourage our members, chapters, caucuses, committees, projects, and partners to avoid supporting organizations and activists who work with police, and thereby extend power and legitimacy to the police. NLG stands in solidarity with those who resist state repression, not with those who aid it.
ICYMI: Don’t talk to the cops and shut the f*ck up! This will always be true with law enforcement, no matter what the situation.
