May 15th is right around the corner, and we’re counting on our friends across the country who are concerned about the deployment of small cell antennas in close proximity to homes and apartments to make this an amazing and effective day!

Here is some basic information you’ll need to plan your rally and make it a big success.

1. Find the Right Location

Streets are public property and malls are private property. So, when  scouting for a location for your rally, look for a prominent retail wireless location on a public street with wide sidewalks, so you can assemble your group in front of the store without blocking traffic or impeding the flow of pedestrians. Corners are always good locations.

If you can find a podium for speakers, it will help focus attention where you want it, and provide a place for news crews to place microphones. If you expect to have more than 25 or 30 people at the rally, you may need some sort of amplification so that everyone can hear. Ask around to see if someone has a battery-powered amplifier and microphone.  Megaphones can be effective for smaller groups.

2. Obtain a Permit

Your city, town or village may require a permit for you to hold a sidewalk rally. Check with your local police department or mayor’s office. Permits may take a few  weeks to process, so apply soon!  You will need to obtain a permit for your rally if:

• Your event will block traffic or cause a street closure
• It’s a large rally requiring the use of sound amplifier
• A local government requires a fee for permits, such as a security deposit or a charge to cover overtime for police.
• Freedom of assembly is a basic American right, and you cannot be unreasonably prevented from holding your event.

3. Get the Word Out

Social media is the best way to get your message out to like-minded citizens. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some images and posts that you can consider using for your own messaging.  We’ll also be providing you with sample flyers and postcards you can personalize and distribute at public meetings, street fairs, train stations, supermarkets, and even outside of schools where parents are waiting to pick up their kids.  Sample Letters to the Editor which you can use as a template will also be coming your way!

4. Bring the Kids

The focus of our Day of Action is the protection of our children who will be subject to chronic, low-level exposures to wireless radiation during critical developmental windows if small cells are deployed in our neighborhoods.

We expect to attract a lot of press to these events, and children riding on shoulders, in strollers or holding a parent’s hand make important visuals. If the TV News crews show up to film the rally, make sure parents holding kids form the backdrop for your speakers.

5. Plan the Program

Decide in advance who will be speaking at your rally. Three or four speakers, each focused on a slightly different aspect of the issue, should be able to cover the most important points. Begin your program around 12:30 local time; it should last no longer than 15-20 minutes.

Tape a 8 ½ X 11 piece of paper with the words “SPEAKER” on the backs of each person who will speak so that the media can easily identify who they should talk to about the event.

Find a volunteer in your group to livestream the event on Facebook for those who can’t be there in person!

6. Press Advisory & Press Release

Assign someone in your group to assemble a list of the media outlets and reporters who might cover your rally, including television and radio stations as well as print media. Get phone numbers and email addresses of reporters.

One week before your rally, send out a press advisory to everyone on the list. We will provide a template for you; simply fill in the exact location and send it to your press contacts.

On Monday, May 13th, send out our press release (coming soon) to the same contacts. Follow up with another reminder on the 14th. Call reporters directly and ask them to please cover the rally.

7. Signs

In making your signs for these events, please be respectful of our reasonable messaging and help us prevent wireless companies (or their friends in the media) from portraying us as “fringe” or the “tin foil hat” brigade.

Points we want to emphasize:

• Science proves that chronic exposure to wireless radiation is harmful
• Children are more vulnerable to environmental exposures than adults and they depend on us to protect them
• Federal human exposure guidelines are decades out of date and are only concerned with thermal exposures
• 5G will result in involuntary exposures for millions of people – including our kids
• There is no scientific evidence that 5G is safe

Avoid (or prohibit) signs that will work against our messaging:

• 5G is killing people (or 5G will kill people)
• 5G is a conspiracy by the government