In case you missed it on the FAQ page for the Women’s March on Washington this weekend, there are serious restrictions on what you can carry while you march. Most irksome of these is the restriction on backpacks and large bags, which have to be transparent.
Backpacks are not permitted unless they are clear and no larger than 17″x12″x6″ (colored transparent bags are not permitted).
The DCPD *may* not get around to enforcing this in Washington proper since there will be so many people there, but why take the risk if you don’t have to?
Clear bags do exist in NYC, though it’s unlikely you’ll find one before Saturday: both Target and K-Mart say they’re all out, and single-day delivery for any of the bags on Amazon requires a $35+ purchase. Who wants to pay to protest?
If you’re fine just having your phone/wallet/keys/ID in DC, tucked into your pockets, that’s great. But if you were banking on carrying food, tampons or any other emergency supplies, then you may want to watch the video above. Youtube user RYAN IDK made this neat video showing you how, with a little duct tape and elbow grease, you can re-purpose plastic packaging into a sturdy clear backpack — with adjustable straps! — for the Women’s March.
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Granted, this woman has a sewing machine and probably a little more time on her hands than you do. But her directions are easy to follow, and with all the sign-making parties and radical resistance efforts in Brooklyn, you definitely know someone who knows someone who can help you out.
Do it: get a group together for a bag-making party! If you don’t have any laminate left over from past bedding purchases, put out the call online. And if that fails, you can always just get a cheap clear recycling bag from the store and bindlestick it. Just remember to use a cardboard stick — wooden ones aren’t allowed.
Stay safe this weekend, brokesters. And don’t forget to consult our guide to DC for Inauguration weekend so you can get the most out of the city before Trump covers it in tacky gold paint.