imported post
Carrying is pretty much out of the question. If you do end up going there, my defensive advice is the same as it is for everyone in an unconstitutionally oppressed place. Get a squeeze nose spray bottle, pull the straw from the nozzle, bore the tip out with a needle, and fill it with the most powerful ammonia based cleaning solvent that you can find. This is not a pain compliance tool, it's a blinding tool, and it is much more reliable than pepper spray because it won't possibly clog. You can carry 2 or 3 of them if desired. Practicing drawing and spraying with water is easy and smart. Your hand stays on it in your pocket when you are concerned about someone in the area, and to draw you just pull it out and spin your thumb to get the top off, going from pocketed and topped to spraying in under a second.
It is a system I am extremely confident in. It WILL stop anyone, even if they are drugged out, unless they are wearing water goggles.
It may be illegal in Illinois and other places, and it could definitely result in being sued like crazy, but it's not something that would be likely to come up unless you had to defend your life, and in that case it would cease to matter.
I would never live in an oppressed state long term, but if I had to be somewhere oppressed for a year or 2, this is why I wouldn't be concerned about self defense.