American University’s chapter of Amnesty International hosted a pre-protest training on March 28, preparing students for the upcoming No Kings Day rallies across the city.
Amnesty International is an organization that advocates for human rights on a regional to global scale.
Rodney Woods, a junior in the School of Public Affairs and the president of Amnesty AU, said this was the organization’s first time hosting a pre-protest training. He said protest safety awareness is especially important considering the increasing violence seen at demonstrations, such as recent interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Events like that is why we want to hold events like this,” Woods said. “To let people know their constitutional rights, what they can do and what they should do.”
The training, sponsored by Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union, outlined safety tips, de-escalation techniques and stressed the importance of students knowing their rights if approached by law enforcement. Students participated in a scenario-based activity to identify the correct actions and strategies for protests.
Organizers ended the session with sign-making before traveling as a group to a protest at the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in Anacostia Park.
This No Kings demonstration was the third No Kings Day in President Donald Trump’s second term. The main demonstration in the greater Washington, D.C. area gathered in Arlington, Va., before continuing across the Memorial bridge and into downtown D.C. The No Kings movement mobilizes against chaos, corruption and cruelty, according to their website, reinforcing that the people have the power to make change.
Woods said he believes the protests show the Trump administration that people can mobilize, which is where he said change begins.
Robert Jaeger, a freshman in SPA and the deputy membership director for AU College Democrats, said he understands why people may be nervous about protesting. He said the Trump administration responds to protests with violence, and when Americans see that, they question their safety.
“It’s the policy of the administration to get people too afraid to speak out against their policies,” Jaeger said, citing examples like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and National Guard deployments.
Amnesty AU’s event emphasized the importance of knowing your constitutional and First Amendment rights, such as the right to remain silent and the right to record video or audio.
Caroline Brucken, a freshman in the School of International Service and vice president of Amnesty AU, said the training was tailored to help those who have never protested before. The event reminded people of their rights and reviewed scenarios where students may be unsure of what to do, she said.
“I know my immediate thing would be to panic because I’ve never been in that situation before,” Brucken said. “These trainings are really useful for learning to stay calm, and you do have rights that maybe you kind of forget about in the moment.”
Cat Volk, a sophomore in SIS and the deputy political director of AU College Democrats, agreed that these events are especially helpful for first-time protesters. She said students learn how to respond to certain situations to feel prepared and safe, while also providing a space to ask questions.
“Just the feeling of safety, I think, is very important and something we’re lacking right now,” Volk said. “So organization and events like this can help ensure that everyone feels safe and comfortable and able to protest.”
Oliver Fowler, a sophomore in SPA, said the support of larger organizations, such as Amnesty International and ACLU, help students feel supported beyond their friends or family they may be protesting with.
“If something goes wrong, and you do all the right things like you’re supposed to, you’re gonna have a network or organization behind you,” Fowler said. “And I think that they’re regaining a sense of safety that people feel they’ve lost.’’
Before the group made their way to the protest, Woods reflected on the purpose of No Kings and the messages student organizations can send to the current administration.
“When we come together, when we mobilize, we can stand as one. And when we do those things, we will be heard,” Woods said. “2026 [midterm elections are] coming up, and I think if we continue mobilizing like this, we will see real change and real results.”
This article was edited by Natalie Hausmann, Payton Anderson and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Mattie Lupo and Ava Stuzin. Fact-checking done by Andrew Kummeth and Luca Palma Poth.
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