On the job

• If possible scout out the layout of the area, identify blind alleys and similar traps and avoid them if running for cover.
• Wear a hardened baseball cap – they are indistinguishable from conventional ones and do not attract attention.
• A thick (spiral-bound) notebook kept in a left inside pocket of a jacket or coat will provide some protection against stabs to the heart area in an emergency but this is no substitute for a stab-proof jacket.
• Be discreet in using a mobile phone – and tell news desks NOT to keep calling you to avoid attracting the attention of would-be muggers.
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash – keep a £5 note and some coins as a ‘giveaway’ to muggers
• Be inconspicuous – try to blend in to your surroundings and the people around you.
• If you see an angry mob coming towards you or near you, get out of the way. Watch from somewhere safe.
• If stones, bricks, or bullets start flying, take cover.
• Be neutral – never say, do or wear anything that suggests you are part of the demonstration, or that you disagree with the demonstration.
• Always have your Press Card with you. This is in case the police think you are a demonstrator, or the demonstrators think you are a scab or spy for the police.
• If you are attacked, or if you see a colleague attacked, get the name and address of two or three witnesses who saw what happened – but only if it is safe to do so.