Hosting a political event at any level can be quite an accomplishment if it goes well. If you are a political advisor the right people coming to a rally can draw attendance numbers combined with a decent media presence can lead to huge results. The event could be a fundraiser for a political candidate or party but campaigning budget is extremely important. Those campaigns with large budgets can throw money at problems while smaller budgeted campaigns have to be creative in order to stay competitive. The safety of events has become a concern due to increased domestic terrorism as well as groups like that of Antifa attacking people at events due to their beliefs. Doi not leave any detail up to chance when planning a political event and keep the below tips in mind while putting the final touches on the event plan.
The Right Speakers Make A Huge Difference
Bringing in a large crowd of the right people is usually the main focus of any political event whether it is a rally or fundraiser. The right supporter if it is a celebrity or local personality can sway those voters that might be on the fence between voting for various candidates. The outreach to speakers needs to be done professionally as many people are approached multiple times per week being offered speaking gigs. The speaker might also be willing to speak for free in exchange for a photo opportunity or the politician speaking at one of their events. A great way to build a list of speakers is to have the politician volunteer and donate to specific charities/organizations that help others. A speaker that has never done anything wrong that might have a differing opinion from the rest of the community or student population can still be protested. For this reason, obtaining the right permits needs to be done although an event can still be cancelled if public safety becomes an issue.
The Wrong Speakers Can Be Security Concerns
There are speakers that could be inflammatory that while entertaining could lead to a potentially dangerous situation. The last thing any politician or political cause wants is a serious injury or death occurring at one of their sponsored events. Assess the location of the event as certain places in the country are far less tolerant than others when it comes to freedom of speech. Doing a thorough study of the person’s former speeches or social media posts is important. Everyone has said something that could be taken in the wrong light at one point or another. In today’s world there is quite a bit of outrage over things posted a decade ago that may or may not be taken out of context. A certain organization might think of protests are free press if they are trying to prove a point of intolerance in those that oppose them. Protesters often times get violent with people supporting a speaker if the proper security measures are not taken.
Private Security Is Needed Even If The Venue Has A Security Team
Private security is going to be necessary depending on the guests and speakers that are going to be present at the event. In the largest of political events the private security either will be replaced by secret service agents or be there to assist the agents. The first thing that private security needs is to be uniformed as well as undercover throughout the event venue. The security team in uniform should match as this can deter people that might want to instigate something. Truspec.com notes that “A tactical look is perfect for law enforcement or security as military spec clothing demands respect.”
Metal Detectors At Each Entrance
There is an unfortunate reality that some rallies or events are going to have to have metal detectors at every entrance. Depending on the event there will be a guest list that will have a thorough check of who is attending. Any ties to certain groups will be identified and the person could be rejected entry or kept a close eye on. A security assessment needs to be done by the private security and event security staff. Making sure to do a pat down is also necessary as there are objects that could be used to harm others that are not made of metal. Bags also need to be checked for any type of weapons or harmful substances. Events at city hall or other places might already have this equipment which can cut down on costs for the event.
Holding a political event can be quite stressful as the political landscape is full of obstacles. The event that you throw depending on the cause could be instrumental in shaping the country in a positive or negative manner. Everyone in politics wishes that they could have this type of impact, so take pride in your job!
