Trying to Break into Journalism? Go to the Riots
By: Joshua Collins
Tags: Politics, Freelancing, Photography, Writing, Journalism

Arriving at the Scene

Park well away from the protests if you are driving, and approach on foot. Do not rush. As you approach, observe where the viable exits are—they may become key later on. If things go badly and you need to make a quick retreat, you do not want to rush down a barricaded street by accident.

Take your time and evaluate the situation. Notice where the action is taking place and where it is not. Furthermore, take note of particularly aggressive protesters.

Every protest I have ever been to has instigators. Usually, they are on the younger side of the age spectrum. Sometimes they are simply taking advantage of the chaos to wreak havoc; sometimes they are hot-headed true-believers in the cause. Sometimes they are infiltrators hired by opposing parties or security forces to incite violence. I think of them as “cowboys,” more prone to violence than peaceful tactics—cowboys shoot first and ask questions later.

Whatever their motive for instigating action, they are certain to be part of the crowd. Their aggressiveness will be an attempt to escalate the situation.

A Venezuelan protester on Feb 23rd, at the Simon Bolivar Bridge (photo: Joshua Collins)

Note the Cowboys. Remember their appearance and keep a safe distance from them.

Before you pull out your camera or rush to the front-lines, take a few notes — the more detailed the better. How many people are there? What are they saying? How are the security forces behaving? What is the day like? Hot? Rainy? What is the general mood of the crowd?

These are all details that will enhance your description of the scene when you write it later.

This time is also an opportunity to begin planning a safe approach, close to the front lines but away from the cowboys and possible bottlenecks.

If things are calm, start talking to people. Get some quotes. It’s your chance not only to start documenting what’s going on, but it’s also an opportunity to learn about what might happen later in the day. What are the plans? What are the rumors?

I keep the conversation casual at first. If someone is clearly looking to make a statement, I encourage them. Tell them you are a journalist. It is basic ethics that the person should be aware they are speaking “on the record.”

I carry field mics—it saves me time having to scribble down notes. But pay attention! You may have to recall the conversation from memory if something happens to your equipment.

Start uploading snapshots to social media. If a story is breaking, people will be looking for information, and you can take advantage of that to both get the story out and to raise your profile.

If the situation is tense, or if the protest is against a government known for punishing dissidents, you might want to take a gentler approach. A microphone may seem intimidating to someone who fears being retaliated against.

In situations like that, ask permission before taking a photo of someone’s face. I have had a camera smashed to pieces by an angry protester who was worried the image would end up in the hands of the government he was protesting against.

You do not want to take any actions that might inadvertently get someone hurt.

Move around, explore, but never put yourself in a situation in which you are enclosed by people or barriers. Mobility is your friend in case something goes wrong.

Take photos, start conversations. The people you are interacting with will give you details on the story, and cultivating their goodwill may help keep you safe later. A friend I made among the crowd in New York pulled me out of the grasp of riot-officers arbitrarily arresting dozens during the Occupy Wall Street protests.

You can’t file your story from a jail cell, and if you’re on assignment, your editor won’t care that you weren’t doing anything illegal. They will expect you to know better.