Anybody with a router is likely setting up, or already has set up intelligence gathering tools.
As demonstrated in CHAZ, some clever folks set up free WIFI points around the area and snared quite a few ANTIFA/BLM/JBGC. They created a map of who was communicating with who.
OPSEC dictates probably the best strategy is to leave your phone at home, but nothing is perfect.
I would also take the time to encrypt your phone contents and set up an actual password, not face unlock or fingerprint. If you get picked up by LEO, remember your right to not self incriminate, enumerated in the Fifth Amendment.
Food and water would be essential items to bring with you, bring plenty for yourself and some to share if you want. A small first aid kit wouldn't be a horrible idea either.
Stay together, make plans and backup plans and rally points if you get separated from your group.
God bless you and be safe. I'll meet you all there.
EDIT: the comments here have excellent suggestions, I only watched a couple DEFCON videos a few years ago about WIFI activity being intercepted for intelligence gathering purposes. Heed the advice of people more knowledgeable than myself.
As a law student I'd like to reiterate a great point you bring up.
Never, ever talk to the police. If you are arrested and get mirandized, you need to UNEQUIVICALLY invoke your right to silence and your right to counsel. They are RIGHTS.
"I invoke my right to counsel under the 6th amendment and my right to silence under the 5th"
Questioning must cease when you do that. But for the love of God, do NOT speak again. Talking after that point can be interpreted to be waiving your rights and statements made against you can possibly be admitted into evidence. Hell, even if they violate your right to counsel or silence and you say something like "I have never touched a gun" they can STILL use that to impeach your credibility on the stand even though they can't enter it into direct evidence.
Pedes may need to locate an attorney who can be trusted and is licensed to practice in the D.C. area. A random assignment from the local public defender's office can and will screw you over.
If you are "detained" that is not "under arrest" but you still can't leave.
-Not an expert, so everyone should do their own google.
But: it's "am I being detained, or am I free to go?" -- if there's probable cause to stop you (someone saw XXX description, around the corner .. and you match), then they can detain you for questions, don't have to make an arrest.
-The cops are not your friend. They are not going to be chatting you up to grab beers. Stop incriminating yourself. Stop making statements to be used against you in court. And if a cop keeps asking the same question .. particularly with "different phrasing" they are really trying to find an inconsistency to peg you.
Incorrect but right idea. You have to ask if you're being detained. If you aren't THEN you can walk. But if you use arrest the guy could say no (but in his mind he's detaining you) and you walk he then tackles you and sticks you with some bullshit charge.
If he says you are detained, ask him/her what is the reasonable suspicion supported by specific and articulable facts indicating criminal violation of the law? Reasonable suspicion is a relatively low standard, but detention cannot be due to a hunch, nonspecific suspicion, or carrying a legal firearm. See brown v texas, deberry v us, delaware v prouse, and terry v ohio.
It depends. If police have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing, they can briefly detain you to confirm or dispel their suspicions in what it called a Terry stop. In a situation like that, you are not under arrest, but you are not free to leave.
Generally, things are more nuanced than how they are portrayed on TV. Just make sure not to incriminate yourself and never consent to a search. If arrested, invoke your rights and stay quiet.
If they engage in those practices, the evidence obtained by it is generally inadmissible. My advice stands.
You're a law student, not a lawyer. You're in no position to offer legal advice to anyone.
You're a shitposter on the donald, you in no position to counter my actual advice after studying the actual cases and material.