How to Protect Your Protest Sign in the Rain
After nearly two weeks of demonstrations, people are still gathering in huge crowds to protest the murders of George Floyd and Breonne Taylor and to support black lives. The weather was good for most of these encounters, but in some cities (like Portland, where I live) it rained a lot. Even if the water falling from the sky doesn’t dampen your enthusiasm, it can wreak havoc on your sign, making it wet and illegible.
Luckily, my partner has been protesting in this rainy climate for several years now and has come up with an elegant solution to keep cardboard and paper signs out of the rain: you just need a clear plastic trash bag. You may already have packed one up to use as an emergency poncho , so just toss your excess in there the next time you hit the road. Then, if the sky starts to look a little sketchy, you can put the sign in your bag and tape it to the bottom (scotch tape works great, but I’ve also seen masking tape work as a last resort). If you don’t have tape, the drawstring on the bag may help a little, or you can just hold the plastic in place at the bottom of the sign.
As for the brand of the bag, any will do. Just make sure you get the “kitchen” size; anything smaller may be too short and part of your sign will remain open to elements. I would, however, look for the “odorless” option, as scented trash bags can distract from odor (and cause headaches) and a distracting, smelly sign is almost as bad as a wet one.