National Students For Justice in Palestine (NSJP) and allied organizations used an encrypted messaging app to distribute a document instructing protesters on how to use physical force to stop police officers from making arrests, the Daily Caller News Foundation found.
“Popular University 4 Gaza” is a Telegram channel with over 8,000 subscribers and is run by members of NSJP, Palestinian Youth Movement and Writers Against the War on Gaza, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter. The channel’s admins distributed a document called the “De-Arrest Primer” on April 26 that provides tactics for resisting arrest, sometimes through violent means.
One tactic for obstructing arrests laid out in the document requires “pulling/pushing an officer off an arrestee and/or breaking their grip.” The document warns readers that the tactic can be “risky as it requires physical contact with an officer which could lead to assault on an officer charges.”
Freeing protesters from arrest can often be “well worth the risks,” as being arrested “can have drastic negative life altering affects [sic.], especially for targeted populations like people who aren’t white, Muslims, LGBTQ people and certain radicals,” the document argues.
Protesters are also taught to “hug” an arrestee from behind to pull them away from law enforcement, wrestle with police officers, open patrol car doors to free detained suspects and surround officers to demand they let arrested protesters go free.
“There’s plenty of excellent reasons to break the spell of self-policing and risk charges in order to fight back, especially when that antagonism can spread and shape the general disposition of a given movement for the better or even explode a situation into a deeper more affective rupture,” the document reads.
The post received more than 3,500 views and over 100 reactions on the Telegram channel.
“Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe! Learn these tactics to protect your comrades,” the text accompanying a link to the guide reads. It is unclear who authored the document.
NSJP is a pro-Palestinian organization that seeks “to elevate the student movement for Palestinian liberation to a higher level of political engagement,” according to its website. American and Israeli victims of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel are currently suing NSJP, alleging that the group has been working on behalf of Hamas by organizing protests in the wake of the attacks.
“Popular University for Gaza” is the name of a nationwide “coordinated pressure campaign” run by NSJP intended to force universities to divest from Israel, according to the organization’s website. NSJP student groups at dozens of universities have signed on to NSJP’s “popular university” campaign, and protesters at campuses across the United Stateshave dubbed their encampments the “Popular University for Gaza.”
NSJP supports over 350 pro-Palestinian student groups in North America and has provided consulting services to student organizers ahead of protests. The group also encouraged members of its sizable social media following to attend pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
A Telegram channel purportedly serving students at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, called “UIUC Encampment” also posted a link to the de-arrest guide, encouraging its audience to read it. The protesters held lessons on April 28 regarding “de-arrest” tactics, according to the channel.
The UIUC channel’s administrators shared day-to-day schedules for the university’s encampment, which included things like Islamic prayers, a “Covid safe” teach-in and film screenings. The protesters named their encampment the Popular University for Gaza, matching the name of NSJP’s Telegram channel and advocacy campaign.
More documents encouraging violence were shared by admins of the Popular University 4 Gaza Telegram channel.
“Flood the Gates: Escalate,” one of the documents, encourages protesters to “learn tactics to protect yourself and your comrades,” recommending “barricades, de-arrest, strategic formations and community defense” in order to resist police.
“We recognize that building an infrastructure of militancy for the larger struggle against imperialism and the establishment of a new world is the only effective route we can take,” it reads. The document explicitly rejects non-violent protesting, stating that “we are not naïve enough to think the revolution will come through ‘peaceful’ means or spontaneous uprisings without organized militancy.”
“We will not disavow any actions taken to escalate the struggle, including militant direct actions,” it says.
The document was published by Palestine Action US, the American branch of a United Kingdom-based anti-Israel group.
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Another document, titled a “Do-It-Yourself Occupation Guide,” provides protesters with practical information on how to establish and defend on-campus occupations.
“We can no longer simply protest to demonstrate our rage; decades of activism have come to the point of an impasse,” the guide reads. “Instead, we must insist on the struggle for the satisfaction of immediate needs and desires.”
The guide recommends using bolt cutters, crowbars or angle grinders to break into buildings, providing specific techniques on using those tools to enter locked areas. The guide also provides readers with methods to barricade building entrances by jamming push bar doors, using cable locks, nailing doors shut and boarding up windows.
The document provides instructions on how to build corrugated metal banners, which function as six-foot-wide shields protesters can use to ward off police officers or others attempting to dislodge them from the building they are occupying.
The guide also condones vandalism, stating that “a group may decide it is better to destroy or vandalize a space than to return it to its usual role in good condition” and “the role of vandalism may be different in each situation, but it should not be disowned outright.”
The guide recommends that prospective occupiers lock down legal support, medics and a “propaganda team.” The propaganda team should prepare an initial press release before the occupation begins and handle media relations as it goes on, according to the document.
It is unclear who authored the document.
Pro-Palestinian encampments have cropped up at colleges and universities across the United States, with notable demonstrations occurring at Columbia University, Emory University and George Washington University
On May 1, the University of California, Los Angeles’ Students for Justice in Palestine chapter made a post to social media saying “we need bodies” to prepare for a confrontation with police, noting that activity was “high risk.” Protesters clashedwith police at UCLA during the early hours on May 2 as law enforcement made their way through dismantling the campus’ sprawling pro-Palestinian encampment, and 200 people were arrested, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Police arrested 42 masked individuals in a UCLA parking garage on May 6 for conspiring to commit a crime, and two were charged with obstructing a peace officer, according to a Los Angeles Police Department press release. The group had metal pipes, padlocks, super glue, bolt cutters and copies of the “De-Arrest Primer” and “The Do-It-Yourself Occupation Guide.”
Demonstrators at the University of Wisconsin- Madison were reportedly handing out printed copies of the de-arrest document before police dismantled their encampment on May 1, according to the MacIver Institute. Police arrested 34 people and eight officers were injured, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The campus SJP chapter encouraged people through social media to defend the encampment as police moved in to clear it.
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NSJP is a fiscally sponsored project of WESPAC, a liberal charitable foundation that has provided considerable support to pro-Palestinian activists since Oct. 7.
Fiscal sponsorship is an arrangement that allows an established nonprofit like WESPAC to process tax-deductible donations for allied groups without those groups themselves needing to register with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to the American Bar Association. NSJP, being a fiscally sponsored project of WESPAC, is not a distinct legal entity but rather part of WESPAC.
WESPAC, NSJP, the Palestinian Youth Movement, Writers Against the War in Gaza and Palestine Action did not respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.