HOW TO STAGE A SIT-IN THAT MAKES THEM SWEAT

Because Nothing Terrifies the Powerful More Than People Sitting Quietly in One Spot

A good sit-in is like a stubborn housecat — quiet, persistent, and impossible to ignore. No bullhorns, no chaos — just bodies planted in place, exuding the unshakable confidence that the people in charge will cave before you get tired of sitting.

With Trump’s second-term policies ripping through government institutions like a wrecking ball on rocket fuel, it’s time for a new wave of creative sit-ins — a movement designed to disrupt the destruction, expose corruption, and make powerful people uncomfortable in their own spaces.

Here’s how to turn a sit-in from a quiet stunt into a political earthquake.

PICK A TIME AND PLACE

When a president starts gutting public institutions, you can’t just sit on your couch — you need to sit on theirs. The key is to occupy spaces where your presence feels wrong — places where you make the people in charge feel the heat.

Trump’s elimination of the Department of Education deserves a sit-in that plants students, teachers, and parents directly inside state education offices. Imagine a room full of people silently reading textbooks while administrators scramble to explain why public education is now a game of survival of the fittest.

The gutting of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs? That calls for activists quietly gathering in corporate lobbies, holding banners listing the names of women and minority leaders fired in the administration’s campaign to erase inclusion efforts.

For Trump’s disastrous environmental deregulation, why not gather in fossil fuel lobby offices? Picture activists quietly sitting among oil executives, inflating large plastic globes and deflating them slowly throughout the day to symbolize climate collapse.

Sit-ins belong in symbolic spaces — places where your presence physically embodies the chaos Trump’s policies have unleashed. The more surreal it feels, the better.

GET WEIRD WITH IT

The louder your silence, the more confused (and uncomfortable) your opponents become. Don’t just sit — turn your protest into a performance.

In response to Trump’s mass deportations, a Silent Citizenship Line could fill ICE offices with people calmly queuing up for fake immigration forms stamped "REJECTED." Protesters would move to the back of the line again and again — a visual reminder of endless bureaucratic purgatory.

For Trump’s rollback of LGBTQ+ rights, imagine a Silent Prom staged in front of Congress — participants dressed in gowns and tuxedos holding signs that say, "We Just Want to Dance."

Or, in response to Trump's order to remove anti-discrimination language from federal contracts, participants could stage a Segregated Water Fountain Sit-In, occupying public spaces with two drinking stations — one marked "VIP Only" and another labeled "The Rest of Us." It’s darkly funny — and absolutely unforgettable.

USE PROPS — AND GO BIG

Nothing grabs attention like a giant, ridiculous prop that turns your point into a visual punchline.

When Trump slashed environmental regulations, activists could stage a Plastic Picnic — a silent sit-in where protesters dine on plastic food, wear plastic clothes, and cover the space in plastic waste, showing exactly what happens when corporations dump toxins into ecosystems without oversight.

To protest the dismantling of the Department of Education, a Textbook Pyramid — built entirely out of discarded textbooks — could grow steadily in a state office lobby as students and teachers quietly stack them higher and higher.

In response to Trump's Project 2025, which aims to shred government oversight, a Giant Paper Shredder Sit-In could involve protesters silently feeding fake "executive orders" into a massive paper shredder labeled "YOUR RIGHTS."

Props make your message impossible to ignore — and impossible to forget.

MASTER THE SILENT TROLL

Awkward silence is the ultimate power move. The longer you sit quietly, the faster your opponents panic.

Picture a room full of people in military uniforms sitting silently in VA hospital lobbies, holding signs that read "STILL WAITING." Imagine security scrambling to eject dozens of silent protesters in wheelchairs and crutches, each whispering, "We’ll come back tomorrow."

For Trump’s climate policies, a Frozen Science Fair could feature silent scientists standing beside stalled research posters, each marked "DEFUNDED." No shouting. No slogans. Just cold, dead silence — and the undeniable visual of scientific progress frozen in place.

Silence makes your opponents speak first — and the more agitated they become, the better your protest looks on camera.

MAKE THEM EARN THE EXIT

The sit-in’s final act is the ejection — and it’s your moment to shine. If they’re going to throw you out, make them sweat for it.

Protesters staging a Silent Unemployment Office — to mock Trump’s massive federal employee layoffs — could show up in suits and ties, quietly filling out endless job applications labeled "DENIED." Each time security drags someone out, another protester calmly slides into their seat.

In response to Trump’s brutal Medicaid cuts, activists could fill government lobbies dressed as patients — quietly waiting in hospital gowns and clutching empty pill bottles. Security may be able to clear the room, but they won’t erase the image of protesters muttering "Still waiting..." as they’re carried outside.

When done right, the exit becomes part of the story — and you want to leave the powerful sweating, confused, and looking ridiculous.

BE READY WHEN THE CAMERAS ARRIVE

The biggest mistake sit-in organizers make? Forgetting the punchline. Your sit-in might be powerful — but you need someone outside to explain why you’re there.

If you’re protesting Trump’s education cuts, someone should be ready to say, "We’re here because classrooms are closing while billionaires get richer." If you’re protesting his war on climate action, your message is simple: "We’re here because polluters are getting paid while the planet is dying."

Don’t just sit — make sure someone’s there to stand up and deliver the message.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS — AND USE THEM

A sit-in without legal prep is like a protester without pants — bold, but risky. Know where you stand legally before you show up.

In most public spaces — sidewalks, parks, and government buildings — you have a constitutional right to peacefully protest. If you’re occupying private property, like a corporate lobby or retail store, you may be asked to leave immediately — and they can legally call the police to remove you for trespassing. But until that moment comes, you have every right to sit quietly and non-violently protest.

Filming your protest is crucial. In nearly all public spaces — and even some private spaces like mall food courts or bank lobbies — you have the right to record interactions with security or police as long as you aren’t interfering. If someone demands you stop filming, politely remind them that you’re documenting the event for public record.

If arrests are possible, designate a legal observer — someone who’s not participating in the sit-in but is documenting everything from a safe distance. This person should have contact information for local legal aid and be prepared to assist anyone who’s detained.

Above all, remember this: They can’t arrest you for sitting down. They can only arrest you for refusing to stand up when they demand it. So sit quietly, calmly, and stubbornly — and when they finally decide to drag you out the door, make sure the cameras are rolling.

In America, nothing unnerves power like a crowd of people quietly refusing to move. So grab a book, a folding chair, and an outrageous prop — and let the awkward silence speak for itself.